County Meath
Religious statues in Co. Meath
Meath is where, by tradition, St Patrick lit the Easter fire on the Hill of Slane in defiance of the High King at Tara, and where St Oliver Plunkett was born, at Loughcrew.
The Diocese of Meath
The Diocese of Meath covers most of Meath and Westmeath and parts of Offaly and neighbouring counties. Its cathedral is not in Meath at all but in Mullingar: the Cathedral of Christ the King, consecrated in 1939.
Holy places
The Hill of Slane
Muirchú’s seventh-century Life of Patrick tells of the Paschal fire lit here, in sight of Tara. Historians argue about where the fire really was; the hill and its ruined friary remain a place of prayer, and the story is why Patrick’s Easter fire is part of Irish memory.
Loughcrew and St Oliver Plunkett
St Oliver was born at Loughcrew near Oldcastle in 1625, became Archbishop of Armagh and was martyred at Tyburn in 1681. He was canonised in 1975.
Kells
The Columban monastery that gave its name to the Book of Kells, with St Colmcille’s House still standing.
Which statues suit
Meath has grown fast, and its towns are full of young families; a statue is a natural First Communion or house-blessing present. The Holy Family, St Joseph with the Child Jesus and the Sacred Heart are the statues we suggest first.
The diocese’s cathedral in Mullingar is dedicated to Christ the King, so a statue of Christ the King sits naturally in a Meath parish, above all around the feast in late November. For a statue of St Patrick or St Oliver, ask about a commission.
For Meath homes
Questions from Meath
How much is delivery to Co. Meath?
Resin statues go by post to any address in Co. Meath for a flat €15 per order, however many statues are in the parcel. Marble is too heavy for the post, so we deliver it ourselves; the delivery charge for each marble statue is shown on its own page before you order. We deliver marble across the county, from the commuter towns to the farms around Oldcastle, on a day agreed with you.
What is a good statue for a First Communion?
Something small and painted — Our Lady, the Sacred Heart or a guardian saint. See First Holy Communion gifts.
Can you supply a school?
Yes. Schools usually want a robust statue at a height children can see; statues for schools explains what to ask.
A statue for Meath?
Tell us where the statue will stand and roughly how tall it should be, and we will tell you plainly what suits. WhatsApp or ring +353 85 285 1015, or write to [email protected].
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Religious statues in Ireland
Statues of Our Lord, Our Lady and the saints for the home, the parish and the garden — hand-painted resin and hand-carved marble, delivered to every county in Ireland.
Dublin
Dublin has a fifteenth-century Madonna that survived the Reformation by being hidden, the relics of St Valentine, and the grave of Matt Talbot — and most of its homes now have less shelf space than their grandparents had.
Westmeath
Mullingar has the cathedral of the Diocese of Meath, dedicated to Christ the King at the request of Pope Pius XI. At Multyfarnham the Franciscans built a Way of the Cross with life-size figures, and Fore is famous for St Féichín’s seven wonders.
Choosing a size
The most common reason a statue disappoints is not the statue: it is the size. A few minutes with a tape measure, and one or two rules of thumb, save a lot of trouble.