St. Patrick Statue Restoration and History

"Wee Bit" of History Regarding the St. Patrick's Statue of theAncient Order of Hibernians, St. Patrick Division #1, Cincinnati, Ohio

by

Tim Flynn

March 2014

This beautiful Saint Patrick Statue, which has been used annually in the Cincinnati, St. Patrick's Day Parade, since 1985, by St. Patrick's Div. No. 1 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Cincinnati, Ohio, is approximately 142 years old today. It originally stood in the former Saint Patrick's Church located at the corner of Elm and Philadelphia Streets in Covington, Kentucky, near the present day location of the Radisson Hotel and the I-75 bridge in Covington.

St. Patrick's Church, came about after a meeting of committee-men was assembled by Rev. James Smith, as directed by the first Bishop of Covington, George Aloysius Carrell, to plan a second church to be erected in addition to St. Mary's Cathedral for English-speaking Catholics of Covington, Kentucky. The Church was dedicated by Bishop Augustus Maria Toebbe, the second Bishop of Covington, and Rev. James Smith in August of 1872. The new Church was built to serve especially Catholics who were either Irish-born or of Irish descent. Four men served as pastors throughout its history: Rev. James Smith, a native of Ireland was appointed the first pastor, he was followed by Rev. James Cusak, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. McCaffrey, also a native of Ireland, and finally Rev. Raymond McClanahan. In August of 1967, St. Patrick's Church was closed by Bishop Richard Ackerman after 95 years of service, and the Parish was absorbed into St. Aloysius Parish. The closure was made necessary due to the decline in parish membership, due to urban renewal, the building of: the IRS building in Covington and I-75, and the call of the suburbs. Overall throughout its history, 7053 individuals were baptized, 1404 couples exchanged marriage vows, and 2076 individuals were laid to rest from St. Patrick's Church. Most of these individuals were again, natives of Ireland, or were of Irish heritage.

After the closure of St. Patrick's Church, the Saint Patrick Statue was moved to St. Aloysius Church in Covington, at Seventh and Bakewell Streets, near the present day Main Strasse in Covington, where it set in storage in the basement of the church. Prior to a fire, caused by lighting, which destroyed St. Aloysius Church in May of 1985, this statue along, with a smaller St. Patrick statue, was purchased from St. Aloysius by Cincinnati's by St. Patrick's Div. #1 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and brought to their hall for their use. The smaller statue was donated to another AOH Division in Springfield, Ohio. The committee that brought the Statue to the Hibernians included Mike Hall, Jack Flannigan, and Jerry Tracey. The first restoration of our statue occurred at that time and was done by AOH members Spade Hennessey, Mike Flynn, and others. Its present restoration occurred prior to the 2012 St. Patrick's Day Parade, and was done by husband and wife artists, Mike & Linda Hendley, with help from Tim Flynn (who's family relatives attended St. Patricks), Tom Hogan, Chris Schulte, and many others from the Hibernians.

Sources:

1. Commemoration Booklet: A Record of Achievement in Commemoration of the Solemn Closing of Saint Patrick Parish, Covington, Kentucky, Sunday, August 27, 1967

2. Kenton County Library History of St. Patrick's Church and School - http://www.kentonlibrary.org/genealogy/regional-history/covington/peaselburg/saint-patrick-church-and-school