The curious connection of the stained glass window and the trade union movement
The story about the connection between this magnificent window in Cork and the trade union movement is an interesting one. In the early 1900s, workers in Ireland were suffering from low wages and rising prices, due to the outbreak of the First World War, which caused strikes throughout the country.
This sparked Fr Thomas Dowling (1874-1950), a Capuchin priest who had studied social reform, to set up a Conciliation Board in Cork. This had an equal number of employer and trade union members and was the first such organisation in an English- speaking country. As its first chairman, Fr Thomas presided over many trade disputes; the most notorious was one between the tram workers and the company, for whom he brokered a successful settlement.
In 1918, in recognition of the work he had carried out as an arbitrator, the Cork & District Trades & Labour Council donated a large stained glass window to Holy Trinity Church, on Fr Mathew Quay, Cork, along with electing him as honorary president of the council.
Around this time, Harry Clarke (1889-1931) had just completed the stained glass windows in the Honan Chapel at UCC, which established his reputation as a world class artist. Probably due to this, he was also selected to do the Fr Thomas Dowling Memorial Window for Holy Trinity Church.
Clarke was educated at Belvedere College in Dublin, and, on leaving school, joined the family business of J Clarke & Sons in Dublin. He attended art college in both Dublin and London, and won a travelling scholarship, which gave him an opportunity to study stained glass in France. He was influenced by the medieval glass he saw there as well as by other continental artists.
However, he developed his own unique style, with its exquisite drawing detail and jewel-like colours, and succeeded in adapting modern European to an Irish style.
From the outset, problems arose with this commission. For example, the sponsors wanted to have a crucifixion included in the commission, as well as the stained glass window, for the same price.
In addition, they wanted a very lengthy inscription at the bottom of the window, naming all of their officials. Unsurprisingly, Clarke was not happy to do the additional work, without being paid for it, and felt that a lengthy inscription would not only spoil the window but could not be read from the ground.
Things came to a head in September 1918, as Clarke had become completely disaffected with the project. He wrote to the architect, James F McMullan, to say he no longer intended continuing with the commission, but he also put forward a solution to the problem.
He offered to give his design to his father, Joshua, to select the glass and to generally supervise the work. In that way, he guaranteed that they would get as good a window as they could expect.
In the end, and to the benefit of the Irish public, the sponsors opted for Clarke’s original design. This magnificent two-light window depicts Christ – Prince of Peace, in a ruby red robe, and St Francis, in the traditional brown robe of his order. It contains several symbols of peace, from the dove held by St Francis, to the myrtle and olive branches surrounding the figures.
Clarke could also combine the macabre with the beautiful. In the lower panels of the window, angels are depicted, surrounded by devils, weeping over the Cork city skyline.
Clarke would have been familiar with the 1913 lockout in Dublin and was no doubt depicting the misery and strife caused by industrial disputes in this window.
The controversial inscription has had a happy ending as it was through it that the present day Cork Council of Trade Unions learned of its existence.
