The Museum of Newport Irish History presents the fourth talk in its 14th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series – Tuesday, March 22 at 6:00 pm.
The lecture will be held within St. Mary’s Church, at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard in Newport. Guest speaker, Edward H. Fury, founder and president of the Keely Society, will present an illustrated talk entitled:
“Patrick C. Keely’s Legacy to the Catholic Church in America and St. Mary’s Church in Newport, R.I.”
Patrick Charles Keely (1816-1896) left Ireland in 1842, and arrived in Brooklyn just as the church was experiencing unprecedented expansion, fueled by immigration from Ireland. Keely became America’s leading Catholic architect of the 19th century, designing an estimated 700 ecclesiastical structures including churches, cathedrals and schools. In 1848, Patrick Keely would begin the design for the “Church of the Holy Name of Mary,” in Newport Rhode Island.
Mr. Fury’s presentation will focus on what is known of the Keely family in Ireland, the building career of Patrick Keely, and the legacy of Keely’s monumental contribution to ecclesiastical structures in America, including the design for Newport’s St. Mary’s Church, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
All are welcome and reservations are suggested. There will be a free-will offering to benefit the St. Mary’s Building Fund. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Ann Arnold at NewportIrishHistory@gmail. com or at (401) 841-5493.
To learn more about the Museum of Newport Irish History please visit www.NewportIrishHistory. org. To learn more about the Keely Society please visit www.PatrickKeely.com
