Organ Restoration

The great organ of Maynooth's College Chapel is being restored

The original organ of the College Chapel was built by the Stahlhuth firm of Aix-la-Chapelle around 1890. After 120 years of great service, it is needing a total rebuild, as many of the 3,000 pipes are no longer playable.

Each stop (see photograph) has a distinct sound, and so 61 pipes in a rank are called into service when a stop is pulled out. When any one of these pipes is damaged or out of tune, the whole group becomes redundant.

The organ has had two major rebuilds in its life, in the 1920's and in the 1970's. In addition, it has been regularly maintained, with several modifications. However, by now, a total rebuild is required, and companies in Ireland, England, Hungary and Italy have competed for the job. The firm of Fratelli Ruffatti of Padua in Italy has been selected to do the work, which will take two years.

Click the play button below to hear the Maynooth Organ while you browse this page

In recent months, all the pipes have been removed from the Organ-Case.  Some of the ranks will be totally replaced while others have been shipped to Italy to be voiced and polished. We hope that the restored and newly commissioned pipes will be returned to their setting in the summer of 2013.

In the meantime, a temporary electronic system has been employed, with speakers concealed in the Organ-Case. We hope that the music from the rebuilt instrument will fill the College Chapel at the Carol Service of 2013 and for many of the College liturgies in the future. The rebuilding of the Organ is the last major component in the restoration of the College Chapel.

We need your help

We have been able to get the project started because one major donor has come forward. However we need help to complete the project which will also include the renovation of the Gallery and the restoration of the Western wall.

The budget for the organ is €750,000.00. This values each of the 3,000 pipes at an average of €250. Each time a stop is pulled out, a rank is engaged which consists of 61 notes. Each rank will therefore cost about €15,000.00. Gifts over €250 are tax-deductable, and can be of added benefit to the donor or the College.

Could you fund one pipe for €250?

Could you fund one rank or stop for €15,000?

The College is seeking one hundred Patrons of the Organ, who will contribute €5,000 each towards its reconstruction. Each Patron of the Organ will be presented with a newly designed memento, featuring one of the pipes from the original College Chapel Organ.

• One of the small metal pipes made of a tin / lead alloy, which is not being used in the reconstruction, will be restored, voiced and polished.
  
• This will be mounted on ablock of Sipo African Mahogany reflecting the quality of the woodwork in the newly restored organ.
  
• As each pipe will be of a different size and have a unique voice and characteristics, each memento will be unique.
  
• An engraved plaque with the name of the donor will be fitted to the base, and presented by the President of the College.

 

Tax-efficient way of making your donation

Republic of Ireland: Make cheques payable to Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth and forward to The President, Saint Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare.

• Payments over €250 are tax-deductible.
• If you are a PAYE taxpayer, Saint Patrick’s College can claim the tax paid on the gross income relating to your gift.  If you pay tax at the higher rate of 41%, the value of a gift of €500 becomes €820 to the College.
• Companies or self-assessed tax-payers can deduct their donations as an allowable expense.

Northern Ireland & UK: Make cheques payable to Maynooth Educational Trust and forward to The President, Saint Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland.

• Maynooth Educational Trust will reclaim the tax you have paid on your donation at the standard rate of 25%.
• On receiving your donation, we will provide you with a Gift Aid Declaration which you will sign and return to us, to enable us to reclaim the tax.
• In addition, if you pay tax at the higher rate, you can reclaim the tax difference between the 40% rate and the 25% rate.

USA: Make cheques payable to Irish Educational Development Foundation (IEDF) and forward to The President, Saint Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland.  

• Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth receives tax deductible support from U.S. benefactors through the Irish Educational Development Foundation, Inc.
• Gifts made to the IEDF are deductible for US income tax purposes and the Foundation fulfils its duties and obligations as a US tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.