From the Archives 

Mr Anthony Kelly / Mrs Chapman

Recently one of our alumni donated this framed image of Bishop Patrick Joseph O'Connor. It is an image that we haven't seen before, of a horse drawn carriage and the Bishop next to the original 1877 Cathedral, and is held by the Waterford County Museum. 

How did the image come to be donated to their Museum? As the information on the left of the photograph, Bishop O'Connor was born in Knock West, Clonea, County Waterford. He was born in 1848 which coincidently when the first Catholic Chapel was opened in Armidale, on the grounds of our College. One would imagine that the photograph would have been sent home to family who were still living in Knock West. 

The date estimate the Museum have given the image is around 1900.  As the second Cathedral was opened in 1912, and the foundation stone laid in 1911, with no sight of the new Cathedral in the photograph, would date it as being prior to that date. It is an interesting vantage point, uniquely being taken from the northern side of the original Cathedral, with views of Central Park. 

It is likely that the photographer was Solomon's Studios. Some negatives survive from those studios and are located at the UNE Heritage Centre, however these date from the 1930s onwards making this a significant photograph. If possible, a digital copy will be acquired from Waterford Museum for our collection.