List of cathedrals in Ireland

This article lists the current and former cathedrals of the main Christian churches in Ireland. Since the main denominations are organised on an all-Ireland basis, this article includes information about both jurisdictions: Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Overview

It is a commonly held perception that the term 'cathedral' may be applied to any particularly large or grand church. Whilst many cathedrals may be such, this is due to their ecclesiastical status (such a church is grand because it is a cathedral, rather than it being a cathedral because of its grandeur). A cathedral may therefore be a smaller building, particularly where they exist in sparser or poorer communities. Modern cathedrals may lack the grandeur of former times, focussing on the functional aspect of a place of worship, though it should be borne in mind that many of the grand and ancient cathedrals of today were originally built to a much smaller plan, and have been successively extended and rebuilt over the centuries. Some cathedrals were purpose-built as such, whilst others were formerly parochial, or parish churches, subsequently promoted in status due to ecclesiastical requirements such as periodic diocesan reorganisation.

Essentially, a cathedral church is a Christian place of worship which is the chief, or 'mother' church of an episcopal see and is distinguished as such by being the location for the cathedra or bishop's seat. Strictly speaking therefore, only those Christian denominations with an Episcopal polity possess cathedrals. However the label 'cathedral' remains in common parlance for notable churches which were formerly part of an episcopal denomination, such as may be the case with some Scottish churches which are now within the Presbyterian Church of Scotland (see List of cathedrals in Scotland). In addition, former cathedrals which may now be in a ruined state, retain their nominal status.

The following list comprises, for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, all locations of a current cathedral church, or former cathedral church, as well as those locations where no trace remains of the structure, indeed where the precise location is no longer known.

Also included are those structures or sites of intended cathedrals as well as pro-cathedrals (churches serving as an interim cathedral), for instance whilst a permanent cathedral is acquired, or (as a co-cathedral where the diocesan demographics/geography requires the bishop's seat to be shared with a building in an alternate location).

The inclusion of the entire island of Ireland is strictly for ecclesiastical reasons. Northern Ireland is represented because, although it politically comprises part of the United Kingdom, ecclesiastically the island comprises a single geographically-based unit.

In the list which follows the cathedrals are listed by denomination and (where applicable) denominational hierarchy. Disused establishments are listed separately.

The geographical co-ordinates provided are sourced from details provided by Ordnance Survey Ireland.[1]

Terms not covered in the above preamble include translated, which is the move of a bishop's seat from one location to another, moving cathedral status from the former church and bestowing it on the destination church, such as may occur in a diocesan or provincial re-organisation.

Abbreviations and Key

Listing of establishments

Province of Armagh

EstablishmentImageDedicationEstablishedNotes/ProvenanceLocation & Website
Armagh St. Patrick 1870 Archdiocese of Armagh 54°21′08″N 6°39′37″W
Belfast St. Peter 1866 Diocese of Down and Connor

Architects Jeremiah McAuley, a native Belfast priest and John O'Neill

54°35′57″N 5°56′40″W
Cavan St. Patrick and St. Feidlim 1942 Diocese of Kilmore 53°59′54″N 7°21′40″W
Derry St. Eugene1873 Diocese of Derry 55°00′00″N 7°19′42″W
Letterkenny St. Eunan and St. Columba 1901 Diocese of Raphoe 54°57′01″N 7°44′24″W
Longford St. Mel 1840 Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois

Destroyed by fire in December 2009, then restored and reopened on 24 December 2014.

53°43′38″N 7°47′47″W
Monaghan St. Macartan 1892 Diocese of Clogher 54°14′41″N 6°57′31″W
Mullingar Christ the King 1936 Diocese of Meath 53°31′37″N 7°20′47″W
Newry St. Patrick and St. Colman 1829 Diocese of Dromore 54°10′29″N 6°20′16″W

Province of Cashel

EstablishmentImageDedicationEstablishedNotes/ProvenanceLocation & Website
Cobh St. Colman 1915 Diocese of Cloyne 51°51′05″N 8°17′36″W
Cork St. Mary and St. Anne 1869 Diocese of Cork and Ross

pro-cathedral

51°54′17″N 8°28′35″W
Ennis St. Peter and St. Paul 1843 Diocese of Killaloe

pro-cathedral

52°50′30″N 8°59′00″W
Killarney The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1855 Diocese of Kerry (Ardfert & Aghadoe) 52°03′34″N 9°31′07″W
Limerick St. John the Baptist 1859 Diocese of Limerick 52°39′44″N 8°37′02″W
Skibbereen St. Patrick 1826 Diocese of Cork and Ross 51°33′08″N 9°15′49″W
Thurles The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1879 Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly

built on the site of a Carmelite Priory

52°40′48″N 7°48′35″W
Waterford The Most Holy Trinity 1796 Diocese of Waterford and Lismore 52°15′41″N 7°06′40″W

Province of Dublin

EstablishmentImageDedicationEstablishedNotes/ProvenanceLocation & Website
CarlowThe Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary1839 Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin 52°50′13″N 6°55′41″W
DublinThe Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary1825 Archdiocese of Dublin

pro-cathedral

53°21′03″N 6°15′33″W
EnniscorthySt. Aidan1860 Diocese of Ferns 52°30′09″N 6°34′16″W
KilkennyThe Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary1857 Diocese of Ossory 52°39′09″N 7°15′25″W

Province of Tuam

EstablishmentImageDedicationEstablishedNotes/ProvenanceLocation & Website
BallaghaderreenThe Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Nathy1860 Diocese of Achonry 53°54′13″N 8°34′41″W
BallinaSt Muredach1892 Diocese of Killala 54°06′46″N 9°09′02″W
GalwaySt. Nicholas and Our Lady Assumed into Heaven1965 Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora 53°16′31″N 9°03′27″W
LoughreaSt. Brendan1902 Diocese of Clonfert 53°11′49″N 8°34′01″W
SligoThe Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary1874 Diocese of Elphin 54°16′12″N 8°28′42″W
TuamThe Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary1837 Archdiocese of Tuam 53°30′55″N 8°50′51″W

Province of Armagh

EstablishmentImageDedicationEstablishedNotes/ProvenanceLocation & WebsiteDiocese
ArmaghThe Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of St. Patrick44554°20′51″N 6°39′23″WArmagh
BelfastSt. Anne190454°36′10″N 5°55′43″WConnor and Down and Dromore
ClogherSt. Macartan1744on site of an ancient monastery54°24′39″N 7°10′19″WClogher
DerrySt. Columb163354°59′38″N 7°19′23″WDerry and Raphoe
DownpatrickThe Holy and Undivided Trinity1818(also known as Down Cathedral)
on site of ancient monastery
54°19′40″N 5°43′16″WDown and Dromore
DromoreChrist the Redeemer1609on site of an earlier church54°24′53″N 6°09′06″WDown and Dromore
EnniskillenSt. Macartan1923former 17thC parish church54°20′48″N 7°38′28″WClogher
KillalaSt. Patrick17thC54°12′44″N 9°13′15″WTuam, Killala and Achonry
KilmoreSt. Fethlimidh1860Bedell Memorial Church 53°59′35″N 07°24′46″WKilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
LisburnChrist Church166254°30′41″N 6°02′30″WConnor
RaphoeSt. Eunan9thCon site of 6thC monastery54°52′26″N 7°35′53″WDerry and Raphoe
SligoSt. Mary the Virgin and St. John the Baptist187454°16′13″N 8°28′38″WKilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
TuamSt. Mary19thC53°30′50″N 8°51′19″WTuam, Killala and Achonry

Province of Dublin

EstablishmentImageDedicationEstablishedNotes/ProvenanceLocation & WebsiteDiocese
CashelSt. John the Baptist and St. Patrick's Rock178052°30′56″N 7°53′08″WCashel and Ossory
ClonfertSt. Brendan53°14′22″N 8°03′32″WLimerick and Killaloe
CloyneSt. Colman51°51′42″N 8°07′09″WCork, Cloyne and Ross
CorkSt. Fin Barre187051°53′40″N 8°28′49″WCork, Cloyne and Ross
DublinThe Holy Trinity commonly called Christ Church Cathedral53°20′36″N 6°16′16″WDublin and Glendalough
DublinSt. Patrick The National Cathedral is not a cathedral of the Diocese of Dublin. It has a common relationship with all the dioceses of the Church of Ireland53.339444°N 6.271417°W / 53.339444; -6.271417 (St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin)Dublin and Glendalough
FernsSt. Edan52°35′23″N 6°29′36″WCashel and Ossory
KildareSt. Brigid53°09′29″N 6°54′41″WMeath and Kildare
KilfenoraSt. Fachtanc.1200partly ruined; nave in use for worship52°59′28″N 9°12′57″WLimerick and Killaloe
KilkennySt. Canice52.654161°N 7.257505°W / 52.654161; -7.257505 (Kilkenny Cathedral (CI))Cashel and Ossory
KillaloeSt. Flannan12thCfounded (on the site of an earlier monastery) in 1185 by Donal Mor O'Brien52°48′23″N 8°26′21″WLimerick and Killaloe
LeighlinSt. Laserian52°44′11″N 7°01′34″WCashel and Ossory
LimerickThe Blessed Virgin Mary116852°40′05″N 8°37′24″WLimerick and Killaloe
LismoreThe Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Carthage52°08′23″N 7°55′44″WCashel and Ossory
RosscarberySt. Fachtna51°34′41″N 9°01′47″WCork, Cloyne and Ross
TrimSt. Patrick195419thC Parish Church53°33′30″N 6°47′26″WMeath and Kildare
WaterfordThe Holy Trinity1770Commonly called Christ Church Cathedral52°15′36″N 7°06′27″WCashel and Ossory

Former cathedrals

With some exceptions, these former cathedrals were established prior to the Reformation in Ireland and the subsequent transfer of Church assets to the Established church. Most had ceased to be cathedrals prior to the establishment of the Church of Ireland.

EstablishmentImageDedicationEstablishedNotes/ProvenanceLocation & Website
AchonrySt. Crumnathy1822–1997Closed in 1997. The cathedral was built on the site of a monastery54°04′39″N 8°39′15″W
AnnaghdownSt. Brendan10thC54°04′39″N 8°39′15″W
ArdaghMél of Ardagh10thCAlthough reputed to date from the time of St Mél, the structure visible today is a 9th or 10th century building.53°40′02″N 7°41′33″W
ArdfertSt. Brendan13thCdestroyed by fire 1641 (NM)52°19′44″N 9°46′55″W
Ardmore13thC51°56′56″N 7°43′34″W
Cashel52°31′13″N 7°53′28″W
ClonardSt. Johndestroyed by fire 1206
Connor +St. Saviourdestroyed in the Irish Rebellion of 1641; CI Parish Church on site54°48′26″N 6°12′45″W
DuleekCo. Meath
EmlySt. Alibeus demolished 1877
ElphinSt. Mary the VirginChurch of Ireland parish church, wrecked by storm damage in the 1950s, now ruined; diocese amalgamated with Sligo53°50′43″N 8°11′26″W
FermoySt. Patrickco-cathedral, now parochial church52°08′11″N 8°16′47″W
GlendaloughSt. Peter and St. Paul7th-13thC(NM)53°00′38″N 6°19′37″W
KilmacduaghSt. Colman15thC (NM)53°02′52″N 8°53′17″W
Newtown-TrimSt. Peter and St. Paul15thC (NM)53°33′21″N 6°46′19″W
Scattery IslandCo. Clare52°36′51″N 9°31′00″W

See also

References

  1. "Home". Ordnance Survey Ireland. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
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