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.

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

• + indicates non-cathedral ecclesiastical use.
• NM = National Monument.

Listing of establishments

Roman Catholic Church

Province of Armagh

Establishment	Image	Dedication	Established	Notes/Provenance	Location & Website
Armagh	150px	St. Patrick	1870	Archdiocese of Armagh
Belfast	150px	St. Peter	1866	Diocese of Down and Connor Architects Jeremiah McAuley, a native Belfast priest and John O'Neill
Cavan		St. Patrick and St. Feidlim	1942	Diocese of Kilmore
Derry	150px	St. Eugene	1873	Diocese of Derry
Letterkenny	150px	St. Eunan and St. Columba	1901	Diocese of Raphoe
Longford	150px	St. Mel	mid 19thC; destroyed by fire December 2009	Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois
Monaghan		St. Macartan	1892	Diocese of Clogher
Mullingar	150px	Christ the King	1936	Diocese of Meath
Newry	150px	St. Patrick and St. Colman	1829	Diocese of Dromore

Province of Cashel

Establishment	Image	Dedication	Established	Notes/Provenance	Location & Website
Cobh		St. Colman	1915	Diocese of Cloyne
Cork		St. Mary and St. Anne	1869	Diocese of Cork and Ross pro-cathedral
Ennis	150px	St. Peter and St. Paul	1843	Diocese of Killaloe pro-cathedral
Killarney		The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary	1855	Diocese of Kerry (Ardfert & Aghadoe)
Limerick	150px	St. John the Baptist	1859	Diocese of Limerick
Skibbereen	150px	St. Patrick	1826	Diocese of Cork and Ross
Thurles	150px	The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary	1879	Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly built on the site of a Carmelite Priory
Waterford	150px	The Most Holy Trinity	1796	Diocese of Waterford and Lismore

Province of Dublin

Establishment	Image	Dedication	Established	Notes/Provenance	Location & Website
Carlow	150px	The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary	1839	Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
Dublin	150px	The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary	1825	Archdiocese of Dublin pro-cathedral
Enniscorthy		St. Aidan	1860	Diocese of Ferns
Kilkenny		The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary	1857	Diocese of Ossory

Province of Tuam

Establishment	Image	Dedication	Established	Notes/Provenance	Location & Website
Ballaghaderreen	150px	The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Nathy	1860	Diocese of Achonry
Ballina	150px	St Muredach	1892	Diocese of Killala
Galway	150px	St. Nicholas and Our Lady Assumed into Heaven	1965	Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora
Loughrea	150px	St. Brendan	1902	Diocese of Clonfert
Sligo	150px	The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary	1874	Diocese of Elphin
Tuam	150px	The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary	1837	Archdiocese of Tuam

Church of Ireland

Province of Armagh

Establishment	Image	Dedication	Established	Notes/Provenance	Location & Website	Diocese
Armagh		The Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of St. Patrick	445			Armagh
Belfast	150px	St. Anne	1904			Connor and Down and Dromore
Clogher		St. Macartan	1744	on site of an ancient monastery		Clogher
Derry		St. Columb	1633			Derry and Raphoe
Downpatrick		The Holy and Undivided Trinity	1818	(also known as Down Cathedral) on site of ancient monastery		Down and Dromore
Dromore		Christ the Redeemer	1609	on site of an earlier church		Down and Dromore
Enniskillen	150px	St. Macartan	1923	former 17thC parish church		Clogher
Killala	150px	St. Patrick	17thC			Tuam, Killala and Achonry
Kilmore		St. Fethlimidh	1860	Bedell Memorial Church		Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
Lisburn		Christ Church	1662		Connor
Raphoe		St. Eunan	9thC	on site of 6thC monastery		Derry and Raphoe
Sligo	150px	St. Mary the Virgin and St. John the Baptist	1874			Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
Tuam		St. Mary	19thC			Tuam, Killala and Achonry

Province of Dublin

Establishment	Image	Dedication	Established	Notes/Provenance	Location & Website	Diocese
Cashel	150px	St. John the Baptist and St. Patrick's Rock	1780			Cashel and Ossory
Clonfert		St. Brendan				Limerick and Killaloe
Cloyne		St. Colman				Cork, Cloyne and Ross
Cork		St. Fin Barre	1870			Cork, Cloyne and Ross
Dublin		The Holy Trinity		commonly called Christ Church Cathedral		Dublin and Glendalough
Dublin	150px	St. 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 Ireland		Dublin and Glendalough
Ferns		St. Edan				Cashel and Ossory
Kildare		St. Brigid				Meath and Kildare
Kilfenora		St. Fachtan	c.1200	partly ruined; nave in use for worship
Kilkenny		St. Canice				Cashel and Ossory
Killaloe		St. Flannan	12thC	founded (on the site of an earlier monastery) in 1185 by Donal Mor O'Brien		Limerick and Killaloe
Leighlin		St. Laserian				Cashel and Ossory
Limerick	150px	The Blessed Virgin Mary	1168			Limerick and Killaloe
Lismore		The Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Carthage				Cashel and Ossory
Rosscarbery	150px	St. Fachtna				Cork, Cloyne and Ross
Trim	150px	St. Patrick	1954	19thC Parish Church		Meath and Kildare
Waterford		The Holy Trinity	1770	Commonly called Christ Church Cathedral		Cashel 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.

Establishment	Image	Dedication	Established	Notes/Provenance	Location & Website
Achonry		St. Crumnathy	1822–1997	Closed in 1997. The cathedral was built on the site of a monastery
Annaghdown	150px	St. Brendan	10thC
Ardagh		Mél of Ardagh	10thC	Although reputed to date from the time of St Mél, the structure visible today is a 9th or 10th century building.
Ardfert		St. Brendan	13thC	destroyed by fire 1641 (NM)
Ardmore			13thC
Cashel	150px
Clonard		St. John		destroyed by fire 1206
Connor +		St. Saviour		destroyed in the Irish Rebellion of 1641; CI Parish Church on site
Duleek				Co. Meath
Emly		St. Alibeus		demolished 1877
Elphin		St. Mary the Virgin		Church of Ireland parish church, wrecked by storm damage in the 1950s, now ruined; diocese amalgamated with Sligo
Fermoy	150px	St. Patrick		co-cathedral, now parochial church
Glendalough		St. Peter and St. Paul	7th-13thC	(NM)
Kilmacduagh	150px	St. Colman	15thC	(NM)
Newtown-Trim		St. Peter and St. Paul	15thC	(NM)
Scattery Island				Co. Clare

See also

• List of basilicas in ireland
• List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom
• List of English cathedrals
• List of abbeys and priories
• Abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland
• Abbeys and priories in Scotland
• Abbeys and priories in Wales
• Abbeys and priories in England
• Abbeys and priories in Isle of Man
• Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland
• List of monasteries dissolved by Henry VIII of England
• Dissolution of the Monasteries

External links

• List of Cathedrals in Ireland and Great Britain by GCatholic.org
• Cathedrals and Churches of Ireland by Cathedrals and Churches of Ireland