St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore

St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore is one of two cathedral churches in the Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh (the other is St John the Baptist Cathedral, Sligo) in the Church of Ireland. It is situated in the parish of Kilmore, located about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south-west of the county town of Cavan.

St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore
St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore
LocationKilmore, County Cavan
CountryIreland
DenominationChurch of Ireland
Websitewww.kilmorecathedralcavan.wordpress.com
History
Founded1452
Founder(s)St Fethlimidh
Architecture
Completed1860
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
ProvinceProvince of Armagh
Clergy
Bishop(s)The Right Reverend Ferran Glenfield
DeanThe Very Reverend Nigel Crossey
ArchdeaconThe Venerable Craig McCauley

The cathedral stands on an elevated wooded site adjacent to Lough Oughter. One of its more interesting feature is the Twelfth century Gaelic Irish Romanesque doorway (c1170), now seemingly incongruously set into a chancel north wall, employed as a vestry door. The origins of which are unclear as it had been previously built into the wall of the earlier cathedral since the 18th century (building now used as a parish hall). The Romanesque doorway probably was taken from the now demolished Drumlane St.Mary Augustinian priory. But local belief suggest that the doorway possibly come from nearby Trinity Island priory church (c 1250) leads to further conjecture. The cathedral also possesses an original copy of the first translation of the Old Testament into Irish by William Bedell, Bishop of Kilmore from 1629 to 1642.

History

According to tradition, St. Feidhlimidh founded a small church on the site in the 6th century.

In 1455 the old Catholic Parish Church of St. Feidhlimidh became the cathedral for the Diocese of Kilmore, continuing after the Reformation as Kilmore Church of Ireland cathedral, even after the Kilmore See was amalgamated in 1841 with those of Elphin and Ardagh. However, by 1858 the building was too small and dilapidated for proper use and the present cathedral, designed by William Slater, was rebuilt by 1860 alongside the old one, which is now used as a parochial hall.[1]

The present building has just been refurbished at a cost of 1 million euros. The historic 1860 organ, one of the earliest organs built by Charles Brindley of Sheffield was restored in 2011.

See also

References
  1. "The Cathedrals of the Church of Ireland" Day, J.G.F./ Patton, H.E. p64: London, S.P.C.K., 1932
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