Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, Galway Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Galway Cathedral
Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas

Galway Cathedral Location in Ireland
53°16′31″N 9°03′27″W / 53.27528°N 9.05750°W / 53.27528; -9.05750
Location	Gaol Road, Galway
Country	Ireland
Language(s)	English, Irish
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Tradition	Roman Rite
History
Dedication	Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Nicholas of Myra
Consecrated	15 August 1965
Architecture
Style	Renaissance Revival
Groundbreaking	1958
Completed	1965
Administration
Archdiocese	Tuam
Diocese	Galway and Kilmacduagh
Province	Ecclesiastical Province of Tuam

The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas is a large Roman Catholic church in Galway, Ireland. Most people just call it Galway Cathedral. It is named after Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas.

Building started in 1958 on the site of an old city prison. It was finished in 1965. This makes it one of the last big stone cathedrals built in Europe.

History of the Cathedral
Opening Day
How it Looks: Architecture
Church Services
Music at the Cathedral
- The Choir
- The Organs
Gallery
See also

History of the Cathedral

Around 1750, a small church was built on Middle Street in Galway. In 1821, a new limestone church was built in its place. This church was called St. Patrick's.

When the Diocese of Galway (a church area) was created in 1831, St. Patrick's became the main church, known as a "pro-cathedral." After the new Galway Cathedral opened in 1965, St. Patrick's was no longer used as a church.

Opening Day

Galway Cathedral officially opened on August 15, 1965. The President of Ireland, Éamon de Valera, was there. A special candle was lit to mark the occasion.

Cardinal Richard Cushing from Boston gave a speech. He talked about "Why Build a Cathedral?". Bishop Michael Browne, who was the Bishop of Galway, led the ceremony.

How it Looks: Architecture

Galway Cathedral from outside

The architect who designed the cathedral was John J. Robinson. He had designed many other churches in Ireland.

The cathedral's design mixes different styles. The large dome and tall pillars look like Renaissance style buildings. Other parts, like the round rose windows and colourful mosaics, show different types of Christian art. The dome is very tall, about 44.2 metres (145 feet) high. It is a famous landmark in the city.

The cathedral is built almost entirely from local limestone. It is thought to be the last large stone public building made in Ireland.

Some people thought a modern cathedral should have been built. But the church leaders wanted a traditional style. In 1966, a student on a TV show called it a "ghastly monstrosity." Later, an article in The Irish Times described it as a "squatting Frankenstein’s monster." This shows that not everyone liked its design.

Church Services

Mass is celebrated every day at the cathedral.

On Saturday evenings, there is a special Mass at 6 pm.
On Sundays, Masses are at 9 am (in Irish), 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 6 pm.
On weekdays and holy days, Mass is at 11 am and 6 pm.

Music at the Cathedral

The Choir

The cathedral has had an adult choir since it opened. The choir sings at all major church events and at the Sunday 10:30 am Mass. They sing many different types of music. This includes old music from the 16th century to new music from the 21st century. They also sing Gregorian chant and traditional Irish music.

The Organs

The large pipe organ inside Galway Cathedral

The main pipe organ in the cathedral was built in 1966. It was later updated and made much bigger between 2006 and 2007. This large organ has three keyboards and 59 different sounds. It is used regularly during church services. It is also used for concerts held at the cathedral each summer.

The cathedral also has a smaller, portable organ. It has one keyboard and four sounds. This smaller organ is used for services in the cathedral's smaller chapels. It is also used to play background music in concerts.