Kilfenora Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kilfenora Cathedral |
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| Saint Fachtnan's Cathedral | |
Kilfenora Cathedral. The northern transept is on the left, with the glass roof installed in 2005 to conserve the high crosses
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 Kilfenora Cathedral
Location in Ireland
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| 52°59′24″N 9°12′36″W / 52.99000°N 9.21000°W | |
| Location | Kilfenora, County Clare |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Church of Ireland |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Churchmanship | Anglican central/liberal |
| Designations | |
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| Official name | Kilfenora Abbey, cathedral and crosses; Kilfenora church at Kilcarragh |
| Reference no. | 7, 8, 9 |
Kilfenora Cathedral is an old church in Kilfenora, County Clare, Ireland. It belongs to the Church of Ireland. Part of the building is still used for church services sometimes. It even has a special chair for a bishop. In the past, it was the main church for the Bishop of Kilfenora.
Contents
History of Kilfenora Cathedral
Early Beginnings
People believe that a church was first built in Kilfenora by Saint Fachanan in the 6th century. The first church was probably made of wood. Later, a stone church was built. Sadly, this church was burned down in 1055. It was rebuilt quickly between 1056 and 1058. But then it was robbed in 1079 and destroyed by an accidental fire in 1100.
Becoming a Diocese
In 1152, a big meeting called the Synod of Kells changed Kilfenora. It went from being a monastery to a diocese. A diocese is an area looked after by a bishop. The Kilfenora diocese covered the old area of Corcomroe.
The current Kilfenora Cathedral was built between 1189 and 1200. It was built in a style called "transitional," which means it mixed different building styles. It had a main hall called a nave and a special area for the altar called a chancel. Over time, parts of the church became roofless.
Changes Over Time
The Kilfenora diocese was quite small and not very populated. It was known as one of the poorest dioceses. After the Reformation in Ireland, the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland both had bishops for the area. Eventually, the Catholic diocese of Kilfenora joined with other dioceses. Today, the Catholic bishop of Galway also looks after Kilfenora.
For the Church of Ireland, Kilfenora also joined with other dioceses over the centuries. Since 1976, it has been part of the diocese of Limerick.
What Kilfenora Cathedral Looks Like
Today, the cathedral shows a mix of different building styles from many periods. The oldest part might be the north wall of the nave. This part could be from around the year 1000.
One visitor in the 1800s wasn't very impressed with the church's tower. They said it looked "mean and hideous."
The main part of the church, the nave, is now used for worship by the Church of Ireland. It was rebuilt around 1850. Inside, you can see a special chair for the bishop, which was given in 1981. There's also a large stone baptismal font that might be from around 1200. The church also has several tombs, but it doesn't have a lot of fancy decorations inside.
The Chancel and Its Features
The chancel, built in the late 1100s or early 1200s, used to have a beautiful oak ceiling. It was blue with gold stars! Today, it doesn't have a roof. You can see a doorway from the 1400s and a special stone seat called a sedilia from the 1400s. This sedilia is in the Gothic style.
The chancel also has a beautiful east window with three lights. It's in the Romanesque style. Next to the window are two carved figures. One is a bishop giving a blessing, possibly from the early 1300s. The other is a cleric holding a book, possibly from the 1200s.
The chancel also holds several tombs and parts of old high crosses. One of the tombs belongs to Neptune Blood. He was the uncle of Thomas Blood, who famously tried to steal the English crown jewels in 1671!
Lady Chapel and Restoration
There was also a Lady Chapel, which was a rectangular room leading off the north side of the chancel. It might have been built at the same time as the main church. It has some old windows and pieces of a high cross.
Today, parts of the cathedral are still in ruins. However, the National Monument Service did restoration work in the early 2000s. In 2005, a glass roof was put over the transept. This was done to protect the three high crosses that were moved there.
Current Use
Since 1837, the nave (main part) of Kilfenora Cathedral has been used as the local parish church. It is still used for church services sometimes today.
See also
- Dean of Kilfenora
- List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Clare)
