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 | Central churchmanship |
| 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 this building is still used for church services sometimes. It even has a special chair for a bishop. In the past, this cathedral was the main church for the Bishop of Kilfenora. It is located in an area called the Burren.
Contents
History of Kilfenora Cathedral
Early Beginnings: Saint Fachanan's Church
People believe that a church was first built in Kilfenora by Saint Fachanan in the 6th century. The very first church was probably made of wood. Later, a stone church was built. This stone church was burned down in 1055. It was rebuilt quickly between 1056 and 1058. However, it was robbed in 1079 and then destroyed by an accidental fire in 1100.
Becoming a Diocese
In 1152, an important meeting called the Synod of Kells changed Kilfenora. It went from being a monastery to a place where a bishop was in charge. This area, called a diocese, covered the old land of Corcomroe.
The current Kilfenora Cathedral was built between 1189 and 1200. It was built in a style that was changing at the time. It had a main hall called a nave and a special area near the altar called a chancel. Over time, these parts became separated. By 1839, the eastern part of the church had no roof.
Changes After the Reformation
After the Reformation in Ireland, the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland both had bishops for this area. This continued until 1749. In 1750, the Kilfenora diocese joined with Kilmacduagh. Later, in 1883, it joined with the diocese of Galway. Today, the bishop of Galway also looks after Kilfenora.
For the Church of Ireland, Kilfenora joined with different dioceses over the years. It joined with Limerick (1606–07), Tuam (1617-1742), Clonfert (1742-1752), and Killaloe (1752-1976). Since 1976, it has been part of the Limerick diocese again.
What Kilfenora Cathedral Looks Like Today
Today, the cathedral shows a mix of different building styles from many periods. The oldest part is probably the north wall of the nave. It has very large stones, which suggests it was built around 1000 AD.
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 is also a large square stone font, which is a basin used for baptisms. This font might be from around 1200. The church also has several tombs, but it doesn't have many decorations inside.
The Chancel and Its Details
The chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar, was built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Local stories say it had a beautiful oak ceiling painted blue with gold stars until the late 1700s. Today, it has no roof.
Inside the chancel, you can see:
- A doorway from the 15th century.
- A 15th-century Gothic sedilia, which are stone seats for priests.
- A Romanesque east window with three lights. It has triangular pillars with carved tops.
- Two carved figures next to the window: one is a bishop blessing, and the other is a cleric holding a book.
- Several tombs, including the burial place of Neptune Blood. He was the uncle of Thomas Blood, who famously tried to steal the English crown jewels in 1671.
- Parts of old high crosses.
The design of the chancel's east window is similar to other buildings from the early 13th century, like Corcomroe Abbey. This style is known as the "school of the west."
The Lady Chapel
The Lady Chapel was a rectangular part that extended north from the chancel. It was likely built at the same time as the main church. It might have been used as a transept, which is a part of a cross-shaped church. Today, only two narrow windows and a broken two-light window remain in its eastern wall. There are also pieces of a high cross here.
Recent Restoration Work
Kilfenora Cathedral is still partly in ruins. However, the National Monument Service did restoration work in the early 2000s. In 2005, a glass roof was added to the transept. This was done to protect the remains of three high crosses that were moved there.
Current Use of the Cathedral
Since 1837, the nave of the cathedral has been used as the local parish church for Kilfenora. It is still used for church services from time to time.
See also
- Dean of Kilfenora
- List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Clare)
