St Eugene's Cathedral facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Saint Eugene's Cathedral
Saint Eugene's Cathedral, Derry
Rear chancel of the Cathedral
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Location	Derry, County Londonderry
Country	Northern Ireland
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	steugenescathedral.com
History
Consecrated	21 April 1936
Architecture
Architect(s)	James Joseph McCarthy
Style	Gothic Revival
Years built	1849–1903
Groundbreaking	1849
Completed	19 June 1903
Specifications
Nave length	160ft (49m)
Nave width	35ft (10.5m)
Administration
Diocese	Derry (since 1873)
Province	Armagh

St Eugene's Cathedral (Irish: Ardeaglais Naomh Eugene) is a large Roman Catholic church in Derry, Northern Ireland. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Derry. It also serves as the local parish church for the Templemore area.

Building the Cathedral

Early Plans and Fundraising

For a long time, Catholics in Derry were not allowed to build large churches. This changed after the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829. This new law made it possible to plan a grand cathedral. People started raising money for the building in 1840. They collected funds not just in Derry and Ireland, but also in America. About £4,000 came from America.

Construction and Design

Building work on the cathedral began in 1849. The church is located near Francis Street and Creggan Street in Derry. The total cost to build it was over £40,000. The architect chosen to design the cathedral was James Joseph McCarthy. He had already designed many cathedrals across Ireland. The cathedral was built in a style called Gothic Revival. This style looks like the grand churches from the Middle Ages.

Opening and Finishing Touches

The cathedral officially opened on May 4, 1873. Bishop Francis Kelly of Derry opened it. At first, there wasn't enough money to build the bell tower and spire. The windows were also made of plain glass. Later, in the late 1890s, beautiful stained glass windows were added. Work on the bell tower and spire started on August 13, 1900. This part of the building was finished on June 19, 1903.

Changes Over Time

Updates After Vatican II

In the 1960s, the Roman Catholic Church made some changes to its services. This meant the inside of the cathedral, especially the area around the altar, needed to be updated. In May 1964, a temporary wooden altar was put in place. This allowed Mass to be said in English and for the priest to face the people.

More temporary changes happened in late 1975. A larger wooden altar was added, and the altar rails were removed. A smaller pulpit (where the priest gives sermons) was also taken out. The wooden statues from the main pulpit's canopy were moved to other spots. This was done just before the Christmas Midnight Mass, which was shown live on TV across Europe.

Major Renovations in the 1980s

By 1984, the cathedral's main structure was over 100 years old and needed repairs. Fundraising began for a big renovation project. From 1984 to 1988, the outside of the cathedral was repaired. They also added an extension to the sacristy (a room where priests prepare) and built a new meeting room.

In June 1989, the cathedral closed for six months for a permanent update of the altar area. The old temporary parts were removed. A new floor made of Sardinian granite was installed. A new square altar, made from Carrara marble, was placed under the main arch.

The old pulpit was replaced with a new marble lectern. The priest's chair and the tabernacle stand were also made from marble. A new tabernacle, made of silver-plated bronze, was created by a silversmith from Kilkenny.

During these 1989 renovations, new entrance areas were created. The main high altar table was removed, but the original decorative screen behind it, called a reredos, was kept. A new lighting system was put in to make the cathedral brighter and warmer. A new sound system also greatly improved the sound quality. The entire inside of the cathedral was redecorated.

Bishop Edward Daly opened and blessed the newly renovated cathedral on December 17, 1989.

Recent Refurbishments

On May 25, 2015, more renovation work started. This work focused on fixing damage caused by moisture getting into the building. This included repairs to the stained glass windows, outside stone, and inside plaster. The spiral staircase to the bell tower was also repaired. This work cost over £350,000 and lasted about 20 weeks. The restoration work finished in November 2015.

Cathedral Life Today

St Eugene's Cathedral, August 2011

Broadcasts and Special Events

In 2013, during Holy Week, the Good Friday service and Easter Vigil were broadcast live from the cathedral on Irish television. These ceremonies were also shown across Europe. This happened because Derry was the UK City of Culture in 2013.

On December 13, 2015, Bishop Donal McKeown opened a "Holy Door" in the cathedral. This marked the start of the special Jubilee Year of Mercy for the Catholic Church. The "Holy Door" is the main entrance. The entrance area was completely redone. Now, eight new oak statues of saints greet visitors. These statues used to be part of the old pulpit. A stone statue of Saint Eugene has been on the outside of the bell tower since 1873. Words from the prophet Isaiah are now carved on the wall: "Do not be afraid I have redeemed you and called you by your name. You are mine." Bishop McKeown closed the "Holy Door" on November 13, 2016, marking the end of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Remembering Bishop Daly

On August 8, 2016, Bishop Edward Daly, who had retired, passed away at age 82. His body was brought to the cathedral that evening. Over two and a half days, about 25,000 people came to pay their respects. His funeral Mass was held in the cathedral on August 11, 2016. More than a thousand people filled the church. Important guests, including the Irish President Michael D Higgins and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, attended.

Bishop Donal McKeown led the funeral Mass. Other bishops and clergy from across Ireland also took part. Representatives from other Christian churches in Derry were there too. After the Mass, Bishop Daly was buried in the cathedral grounds. He was laid to rest next to Bishop Neil Farren, who was Bishop of Derry from 1939 to 1973.

New Confessionals and Chapel

In November 2016, new confessional rooms were opened at the back of the cathedral. The old confessional rooms, built in 1989, were closed. The new location makes it easier for people entering the cathedral to think about going to confession. Bishop Donal McKeown blessed the new confessionals on November 20, 2016.

The area where the old confessionals were became a new side chapel. This chapel is dedicated to Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Bishop Donal McKeown blessed and dedicated this new chapel on May 12, 2017. Nuns from Mother Teresa's order joined the special prayer service. Today, the chapel is used by prayer groups. On Sunday mornings, it is used for children's liturgy during the 11:00 am Mass.

150th Anniversary

In 2023, St Eugene's Cathedral celebrated its 150th anniversary. To mark this special occasion, a new statue of Blessed Carlo Acutis was placed in the cathedral. A special Mass for the diocese was held on April 30, 2023. Another anniversary Mass for the cathedral parish was celebrated on May 4, 2023. This was the exact date the cathedral first opened its doors in 1873.

Organs

The cathedral's organ is located in a gallery at the west end. The first organ was installed in 1873. In the mid-1950s, a new organ was put in. However, because of the cathedral's lively acoustics, the sound quality of this organ is not considered very good. The pipes are not visible, which means the organ looks more like a large speaker than a musical instrument. By the late 1990s, this organ was not used very often. An electronic organ in the south aisle was used for most Sunday services.

The Cathedral Today

St Eugene's Cathedral is part of the Templemore Parish in Derry. This parish also includes Saint Columba's Church, Long Tower.

The current Bishop of Derry, Most Reverend Donal McKeown, is also the Parish Priest of Templemore. Bishop McKeown became Bishop of Derry in the cathedral on April 6, 2014.

The cathedral's bells ring out over Derry every day at 8:00 am, 12:00 pm, 6:00 pm, and 9:00 pm. They play seasonal tunes and call people to Mass. As of March 2025, the cathedral parish serves a Catholic population of 12,140 people.

Cathedral Clergy

As of March 2025, the clergy serving Saint Eugene's Cathedral are:

Parish Priest: Bishop of Derry, Most Reverend Donal McKeown
Administrator: Father Paul Farren
Curate: Father Shaun Doherty
Assisting Priest: Father Colum Clerkin

Cathedral Timetable

As of March 2025, here is the timetable for Saint Eugene's Cathedral:

Mass Times

Sundays: 6:15 pm and 7:30 pm Vigil Masses on Saturday evenings; 7:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:00 am, 12:30 pm and 7:00 pm on Sundays.
Holydays of Obligation: 6:15 pm and 7:30 pm Vigil Masses the day before; 7:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:00 am, 12:30 pm and 7:30 pm on the Holyday.
Mass times on a Holyday can change, so check the parish website for details.
Mondays to Fridays: 8:00 am, 10:00 am and 7:30 pm.
Saturday mornings: 10:00 am.
During Lent: An extra Mass is held at 1:00 pm Mondays to Fridays.

Confessions

Saturdays: 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm – 7:20 pm.
Day before Holydays: 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm – 7:20 pm.
Mondays to Fridays: 7:00 pm – 7:20 pm.

Eucharistic Adoration

Tuesdays: After the 10:00 am Mass until 7:25 pm.
Sundays: 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm, ending with devotions at 6:00 pm.
Mondays to Fridays: Eucharistic Adoration, Rosary, and Night Prayer from 8:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
Angelus and Rosary recited Mondays to Fridays at 12:00 pm.
Chaplet of Divine Mercy recited Mondays to Fridays at 3:00 pm.

You can find full details of all Mass times, confessions, and special ceremonies on the cathedral parish website: steugenescathedral.com.