Cathedral

Lismore was recognised as a diocesan centre at the Synod of Rathbrassil in 1111, and the blessing of a great church in 1166 may have been the inauguration of the Cathedral. The plundering of Lismore by the Anglo-Normans in 1173 and 1178 probably included the sacking of the Cathedral, and the diocese was in danger of anexation by Waterford in the early 13th century, although they were not united until 1363 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1981, 91-2). The cathedral was damaged in the rebellion of 1579 and was in ruins apart from the chancel, roofed by Boyle, in 1633 until rebuilt to a design of Sir William Robinson from 1679 onwards (Loeber 1977-9, 290, 296). The fabric of the church dates to this period although the windows and doors were largely altered in the 19th century. The chancel was rebuilt after 1811 and the W tower added in 1827. The only medieval portions are the S wall of the chancel and the S piers of the crossing, and some architectural fragments kept at the W end of the nave. The chest tomb of John and Katherine McGrath, 1557 (Hunt 1974, vol. 1, 232-3) is at the W end of the nave. Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R. N. (1970) (reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses in Ireland. Irish Academic Press, Dublin. Hunt, J. (1974) Irish medieval figure sculpture 1200-1600: a study of Irish tombs with notes on costume and armour, 2 vols. Irish University Press. Dublin. Loeber, R. (1979) Bibliographical dictionary of engineers in Ireland 1600-1730, The Irish Sword 13, 106-22, 230-55, 283-314. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 March 2011

The cathedral at Lismore was likely established in the 12th century, possibly taking its form following the blessing of a great church in 1166, and reflects the medieval ecclesiastical significance of the town as a diocesan centre. Its dedication and specific architectural style are not recorded, but it played an important role in the religious and political landscape of medieval Ireland before suffering damage during Anglo-Norman incursions.