Saint Patrick's Cathedral (Killala) — Church Street

Detached four-bay double-height single-cell Church of Ireland cathedral, rebuilt 1670, on a rectangular plan with single-bay two-stage tower to entrance (west) front on a square plan supporting octagonal spire. "Repaired", 1817-20, producing present composition. "Improved", 1861. Renovated, 1962. "Restored", 1991. Undergoing "restoration", 2005. Replacement pitched artificial slate roof retaining Bangor slate finish (north), clay ridge tiles, cut-limestone coping to gables, and cast-iron rainwater goods on cut-limestone eaves. Repointed rubble stone walls originally rendered on battered base with sundial-inscribed flush quoins to corners; repointed coursed or snecked limestone walls (tower) with benchmark-inscribed drag edged tooled cut-limestone diagonal stepped buttresses to corners having "slated" coping supporting drag edged tooled cut-limestone octagonal pinnacles centred on battlemented parapet having roll moulded cut-limestone coping. Round-headed window openings with cut-limestone sills, timber Y-mullions, and repointed voussoirs framing iron mesh storm panels over replacement fixed-pane fittings having lattice glazing bars. Pointed-arch window opening (east). "Rose Window" (gable) with drag edged tooled cut-limestone surround having chamfered reveals framing fixed-pane fittings having lattice glazing bars. Pointed-arch window opening (tower) with cut-limestone sill, timber Y-mullion, and drag edged tooled cut-limestone block-and-start surround having chamfered reveals framing iron mesh storm panels over fixed-pane fittings having lattice glazing bars. Roundel (bell stage), drag edged tooled cut-limestone surround having chamfered reveals with hood moulding framing louvered fitting. Round-headed openings in bipartite arrangement ("cheeks") with drag edged tooled cut-limestone block-and-start surrounds having chamfered reveals framing louvered timber fittings. Interior including vestibule (west); square-headed door opening into nave with glazed timber panelled double doors; full-height interior open into roof "restored", 1991, with timber panelled choir gallery (west) on a U-shaped plan on cast-iron pillars supporting Gothic-style timber panelled pipe organ (1838), Gothic-style timber panelled choir stalls, timber panelled wainscoting supporting carved timber dado rail, carpeted central aisle between timber panelled box pews, cut-white marble Classical-style wall monuments (ob. 1834; 1961) with pair of Classical-style wall monuments (ob. 1697; 1721), timber "eagle" lectern with timber panelled pulpit on an octagonal plan, carpeted stepped dais to chancel (east) with turned timber balusters supporting carved timber communion railing centred on cloaked altar below "East Window", and exposed arcaded strutted King post timber roof construction with wind braced rafters to ceiling. Set in landscaped grounds on a corner site with cast-iron octagonal piers to perimeter having polygonal capping supporting "Lotus"-detailed cast-iron gate. Photography by James Fraher with additional photography courtesy of Christina Golden [www.goldenlangan.com]