Cathedral Derry

St Columbs Cathedral

St Columbs Cathedral

Widely recognised as the oldest surviving building in the city, St Columbs Cathedral is also reported to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ireland, clocking up approximately 80,000 visitors a year according to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

The first Cathedral built by the Anglican Church after the Reformation period, and the first non-Catholic cathedral built in Europe, St Columbs makes up one of the most historically-valuable structure in Derry, having witnessed much of the tragedy and joy the city has seen since its inception.

Completed in 1633 by William Parrot, in Planter’s Gothic, the Cathedral is built entirely of stone from local quarries and remained practically unchanged for 150 years until the addition of a beautiful spire, which was slowly completed following signs of structural weakness.

In addition to the Cathedral’s own history, it was built on what ancient maps show as the site of another medieval church dating back to the 1600s and also claims to be built on or near the site of the original Teampall Mór – a part of which is embedded into St. Columbs as a foundation stone.

St Columbs forms an integral part of community relations, taking a leading role in the city’s Two Cathedrals Festival and other civic occasion, while the artefacts lovingly contained within speak of the shared history. Relics include the original keys to the city and portraits of William of Orange as well as Ireland’s oldest collection of bells, presented by King Charles I in 1683.

Special mention should be made of the Siege Heroes’ Mound, where the remains of Siege combatants were ignominuously thrown having been removed from their resting places during restorations. The furious Apprentice Boys demanded the bones be replaced, and the excess dirt was used to create a mound, where an inscribed monument was later added.

St Columbs Cathedral

St Columbs Cathedral

St Eugenes Cathedral

St Eugenes Cathedral

Considered the Mother Church of the Derry Diocese, stretching from Malin Head to Omagh, St Eugene’s Cathedral was built following the Catholic Emancipation Act of the early 1800’s on what is now Colmcille Court.

Following the laying of the foundation stone, the Cathedral took more than a quarter of a century to complete, costing a total of 40 thousand pound raised from American patrons and the local community. While funds were sporadic, the building was complete piece by piece with financial difficulties postponing the construction of the belfry, tower and spire until later years. The beautiful stained glass windows were also a late addition, having first been plain glass as funds were still incoming.

Commisioned by Bishop Francis Kelly following the relaxation of anti-Catholic legislations and designed by J.J. McCarthy (known for his church architecture as far afield as Tipperary), St Eugene’s Cathedral is one of the grandest Roman Catholic cathedrals in the Northwest, and one of the most historic. The sacred vessels used in its opening ceremony are still kept within the Cathedral to this day, and the chalice is still used today.

St Eugenes Cathedral

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