The Cathedrals of the Church of Ireland Book

Text extracted from opening pages of book: CATHEDRALS : QF THE CHURCH OF IRELAND BY J. GODFREY F. DAY, D. D. Bishop of Ossory AND HENRY E. PATTON, D. D. Bishop ofKilldoe LONDON SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W. C. 2 DUBLIN : The A. P. C. K. : 37 DAWSON STREET First Published 1932 Printed in Gnat Britdn ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, DUBLIN. S. V. CORNER. FROM A WATER-COLOUR DRAWING BY R. CAULFIELD ORPEN, R. H. A. Irish Cathedrals. Frontispie PREFACE THIS little book represents an effort to describe in a series of short sketches the cathedral churches of Ireland. Many of these comparatively unknown buildings are situated in remote places and yet possess features of almost unique architectural interest. In the north of Ireland the Cathedrals of Armagh, Deny, and Down will well repay attention ; in the more southerly districts inter esting churches abound. The Cathedrals of Kilkenny, Kildare, Leighlin, Limerick, Lismore, Cloyne, Killaloe, and Clonfert are pre-Reformation churches of abiding interest. The famous cathedral on the Rock of Cashel, so closely linked with the building of its Georgian succes sor, has associations with remote ages. The cathedrals in Dublin are well known, and in Cork the modern Cathedral of St. Finbar is a noble creation in French Gothic. It is beyond the scope of this work to describe the architecture of cathedrals which have long since ceased to be used for public worship. Such buildings as the Cathedrals of Ardfert and Kilmacduagh, now unroofed, though otherwise in a fair state of preservation, cannot here be described, and have been exhaustively dealt with in archaeological journals. This book must mainly deal with cathedrals still in use. The photographs will, it is hoped, give in many instances an impression of the beauty and interest belonging to many minor buildings far from the highways of travel. They are a precious heritage from the past, well worthy of the loving solicitude and care which have been bestowed upon them in recent years. This book only refers to the cathedrals of the Church of Ireland. During the nineteenth century the members of the Roman Catholic church have erected splendid 6 PREFACE and spacious cathedrals and parish churches in all parts of Ireland. Many such are well worthy of the attention of visitors. The writers desire to thank more especially the Deans of the cathedral churches who by criticism, suggestion, and by the provision of photographs have given them such valuable help. The following words by one who is not an Irish writer may here be fittingly quoted. In a recent work, The Crosses and Culture of Ireland, Mr. Arthur Kingsley Porter, Professor of Fine Arts in Harvard University, has observed : From the sixth century until the ninth Ireland stood at the head of European culture. This has long been recognised. What is new, and what I hope I have made clear in these lectures, is that in the tenth century Ireland produced a sculpture which is not only immeasurably in advance of all the rest of Europe, but is among the remarkable manifestations of mediaeval art/' CONTENTS PACK JkTREFAGE *) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 9 INTRODUCTION . . . . . n THE PROVINCE OF ARMAGH ARMAGH ( MEATH) 121 CLOGHER ENNISKILLEN . . . . 29 DERRY RAPHOE 33 DOWN ( CONNOR) LISBURN DROMORE BELFAST . 42 KILMORE ELPHIN ( ARDAGH) .... 64 TUAM KlLLALA ACHONRY .... 67 THE PROVINCE OF DUBLIN DUBLIN [ ST. PATRICK ; CHRIST CHURCH] ( GLEN DALOUGH) KILDARE ..... 77 ( OSSORY) KILKENNY FERNS LEIGHLIN . .104 CASHEL ( EMLY) WATERFORD LISMORE , 121 CORK CLOYNE ^ Ross 133 8 CONTENTS PACK KlLLALOE : KlLFENORA : ClONFERT : KlL MACDUAGH 144 LIMERICK : ARDFERT : AGHADOE . . . 153 APPENDIX A, THE ROUND TOWERS OF IRELAND . 160 APPENDIX B. THE ANCIENT HIGH CROSSES OF IRELAND 166 APPENDIX C. HIGH-PITCHED ROOFS . . .168 LIST OF PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES CONSULTED . 170 INDEX 171 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, DUBLIN . Frontispiece Front a water colour drawing by R. Caulfitld Orpen, R.Read More