St Eunan's Cathedral ( ), or the Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba as it is also known, is a

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

in the parish of

Conwal and Leck Conwal and Leck ( ga, Conbháil agus Leac) is a parish located in north-east County Donegal, Province of Ulster, Ireland. It covers west Letterkenny and the surrounding hinterland. The parish has approximately 10,000 inhabitants and 1,000 familie ...

, part of the Diocese of Raphoe. Built between the years of 1890 and 1900, the cathedral is found in

Letterkenny Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. There are two cathedrals in the county; an older cathedral of the same name is found in the town of

Raphoe Raphoe ( ; ) is a historical village in County Donegal, Ireland. It is the main town in the fertile district of East Donegal known as the Laggan, as well as giving its name to the Barony of Raphoe, which was later divided into the baronies of R ...

, and since the Reformation, has been used by the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...

. The cathedral was commissioned by Cardinal O'Donnell - then Bishop of Raphoe - and who, in 1888 aged 32, became the youngest bishop in the world at that time. The cathedral, located on Castle Street opposite Conwal Parish Church in the town, celebrated its

centenary {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at ...

in 2001.

Description

The cathedral is named for the Saints Adamnán and

Columba Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is toda ...

; it opened on 16 June 1901 and is built in Victorian

neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

style on a site overlooking the town. It was designed by

William Hague William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

, the well known Dublin architect and protégé of

Pugin Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin ( ; 1 March 181214 September 1852) was an English architect, designer, artist and critic with French and, ultimately, Swiss origins. He is principally remembered for his pioneering role in the Gothic Revival st ...

, and following Hague's death by his partner

T. F. McNamara Thomas Francis McNamara, Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, RIAI, RIBA, (1867–1947) was an Irish Roman Catholic ecclesiastical architect active throughout the late-nineteenth- to the mid-twentieth-century Ireland who designed many h ...

.Gerry Convery. "Poetry in Stone: Sacred Heart Church". (

Omagh Omagh (; from ga, An Ómaigh , meaning 'the virgin plain') is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers River Drumragh, Drumragh and Camowen River, Camowen meet to form the River Strule, Strule. North ...

: Drumragh RC Parish, 1999), p.8. St Eunan's Cathedral has a

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires are ...

with a height of 240 feet. White

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

from

Mountcharles Mountcharles () is a village and townland (of 650 acres) in the south of County Donegal, Ireland. It lies 6 km from Donegal Town on the Killybegs road ( N56). It is situated in the civil parish of Inver and the historic barony of Banagh. Th ...

was used in the construction. It was shipped along the coast and up the Swilly. Townspeople carried bucketloads of the sandstone to the construction site piece by piece. The cathedral is furnished in

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

, with a

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...

by Pearse Brothers of Dublin. The pulpit depicts

statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size; a sculpture t ...

s of the Four Masters and the Four Evangelists. The stained glass windows that illuminate the

sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...

and the

Lady Chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chapel or a Marian chapel, an ...

are by the Mayer firm of

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

. They depict thirteen scenes from the life of Jesus. The ceilings are the work of Amici of

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. The Great Arch illustrates the lives of St Eunan (better known as Adomnán or, locally, Adhamhnáin) and

St Columba Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is toda ...

. The

sanctuary lamp file:Malta - Mosta - Rotunda in 57 ies.jpg, Malta - Mosta - Rotunda in 57 ies. A sanctuary lamp, chancel lamp, altar lamp, everlasting light, or eternal flame is a light that shines before the altar of sanctuaries in many Jewish and Christianity, C ...

is made of solid silver and weighs over 1500 ounces.

Willie Pearse William James Pearse ( ga, Uilliam Seamus Mac Piarais; 15 November 1881 – 4 May 1916) was an Irish republican executed for his part in the Easter Rising. He was a younger brother of Patrick Pearse, a leader of the rising. Background Willie ...

, who took part in the

Easter Rising The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...

, created some of the sculptures found within. There are 12 bells in the Cathedral bell chamber. They carry the names of the saints of Tír Conail - Dallan,

Conal Conal (or Conall) was an Irish bishop who flourished in the second half of the fifth century and ruled over the church of Drum, County Roscommon, the place being subsequently named Drumconnell, after St. Conal. Life He was a brother of Attra ...

and Fiacre,

Adomnán Adomnán or Adamnán of Iona (, la, Adamnanus, Adomnanus; 624 – 704), also known as Eunan ( ; from ), was an abbot of Iona Abbey ( 679–704), hagiographer, statesman, canon jurist, and saint. He was the author of the ''Life of Co ...

, Baithen and Barron, Nelis and Mura, Fionán and Davog, Cartha and Caitríona, Taobhóg, Cróna and Ríanach,

Ernan Ernan (variants include Ernain, Ernin, Ethernanus) is the name of four Irish saints. St. Ernan, Son of Eogan Ernan, Son of Eogan, died around 640. Mentioned in the ''Martyrology of Tallaght'' on 1 January, he was a nephew of St. Columba and some ...

and Asica and

. The 12th bell weighs over 2 tons 5 cwts. After the cathedral was opened the organist played "O'Donnell Abu", "St Patrick's Day", "

The Last Rose of Summer "The Last Rose of Summer" is a poem by the Irish poet Thomas Moore. He wrote it in 1805, while staying at Jenkinstown Castle in County Kilkenny, Ireland, where he was said to have been inspired by a specimen of Rosa 'Old Blush'. The poem is s ...

", "

The Wearing of the Green "The Wearing of the Green" is an Irish street ballad lamenting the repression of supporters of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is to an old Irish air, and many versions of the lyric exist, the best-known being by Dion Boucicault. The song proclai ...

" and "The Bells of Shandon". In 1985, the cathedral was renovated and remodelled to better conform to the liturgical requirements of the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...

. Care was taken to preserve the style and materials of the original altar in the new altar table and chair. The original altar-piece, an Irish carving of

Leonardo Leonardo is a masculine given name, the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of the English, German, and Dutch name, Leonard Leonard or ''Leo'' is a common English masculine given name and a surname. The given name and surname originate ...

's ''

The Last Supper Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...

'', is still present in the cathedral and has been incorporated into the new altar. The sandstone exterior of the cathedral was cleaned in July 2001. The stone was then repaired and pointed with a special mortar of lime and sand. Krystol Hydrostop was finally applied to the exterior. During the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, Monsignor Gillespie, with Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian, agreed to celebrate weekday morning Mass for the nation on

RTÉ Television RTÉ Television is a department of Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), the Republic of Ireland's state controlled national broadcaster. Its first channel was Teilifís Éireann, which began broadcasting on 31 December 1961. Since the 1960s, RT ...

. Mass Times Sunday Mass Times:; 8.00am, 10.00am, 12.00 noon and 6.30pm. (Saturday Evening Vigil -7.30pm ) Masses are held Mondays to Fridays at 8.00am, 10.00am & 7.30pm. Saturday mornings at 10.00am. (During June, July, August & September, evening mass is only celebrated at 7.30pm on Fridays, unless otherwise announced in the cathedral newsletter). Masses are held on Holy Days of Obligation at 7.30pm (Vigil on the night before); 8.00am, 10.00am, 5.45pm & 7.30pm, unless otherwise announced in the cathedral newsletter. Mass in the

Polish language Polish (Polish: ''język polski'', , ''polszczyzna'' or simply ''polski'', ) is a West Slavic language of the Lechitic group written in the Latin script. It is spoken primarily in Poland and serves as the native language of the Poles. In a ...

- is held in the cathedral on the first & third Sunday of the month at 4.00pm. Mass said in Irish is held in the cathedral on the first Sunday of the month at 10.00am. Sacrament of Reconciliation - Confession Confessions are heard in the cathedral every Saturday from 12.00 noon - 1.00pm & after the 7.30pm Vigil Mass. Confessions are heard in the cathedral on the Thursday before the First Friday of the Month from 12.00 noon - 1.00pm & at 8.00pm. Confessions are heard in the cathedral every Monday night from 8.00pm. Full details of the cathedral schedules, including up-to-date service times throughout the year, and a weekly uploaded cathedral newsletter is available on the cathedral parish website at www.steunanscathedral.ie and on the cathedral Facebook Page at en-gb.facebook.com/St-Eunans-Cathedral-Letterkenny-667024126809546/

Clergy

As of January 2019, St Eunan's Cathedral is served by three full-time priests - The Very Reverend Monsignor Kevin Gillespie (Administrator), The Reverend Philip Kemmy (curate) and The Reverend Damien Nejad (curate).

Bishop of Raphoe The Bishop of Raphoe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Raphoe in County Donegal, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bis ...

Most Reverend Alan McGuckian SJ, along with other clergy and retired clergy living in Letterkenny, also help the cathedral parish when required. The Reverend Damien Nejad, of Hiberno-Iranian origin, has a particularly interesting background as he was the first diocesan priest ordained in Ireland to have a Persian family; The Reverend Nejad was born to an Iranian Muslim father and a Catholic mother, originally from

Annagry ''Anagaire'' (anglicised as Annagry) is a village in The Rosses district of County Donegal, Ireland. , the population was 236. Name The Irish and official name for Annagry is ''Anagaire'', which in turn derives from ''Áth na gCoire'' meaning "fo ...

, in, and later grew up in,

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

and was baptised at his own request when he was six.

Adoration Chapel

The Blessed Sacrament Chapel of Adoration or the Adoration Chapel (as it is more commonly known) is found on the grounds of the adjacent Loreto Convent. Bishop of Raphoe

Séamus Hegarty Séamus Hegarty, D.D. (26 January 1940 – 20 September 2019) was an Irish Catholic prelate. He served as Bishop of Raphoe from 1982 to 1994, then as Bishop of Derry from 1994 to 2011. Early life and ministry Hegarty was born in Kilcar, County ...

officially opened it on 4 December 1988. This single-room chapel is a reconstructed building based on the site of an old school set up by the

Loreto Sisters The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose members are commonly known as the Loreto Sisters, is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women dedicated to education founded in Saint-Omer by an Englishwoman, Mary Ward, in 1609. The cong ...

. It is not definitively known when the original building was constructed; however, during reconstruction work in 1988, a slate bearing a mason's mark from the year 1850 was discovered. Barry Feely from

County Roscommon "Steadfast Irish heart" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Roscommon.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Connacht , subdi ...

designed the chapel's granite altar; this is situated in front of a stained glass window which displays the "Virgin of the Sign" icon. The Adoration Chapel is open from 1 pm on a Sunday afternoon until 8.30 pm Friday evening. The chapel is located in the grounds of the Loreto Convent and College, which is located adjacent to the cathedral. Devotions are held in the cathedral on the Sundays of May and October at 7.30pm.

Eponyms

The adjacent Cathedral Square ( ga, Cearnóg na hArdeaglaise) and Cathedral Road ( ga, Bóthar na hArdeaglaise) are named after the building. Letterkenny itself is often referred to as "The Cathedral Town".

Gallery

File:Central-aisle-lk.jpg, Central aisle within the Cathedral File:St Eunan's Altar Area Letterkenny.jpg, Cathedral pulpit File:Stained-lk.jpg, Stained glass window within the Cathedral File:Cathedral-ground-lk.jpg, St. Eunan's Cathedral Grounds File:Flying-butress.jpg, Flying Buttress File:St Eunan's Design Letterkenny.jpg, Carving on cathedral wall File:Lroy6854.jpg, Interior circa 1900

References

External links

Letterkenny Guide: St. Eunan's Cathedral
{{Roman Catholic Cathedrals in Ireland Buildings and structures in Letterkenny Gothic Revival church buildings in the Republic of Ireland Roman Catholic cathedrals in the Republic of Ireland Roman Catholic churches in County Donegal Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Ireland Roman Catholic churches completed in 1900