Saint Brendan’s Cathedral
Overview
Clonfert Cathedral is one of the oldest continually operating churches in Ireland.
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Saint Brendan’s Cathedral
Clonfert Cathedral, also known as St. Brendan’s Cathedral, is a 12thcentury Hiberno-Romanesque structure on the site of Saint Brendan’s 6th century monastery in Clonfert, County Galway, in Ireland. The monastery was a flourishing center for learning, and it is estimated that there were 3,000 monks based at Clonfert. The cathedral is the only remaining evidence of the monastery and although the building currently serves a Church of Ireland congregation, Irish Protestants and Catholics share interest in preserving this relic of their common cultural heritage. The cathedral’s stone edifice is distinguished by its portal and sandstone doorway, which is acknowledged to be the finest of its type in Ireland. Centered amid an exuberantly carved series of recessing arches the doorway features geometric, zoomorphic, and Celtic designs, above which are found several carved heads.
Founded by Saint Brendan, known as the Navigator because of his legendary voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in the 6th century, the cathedral at Clonfert functioned throughout the Middle Ages as a vibrant monastery. The compound was expanded and completed around 1164 in the Hiberno-Romanesque style; characteristic decorations include abstract geometric patterns, dense curvilinear forms, zoomorphic figures, and traditional Celtic designs.
Saint Brendan’s Cathedral marks an important period in the development of Irish architecture and design. The west portal is considered one of the finest examples of 12th century carving in Ireland. Various educational and narrative values of the site, in combination with the prototypical interior design, make the cathedral equally valuable to Ireland’s national history and the broader history of art.
The soft sandstone structure has weathered severely. Earlier conservation efforts, which did not fully address all the building’s problems, as well as substantial biological growth, have compounded the deterioration. The cathedral is now the parish church of a dwindling congregation with minimal resources to repair the building without outside assistance.
