St Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh
The Cathedral Church of St Colman, usually known as Cobh Cathedral, or previously Queenstown Cathedral, is a single-spire cathedral in Cobh, Ireland. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral and was completed in 1919. Built on Cathedral Place, it overlooks Cork harbour from a prominent position, and is dedicated to Colmán of Cloyne, patron saint of the Diocese of Cloyne. It serves as the cathedral church of the Diocese.
Construction began in 1868 and was not completed until over half a century later due to increases in costs and revisions of the original plans. With the steeple being 91.4 metres tall (300 ft), the cathedral is the tallest church in Ireland. It was considered to be the second-tallest, behind St John’s Cathedral in Limerick which was believed to be 94 metres tall; newer measurements have shown that the St John’s spire is in fact 81 metres tall and therefore only the fourth tallest church in Ireland.
The cathedral measure 64 metres long, 36.5 metres wide, and at the highest point of the spire is 93.3 metres high.
The architectural style is Gothic Revival, modelled in particular in an elaborate French Gothic style. It is primarily constructed of blue Dalkey granite with Mallow limestone dressings. The foundation is built of a large bed of sandstone, quarried at Carrigmore and Castle Oliver. The roof is made of Belgian blue slate.
Exterior
Both the west front and the transepts hold rose windows set in high pointed arches which are flanked by octagonal turrets. Pillars on the west front are constructed from red Aberdeen granite.
The octagonal spire measures 90 metres, and is topped with a 3.3 metre bronze cross, which was blessed by Bishop Browne. The tower is made of Newry granite. The tower houses 47 bells, 42 of which were hung in 1916, and a further five in 1958. The total combined weight of the bells equal 17 tons.
Interior
The cathedral hosts an aisled nave of seven bays with triforium and clerestory, transepts with eastern chapels, an apsidal chancel, and a tower and spire at the south-west corner of the nave. Red Middleton marble is used in both the shrines and the first confessionals of both aisles; the other confessionals are of red Aberdeen granite.
Viator