Saint Mary's Cathedral

Cathedral in Galway, Ireland, dating from 1160–1865

Freestanding multi-period Church of Ireland cathedral of Tuam, incorporating Hiberno-Romanesque chancel arch of c.1170 of earlier cathedral at centre, fourteenth-century chapter house at east, and cathedral of 1863 at west. Ribbon-pointed random rubble limestone walls to oldest part, with no contemporary windows except for single pointed window to south elevation. Chapter house altered at various periods but retains stepped buttresses supporting wall-walk, latter further supported on moulded corbels and topped with crenellations. Buttresses have trefoil-headed niches. Two and three-light pointed windows with chamfered surrounds, hood-mouldings with stops, and tracery. Windows possibly remodelled in eighteenth century, including one with timber tracery. Junction of early phases has square-headed slit windows. Nineteenth-century cathedral is set-piece on its own though connected at east end to earlier work. Walls of rusticated limetone with short nave flanked by aisles, tower and spire over crossing, transepts and chancel. Nave has high-pitched west front with pointed west door flanked by arcade of two blank arches on either side (an adaptation of St Cronan's Church, Roscrea), with five-light lancet west window above and mandorla-shaped window high in gable. Label-stops left boasted for carving in this front and other facades of building. Five-bay nave has corbel table under cren

Type:
Cathedral

Period:
1160–1865

Where:
Galway, Ireland

Coordinates:
53.51°N, 8.86°W

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