St Mel’s Cathedral

St Mel's Cathedral was designed by architect Joseph B. Keane in the Neoclassical and Italian Renaissance styles. The foundation stone was laid on 19 May 1840 by Bishop William O'Higgins, with stone taken from the ruined cathedral at nearby Ardagh. Construction proceeded from 1840 until the Great Famine halted work in 1846; building resumed in 1853 and the cathedral opened for worship on 29 Sept...