Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Catholic cathedral in Cork, Ireland
The Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne is a brick Catholic cathedral in the north of Cork city, built in the Gothic Revival style with pointed arches, a central nave, side aisles, and a tower. The interior is structured around an enlarged sanctuary and a chancel arch that gives the space its clear direction.
The church was built in 1808 and badly damaged by arson in 1820, which led to an extensive restoration. Architect George Richard Pain directed the later alterations, and the tower was added in 1869, completing the building's main structure.
The cathedral serves as an active parish church for the surrounding neighbourhoods and is used daily for services. The carved wooden figures inside, rediscovered after decades out of sight, are a rare example of early Irish church sculpture.
The cathedral is open during the day and welcomes visitors without any booking, though it is best to go outside of service times to move around freely. The building is accessible for people with reduced mobility, and parking can be found in the surrounding streets.
The tower holds nine bells cast in 1870 by John Murphy of Dublin, originally designed for change-ringing, a practice where bells are rung in constantly shifting sequences. After decades of silence, the bells came back into regular use in December 2022.
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