Collegiate Church of St Mary, Youghal, Anglican church in Youghal, Ireland.
The Collegiate Church of St Mary is a large Anglican church in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, dating to about 1220 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is cruciform in shape and one of the three largest surviving 13th-century Gothic churches in Cork, alongside Cloyne Cathedral and Saint Multose Church, Kinsale. Its west window is an example of Early English Gothic architecture, and masons' marks remain on the pillars of the Gothic arches.
A stone church was built on this site in 1220, and in 1464 it was granted collegiate status, which raised its standing in the region. Over the centuries the building changed hands, suffered damage, and was restored, all while remaining one of the most important religious structures on Ireland's south coast.
The church sits within the old walled town of Youghal and remains an active Church of Ireland parish church today. Visitors who step inside can see carved wooden details, old memorial tablets, and stone effigies that show how closely the town's history and its people are tied to this building.
The church sits in the upper part of Youghal's old town, close to the surviving town walls, and is easy to reach on foot from the main street. Opening times for the interior can vary, so it is worth checking ahead before planning a visit inside.
Oliver Cromwell delivered a funeral oration from the top of a chest that is still kept in the church, following his campaign conducted from Youghal in 1649. The marble monument Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, erected for himself and his family almost reaches the roof of the chapel; he died in 1643 and is buried in the graveyard.
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