St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick
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St Mary's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Limerick, Ireland, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1111, at the Synod of Rathbrassil, it was decided that "St Mary's church" would become the cathedral church of the Diocese of Limerick. The present site of St Mary's Cathedral may not have been the original location of the church of St Mary. As Brian Hodkinson notes, tradition has it that Donal O'Brien, the King of Thomond, founded the present cathedral on the site of his palace on King's Island in the latter half of the 12th century.
The Cathedral of St Mary Blessed Virgin (St Mary's), Limerick, Ireland has a long and eventful history. It is recognised as one of Ireland's most important medieval buildings. Historically the Cathedral has been known as Limerick Cathedral.
It was founded in 1168 on the site of a palace donated by Donal Mor O'Brien, King of Munster. The Irish Government commissioned a postage stamp to commemorate its 800 year anniversary in 1968. Experts believe that parts of the palace are incorporated into the present structure of the building. The most prominent is the West Door which may have been the original main entrance to the royal palace. It is believed that the palace had been built on the site of the Viking meeting house. This had been the centre of government in the early medieval Viking city. St Mary's Cathedral has seen many changes as the city has expanded around it. Today it remains the oldest and most historic building in Limerick. No trip to the City is complete without visiting this historic building at the very heart of this ancient metropolis.
The ancient West Door of the cathedral is only used now on ceremonial occasions. The Bishops of Limerick (including the current Bishop Michael Mayes) have for centuries knocked on this door and enter by it as part of their installation ceremony. In keeping with the City of Limerick motto translated as "An ancient City well versed in the art of war". Legend has it that in the past the West Door had a more military purpose. During the many sieges of Limerick the defenders of the City used the stones around the door to sharpen their swords and arrows. Tradition also has it that the marks they made in the stonework can be seen there to this day.
It is also believed that in 1651, after Oliver Cromwell's forces captured the City, the Cathedral was used as a stable by the parliamentary army. This misuse was short lived, but was a similar fate to that suffered by some of the other great Cathedrals during the Cromwellian campaign in Ireland. The Cathedral is open to the public six days a week.
It is important to stress that St Mary's Cathedral is still used today for it original purpose as a place of worship and prayer. Daily Services are held and on Sunday there is a morning service at 11.15 a.m. and an evening service at 7.00 p.m. Choral Evensong takes place on the third Sunday of the month at 7.00 p.m.
There are two cathedrals in Limerick city, St Mary's is Limerick's Church of Ireland cathedral and St John's is Limerick's Roman Catholic cathedral.
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