Kildare Cathedral

Kildare Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Brigid, Kildare
Kildare Cathedral is located in Kildare
Kildare Cathedral
Kildare Cathedral
Kildare Cathedral is located in County Kildare
Kildare Cathedral
Kildare Cathedral
Kildare Cathedral is located in Ireland
Kildare Cathedral
Kildare Cathedral
53°09′28″N 6°54′41″W / 53.1579°N 6.9114°W / 53.1579; -6.9114
LocationKildare, County Kildare
CountryIreland
DenominationChurch of Ireland
Previous denominationRoman Catholic
Websitehttps://stbrigidscathedral.com/
History
FoundedAfter 1223
Founder(s)Probably Ralph of Bristol
DedicationSt. Brigid
DedicatedThis abbey site dates from AD 480
Consecrated1230
EventsSt. Brigid's firehouse or fire-temple of Kildare was maintained from pre-christian period until 16th century
Past bishop(s)Ralph of Bristol, died 1232; Bishop Wellesley, died 1539
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationNational Monument
Architect(s)George Edmund Street (1824–1881) was responsible for the reconstruction completed by 1896
Architectural typeCruciform without aisles
StyleIrish Gothic
GroundbreakingA feature is the arches spanning from buttress to buttress in advance of the side walls
CompletedRenovation completed 1896
Specifications
CapacityCan accommodate the 20 Church of Ireland families who maintain the cathedral
Number of domesThe central tower, half of which is a modern reconstruction
MaterialsVarious stones including granite and sandstone
Administration
ProvinceProvince of Dublin
DioceseDiocese of Meath and Kildare
Clergy
Bishop(s)The Most Reverend Pat Storey
DeanThe Very Reverend Isobel Jackson
PrecentorThe Very Reverend R W Jones
ArchdeaconThe Venerable L Stevenson
Laity
Director of musicCharles Marshall

Kildare Cathedral, or St Brigid's Cathedral in Kildare, is one of two Church of Ireland cathedrals in the United Dioceses of Meath and Kildare. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin. Originally a Catholic cathedral, it was built in the 13th century on the site of an important Celtic Christian abbey, which is said to have been founded by Saint Brigid in the 5th century. The site was taken over by the Protestant Church of Ireland following the Reformation. There is an Irish round tower in the cathedral grounds.