| Cathedral Church of St Mel | |
|---|---|
 St Mel's Cathedral in 2019 | |
  Cathedral Church of St Mel | |
| Location | Longford |
| Country | Ireland |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Tradition | Latin Church |
| Website | longfordparish |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Mél of Ardagh |
| Consecrated | 19 May 1893 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Cathedral |
| Style | Neoclassical |
| Years built | 1840–1856 |
| Administration | |
| Province | Armagh |
| Diocese | Ardagh and Clonmacnoise |
| Parish | Longford |
The Cathedral Church of St Mel is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, located in the town of Longford in Ireland. Built between 1840 and 1856, with the belfry and portico as later additions, it has been considered the "flagship cathedral" of the Irish midlands region,[1] Longford's "landmark building"[1][2] and "one of the finest Catholic churches in Ireland".[2] The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mél (died 488), who came to Ireland with Saint Patrick and who was ordained bishop at Ardagh, County Longford.
On Christmas Day 2009, the cathedral was destroyed by a fire in the early hours of the morning. The restored cathedral re-opened in December 2014.
- ^ a b "St. Mel's Cathedral destroyed by fire". Longford Leader. 25 December 2009. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
- ^ a b This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Longford (town)". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 981.
