St. Mary's Cathedral Church

St Mary’s is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory. It is situated on James’s Street, Kilkenny, Ireland. Saint Mary’s was designed by William Deane Butler (c.1794-1857). He was chosen by Bishop William Kinsella (1793-1845), who instigated the building of St. Mary’s in February 1842. Work began in April 1843 and finished in 1857. On Sunday, 4 October 1857, St. Mary’s had its grand opening, which consisted of a two-and-three-quarter hour ceremony that began at 6.15 am. The cost of the building is estimated to have been £25,000. St. Mary’s Cathedral still dominates the landscape of Kilkenny, its great tower visible from all approaches to the city. It stands as a reminder of a far-off generation's faith and growing confidence – a reminder and much more than a reminder.