Some of the congregation at the Mass on Friday, November 14 to mark the Bicentenary of St Mary’s Cathedral, when it was
announced that Pope Leo has designated St Mary’s Pro Cathedral as Dublin’s official Catholic Cathedral. Photo: John McElroy. Around 300 people gathered for the final Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday before the historic Dublin church closed for major restoration works expected to last around two years.
Fr Kieran McDermott, Administrator of the Cathedral parish, said the turnout reflected the strong attachment many people still have to St Mary’s.
“We estimated that 300 people were present, as that was the print run for the Mass leaflet and all were taken,” Fr McDermott told The Irish Catholic. “There were many present, including staff and volunteers past and present and indeed former members of the Cathedral choirs who wanted to come to the Cathedral today before its temporary closure.”
Jim Crowley, who has volunteered at St Mary’s for around 20 years, described the final celebration as a reunion. “It was lovely. We had a very, very nice celebration. A lot of old friends came along,” he said.
The €17 million project will include conservation and structural work, accessibility improvements, electrical and mechanical upgrades and changes to the interior. St Mary’s was formally designated the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Dublin last November, on its 200th anniversary.
Fr McDermott stressed that the work was about more than the building itself: “The restoration is not merely about buildings, the initiative seeks to strengthen the Church’s mission through prayer, welcome, service, encounter and outreach, maintaining a strong presence on both sides of the River Liffey.”
During the closure, parish and sacramental life will continue at St Joseph’s Church, Berkeley Road, while major diocesan liturgies move to St Andrew’s, Westland Row.