St. Colman's Cathedral is an exquisite gem of neo-Gothic architecture. Construction started in 1867 and was completed in 1919 at a cost of £250,000 . The Cathedral was one of Edward W. Pugin and George Ashlin's most important Irish commissions. It is one of the finest examples of ecclesiastical architecture in the Gothic Revival style in Ireland. It was built at a time when leading architects had absorbed the principles of pointed architecture laid down by A.W.N. Pugin (1812-1852), the father of E.W. Pugin and father-in-law of George Ashlin.
In 1916 a Carillon of 47 bells was installed. The largest bell is 200 feet above the ground and weighs 3.5 tons. The Cathedral organ, by Telford and Telford, contains 2,468 pipes. The Cathedral is a regular venue for Recitals by Choirs from all parts of the world
St. Colman's, named after the patron saint of the diocese St. Colman Mac Leinin, was inspired by the great cathedrals of medieval France such as Chartres, Leon and Amiens. Its interior is a unique and pure example of what a neo-Gothic cathedral should be. St. Colman's Cathedral is the only Irish Catholic Victorian cathedral not to have been ravaged by architects post Vatican II, thereby preserving its interior fully intact.
A visit to Cobh Cathedral is a moving spiritual experience. The magnificent stained glass windows by Franz Mayer (Germany) and the Rose window over the main door by Hardman (Birmingham). Along with the delicate carvings, the beautiful arches and the mellow lighting combine to lift the human spirit. The carvings recall the history of the Church in Ireland from the time of St. Patrick to the present century. The stained glass windows on the left of the centre isle tell the stories of the Miracles while those on the right tell the stories of the Parables.
During the time of the famine, (1842-45) and for many years afterwards, St. Colman's Cathedral was the last visual point, which emigrants saw of their homeland as they sailed out through the mouth of the harbour. It is believed that over 1.5 million people left Ireland, never to return.
