Top 7 Cathedrals in Ireland to Visit

The best cathedrals in Ireland to visit are St Patrick’s and Christ Church in Dublin, St Fin Barre’s in Cork, St Canice’s in Kilkenny, Galway Cathedral, St Colman’s in Cobh and St Brigid’s in Kildare. Between them, they cover almost 1,000 years of Irish history, from a Viking king’s church to a 1960s cathedral built on the site of a jail.

Ireland is predominantly Roman Catholic, although its inhabitants are free to practice whatever religion they like. That hasn’t always been the case, and Ireland’s rich religious history has been through several phases, from the paganism of the early Celts to periods where worshipping a specific religion was made mandatory. 

Ireland’s cathedrals stand as a living testament to that troubled religious part and continue to play an important role in Irish society, acting as tourist attractions, places of worship, and notable heritage sites.

Not every church can be a cathedral, and to qualify as one, you need a bishop. Although many of Ireland’s cathedrals are Roman Catholic, this isn’t a prerequisite. Some, like the Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, were founded by a Viking king who had converted to Christianity, while others fall under the administration of the Protestant Church of Ireland.     

Don’t worry, you don’t have to convert to Catholicism to visit a Catholic cathedral, nor will the Church of Ireland bar you entry simply because you’re wearing a crucifix! Ireland’s cathedrals are open to all and have something to offer everyone.

Quick answer: cathedrals in Ireland at a glance

• Largest: St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, the largest church in Ireland.
• Oldest on this list: Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, founded around 1030.
• Tallest: St Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, whose spire rises about 91 metres (300 feet).
• Free to enter: Galway Cathedral (a €3 donation is suggested). The two Dublin cathedrals charge €11.50 for an adult.
• Round towers you can climb: St Canice’s in Kilkenny and St Brigid’s in Kildare.

What is Ireland’s Biggest Cathedral?

7 Stunning Irish Cathedrals You Can Visit

1. St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin

St Patrick’s Cathedral is one of the few that doesn’t have its own bishop, so should, theoretically, be a church. When St Patrick’s was built, the Archbishop of the city already had a seat at the Christ Church Cathedral, so St Patrick’s is one of the few headed by a dean. Since 1871, it has been the Church of Ireland’s national cathedral for the whole island. 

St Patrick’s was founded in 1191 on the site of an ancient well where the saint himself is said to have drunk. Although the building reflects the English gothic style of that period, additions have been made over the years, including the landmark spire, which was added in 1749. 

One of the unique things about St Patrick’s is its choir, whose choir school dates back to 1432. Time your visit for Choral Evensong and you’ll hear them filling the building with ethereal songs. 

You can go along to worship at St Patrick’s or book a self-guided tour online. 

A self-guided visit costs €11.50 for an adult and €31 for a family, according to the cathedral’s visit page. It opens from 9:30 on weekdays and 9:00 on Saturdays, with Sunday visits fitted in between services. Both Dublin cathedrals are a short walk apart, so they slot easily into a 3 day Ireland itinerary.

2. Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin

It’s rare for a city to have two cathedrals, and even less common for them both to be so architecturally engaging. Christ Church Cathedral predates St Patrick’s by over 150 years, having been founded by the Norse King of Dublin, Sitric Silkbeard, around 1030. 

The building has been repaired and renovated on numerous occasions, and was enlarged during the 13th century, and extensively renovated in the late 19th century.

The cathedral is not only an important place of worship and the seat of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin. (The Roman Catholic Archbishop uses St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral instead.) It’s also a popular tourist attraction, with visitors and pilgrims eager to see its beauty and famous 12th-century crypt. 

Full of hidden treasures, it’s also the last resting place of the famous Anglo-Norman lord, Strongbow, and one of the few places you can see a copy of the Magna Carta, a 14th-century copy kept in the cathedral’s own “Black Book”. 

The cathedral is open daily, and you can purchase tickets online. An adult self-guided ticket is €11.50, and on Sundays visiting is limited to 12:30 to 15:00 and 16:30 to 18:00. 

3. St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork

The building that stands on the south bank of the River Lee in the city of Cork only dates back to the mid-19th century, the site on which it stands has been a place of worship since the 7th century. 

St. Finbarr was the Bishop of Cork during that period and is said to have established a monastery there. That building and another one constructed in the 1730s were both demolished or destroyed and eventually replaced with the existing Gothic cathedral. 

Construction began in 1865, but the three spires were only completed 14 years later. Details continued to be added for some years afterward, resulting in a curious building complete with intricate sculptures, including the “Goldie angel” that floats above the sanctuary roof. 

The stained glass windows are spectacular but caused controversy at the time due to the inclusion of naked human bodies. The architect, William Burges, was forced to adapt his designs to suit the more puritanical tastes of the Protestant committee members, and four of the windows remain incomplete. 

Few visitors will notice those details among all the angels and saints decorating the walls and ceilings, even if they spend hours scrutinizing the building, which they’re welcome to do between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Saturday. Adult entry is €8, and under 16s go free with an adult, according to Pure Cork.

4. St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny

Situated in the heart of the medieval town of Kilkenny, St Canice’s Cathedral dates back to the 13th century, although the round tower has stood proud since the 9th century. 

Also known as Kilkenny Cathedral, the current structure was built on the site of a Celtic Christian monastery formed by St Canice in the 6th century. 

The Cathedral fell into disrepair after the town was captured by Oliver Cromwell in 1650 but was subsequently rebuilt as a Church of Ireland place of worship. 

The round tower, indicative of the medieval churches of its day, is still open to the public and is one of only three medieval round towers in Ireland that you can still climb. It’s a challenging and steep ascent to the tower’s summit, but the breathtaking views make it worth the effort. 

If round towers are your thing, the monastic site at Clonmacnoise has round towers of its own, along with some of Ireland’s finest high crosses.

Visitors to the cathedral can learn more about the life of St Canice and how he defeated the Druids of Kilkenny while discovering its ancient artifacts, statues, and stained glass windows. 

Simply entering the cathedral is a historical experience, taking you through one of the finest Gothic doorways in the whole of Ireland. 

St Canice’s Cathedral is open to the public from 10 am to 5 pm Monday to Saturday from October to April. From May to September, it opens 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday and 1 pm to 6 pm on Sundays. Entry starts at €6.50, or from €12 with the tower climb (see the cathedral’s visit page).  

5. Galway Cathedral, Galway

This comparatively modern cathedral has only been around since 1965 and, unlike some of Ireland’s older cathedrals, wasn’t exactly built on sacred ground! Instead, it stands on the site of an old prison.

The man behind its construction, Miceál Browne, was the Bishop of Galway and felt that replacing a jail with a cathedral was “the most perfect symbol of the triumph of a people who were proscribed for being Irish and Catholic.”

It’s a beautiful sentiment that resulted in an impressive building that is rather more eclectic in style than most places of worship. There are hints of Gothic, Renaissance, and Romanesque influence in various features of the building, but it somehow works, creating a warm space that’s both comforting and awe-inspiring. 

Formally known as the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas, it towers above the medieval city, creating an imposing silhouette on the skyline. Building work began in 1958, and it was dedicated on 15 August 1965. 

Galway Cathedral is open to visitors throughout the year, usually from around 8 am to 8 pm, and there’s no charge for entry, although the cathedral suggests a €3 donation towards upkeep. You will have to pay for parking in the grounds, which is charged by the hour seven days a week (see the visitor page). It makes a good stop on a trip along the west coast of Ireland. 

6. St Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh

Completed in 1919, St Colman’s is only a little older than Galway Cathedral, but a great deal taller. This single-spire cathedral stretches 300 feet into the air, making it the tallest church in Ireland and visible from almost everywhere in the historical town of Cobh. 

The cathedral wasn’t the first place of worship to stand on this hilltop site, and a small church known as The Pro-Cathedral was built there in 1769. 

When the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne and Ross was split in two in the 1850s, the people of Cloyne needed a cathedral of their own, so the old parish church was demolished to make way for this one. 

By the time it was completed, St Colman’s was one of the most expensive churches ever built in Ireland, costing £235,000 against an original budget of £25,000. It’s an impressive sight with its marble shrines, elaborately decorated windows, and hideous gargoyles. 

From the cathedral’s hilltop site you can gaze across the seaport town to Cobh Harbour and beyond.  

The cathedral is open for daily Mass, and you can arrange a guided tour through the parish office behind the cathedral.

7. St Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare

The site of St Brigid’s Cathedral was being used as a place of worship long before Christianity arrived on Ireland’s shores. 

St Brigid herself is a complex character in Irish history, being both a Celtic goddess, the Patroness of Ireland, and a disciple of St Patrick. According to some, “her influence was so strong that the Catholic Church adopted the Celtic goddess Brigid into their teachings, transforming her into the catholic Saint Brigid of Kildare.”

Either way, St Brigid’s Cathedral is both breathtakingly beautiful and steeped in history. The original cathedral was built in 1223 but was extensively rebuilt in the late 19th century, with the exception of the round tower.

At 33 metres, that round tower is the second highest in Ireland, and you can climb to the top in summer. It reopened after restoration work on 29 May 2026, when President Catherine Connolly officially opened it. If you’re visiting around 1 February, our guide to St Brigid’s Day explains the public holiday held in her honour.

Inside, stone walls and oak ceilings offset intricate architectural details, like the acorn and oak leaf carvings on the wooden stalls. The nave is dominated by a stained glass window depicting the lives of three important Irish saints – St Patrick, St Brigid, and St Columba – and a large medieval stone that acts as a Baptismal font.   

The cathedral is open to the public from 1 May to 30 September only: 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm Monday to Saturday, and 2 pm to 5 pm on Sundays, according to Kildare Heritage. Book ahead if you want to climb the round tower. 

Cathedrals in Ireland Compared: Tickets, Hours and Round Towers

Planning to see more than one? Use the table below to compare entry prices, opening hours and which cathedrals have a round tower you can climb. Tap the buttons to filter or sort.

Opening times shrink in winter, and Kildare closes to visitors from October to April, so check our guide to visiting Ireland in winter if you’re travelling in the off season.

And if you want to see how these buildings fit together across the centuries, this timeline shows when each cathedral in this guide was founded or built:

More Cathedrals in Ireland Worth a Detour

Seven is only a start. In Dublin, St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral is the city’s Catholic counterpart to Christ Church. Over the border in Northern Ireland, Armagh has two cathedrals named after St Patrick, one Church of Ireland and one Catholic, and the High King Brian Boru is said to be buried at the Church of Ireland cathedral after he died at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.

Before You Go

Ireland’s cathedrals appeal to people from all walks of life because they help us to understand the complex religious and spiritual history of the country while astounding us with architectural delights. If you love old stone buildings, our round-up of the best castles in Ireland is a natural next stop. 

Many cathedrals are home to ancient artifacts or have rooms or towers dating back hundreds if not thousands of years. They give us an insight into the architectural, political, and religious past of Ireland while inspiring a sense of awe and wonder. 

The handful of cathedrals we’ve visited here are representative of the architecture, history, and spirituality you’ll find in cathedrals and churches all over Ireland. While these are among the most stunning if you can’t squeeze one into your itinerary, look around for a closer alternative – I’m sure you’ll find one! Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Cork and Galway are all on the rail network, too, so you could link several of them on a train trip around Ireland.

Cathedrals in Ireland: FAQs

What is the biggest cathedral in Ireland?

St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin is the largest church in Ireland. It was founded in 1191 and has been the Church of Ireland’s national cathedral since 1871.

What is the oldest cathedral in Ireland?

Of the cathedrals in this guide, Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin is the oldest. It was founded around 1030 by Sitric Silkbeard, the Norse King of Dublin, and its crypt dates from 1172 to 1173.

Which is the tallest cathedral in Ireland?

St Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh, County Cork, is the tallest church in Ireland. Its spire rises about 91 metres, or 300 feet, above the harbour town.

Are cathedrals in Ireland free to visit?

Some are. Galway Cathedral has no admission charge and suggests a €3 donation, while St Patrick’s and Christ Church in Dublin each charge €11.50 for an adult. Attending a service is free at every cathedral.

Can you climb the round towers at Irish cathedrals?

Yes, at two cathedrals in this guide. St Canice’s in Kilkenny has a 30 metre round tower you can climb, and St Brigid’s in Kildare opens its 33 metre tower in summer.

Why does Dublin have two cathedrals?

Christ Church is the seat of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, while St Patrick’s became the church’s national cathedral and is run by a dean rather than a bishop.