Clonfert Cathedral
Description
Clonfert Cathedral is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Clonfert, County Galway in Ireland. The current building was erected in the 12th century in the Hiberno-Romanesque style The site had an earlier church founded by Saint Brendan in 563, which was associated with a monastery he founded and at which he was buried. The dean of the cathedral is the Very Reverend Roderick Lindsay Smyth who is also Dean of Killaloe, Dean of Kilfenora and both Dean and Provost of Kilmacduagh.
The earliest part of the church dates back to around 1180. Its doorway is the crowning achievement of Hiberno-Romanesque style. It is in six orders, and has a large variety of motifs, animal heads, foliage, human heads etc. Above the doorway is a pointed hood enclosing triangles alternating with bizarre human heads, and below this is an arcade enclosing more human heads.
The early 13th century east windows in the chancel is an example of a late Romanesque windows. The chancel arch was inserted in the 15th century, and is decorated with angels, a rosette and a mermaid carrying a mirror. The supporting arches of the tower at the west end of the church are also decorated with 15th century heads, and the innermost order of the Romanesque doorway was also inserted at this time. The sacristy is also from the 15th century.