Landmark book on cathedral in West Cork town to be launched on August 28

Bishop Denis Moynihan's contribution to a cathedral in West Cork which is celebrating its bicentenary has been recognised in a landmark new book. Once the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Ross, St Patrick's Cathedral in Skibbereen, County Cork celebrates its bicentenary this year. It was reconstituted as an independent diocese at the Synod of Thurles in 1850 and in 1941, Rathmore native Denis Moynihan became its seventh and last bishop before it joined with Cork. Dr Moynihan arrived in Skibbereen in 1941 at the height of 'The Emergency' and quickly established himself as a popular figure within the town and wider diocese. He had to wait until the end of the war before he could begin to consider improvements to the cathedral he had inherited. In this landmark 192-page publication, Moynihan's contribution is fully acknowledged Both the exterior and interior received his attention including the floor, the walls, the side porches and the new pulpit. Even the colour scheme of salmon and cream is a legacy of the Kerry man. Apart from a sympathetic remodelling of the sanctuary in 2004, the interior is very much as he left it. Bishop Moynihan's recall to his home diocese as its bishop in 1952 was greeted with genuine regret in the town and the oldest of the town's residents still remember his final departure for the Kingdom. St Patrick's Cathedral in Skibbereen is well worth a visit. Starting life as a town chapel, the building quickly found itself the episcopal seat of Michael Collins, Bishop of Cloyne and Ross. In the two centuries of its existence, it has been shaped by personalities and events to become the building we know today. Within its walls you will find stained glass by Mayer of Munich, Earley's of Dublin and Watsons of Youghal, alongside reliefs by Hogan and Farrell and a structure preserved for several generations by the attention lavished upon it by Bishop Denis Moynihan. The launch of St Patrick's Cathedral Skibbereen 1826 – 2026, A History will take place in the West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen on Friday, August 28 at 7pm. The book provides great information on Irish craftsmanship, church history, stained glass and it also includes more details on Dr Moynihan's contributions to Skibbereen's heritage. Illustrated with many fine colour illustrations, the book contains an attractive series of narratives, not only discussing the building's origins and evolution but highlighting episodes of tragedy and resilience that accompanied its development. As St Patrick's Cathedral embarks on its third century, this text highlights its continuing relevance both as a place of worship and a repository for Ireland's social and cultural heritage. The book marking the bicentenary of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Skibbereen was co-authored by Con Hurley and Gerald O'Brien. Copies of the text can be purchased online at www.emilymagnerhurleymusic.ie or in shops in the town of Skibbereen. The book retails at €20 and all funds raised go towards the Cathedral Renovation Fund.