St Marcatan's Cathedral

The cathedral stands high on the town-land of Latlurcan, visible on all main roads approaching Monaghan town. Monaghan became a cathedral town in the mid 1800's and the plan for a cathedral in Monaghan proposed by Bishop Charles MacNally was accepted on 3rd January 1858. The 8 acre site for the cathedral and bishop's house was purchased from Humphrey Jones of Clontibret and on June 21st 1861 the cathedral foundation stone was laid. Its architect James Joseph McCarthy (1817 - 1882) proposed a 14th century Gothic style and the building commenced in 1862. Most of the limestone used in the building came from a quarry very near the cathedral site at Old Cross Square. After McCarthy's death in late 1882 the architect William Hague from Cavan oversaw the building of the spire which stands 81 metres high and the gate lodge. Bishop James Donnelly, bishop of Clogher from 1864 to 1893 oversaw most of the building of the cathedral and on 21st August 1892 he dedicated it to the service of God and the patronage of Macartan, patron saint of the diocese.