Located in the province of Ulster, the diocese of Clogher straddles the Irish border, with parishes in counties Monaghan, Fermanagh, Tyrone, and Donegal. The Catholic cathedral is located in the country town of Monaghan. Dedicated to a sixth century bishop of Clogher, Macartan, construction of the cathedral commenced in 1861. The chosen architect was J.J. McCarthy, dubbed by some as the 'Irish Pugin'. A founder member of the Irish Ecclesiological Society, McCarthy had been strongly influenced by the work of Pugin and the Gothic Revival . The chosen style French Gothic.
A view of the west front
When McCarthy died in 1882 the cathedral was still unfinished. The tower and spire were added by a local architect, William Hague Jn, between 1882-92.
The view towards the high altar
In the wake of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) alterations were made to many churches to allow for the celebration of the Mass on forward facing altars. In some reorderings were sympathetic, with only minor changes being made to the overall appearance of sanctuaries. In others what occurred was more unfortunate. At Monaghan nearly all of the original Victorian fittings that can be seen here were removed in what was one of the most drastic and unsympathetic reorderings. The sanctuary was entirely overhauled with the high altar and ciborium removed.
A view towards the sanctuary and high altar
Here the high altar is adorned with a ciborium, the large stone canopy. Ciboria, sometimes but incorrectly known as baldacchinos, trace their heritage to Roman antiquity and to the Temple of Jerusalem, and the Holy of Holies, the most sacred area of the Temple where the Ark of the Covanent was kept. In the early Christian Church ciboria were often draped with curtains on all sides, so that at the point of consecration the curtains were drawn, and all was out of view.
A view towards to the west window and organ gallery
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