Location Sligo Denomination Church of Ireland | Country Ireland Groundbreaking 1730 | |
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Consecrated 18th century (25 October 1961 as a cathedral) Bishop(s) The Right Reverend Ferran Glenfield Diocese Anglican Diocese of Kil, Elphin and Ardagh Province Anglican Province of Armagh Similar Trim Cathedral, Cloyne Cathedral, St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Ferns Cathedral, Lis Cathedral - Ireland | ||
This article refers to the Church of Ireland cathedral. For the Roman Catholic cathedral, see Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo
St John the Baptist Cathedral, Sligo or more properly the Cathedral of St Mary the Virgin and St John the Baptist, Sligo but also known as Sligo Cathedral is one of two cathedral churches in the diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh (the other is St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore) in the Church of Ireland. It is situated in the town of Sligo, Ireland in the ecclesiastical province of Armagh.
The church was built as St John's Church in the mid-18th century to the design of architect Richard Cassels, who adopted a basilica pattern from Roman architecture. The external appearance has been substantially altered by the replacement of the original round arched Romanesque windows, the addition of battlements and small towers and an extension of the chancel.
When the existing cathedral church of the diocese of Elphin, located in the village of Elphin, was abandoned in 1961 following severe storm damage four years previously, the Seat was transferred to St John’s Church, Sligo, which became the Cathedral of St Mary the Virgin and St John the Baptist on 25 Oct 1961.