Work recommenced in early 2022 with the restoration of the Cathedral’s stained glass windows. The two transept windows were completely restored in 2022 and 2023.
Restoration of the eight windows along the main aisle was completed in November 2024. The windows either side of the two transept windows and the Tower Door were completed in 2025. New storm glazing to all the windows was completed in 2026. The Main Sanctuary Window will be restored and fitted with new storm glazing in Spring of 2027.
Work is been carried out by Sheridan Stained Glass Creations Ltd., Newtown, Kells, County Kilkenny. Phase 3 will have cost €1.2m to complete in full.
The windows of the Cathedral, whilst not part of the original fabric, are one of the most stunning aspects of the Cathedral as experienced today. The lancet windows comprise two elements – the ornately carved Moyne limestone tracery which is inset to the ope (and originally held clear leaded glass) and the stained glass itself from Mayer studios which sits within the lancet and foil openings.
Originally the windows were fitted with clear leaded lights and the stained glass was not installed until c. 1885 by a contractor after fabrication in the studios of Frank Mayer in Munich. This was a prolific and renowned studio that produced stained glass throughout Europe and for a number of very significant Irish Cathedrals and churches in the late 19th Century. The quality of the stained glass work is clear when viewed up close but not from a distance due to the poor quality timber frames and the deep substrate to the monotone grey mosaic reveals which obscure the detail of the glass and the tracery – especially at the interior reveals. The works already carried out to the gable transept windows has revealed more of the stained glass along with the tracery all of which was obscured by the large, non-original timber frames.
The storm glazing to the exterior, whilst it has offered invaluable protection to these works for decades, is in poor condition and also obscures the glass to some extent and is crudely fixed to the tracery.
In progressing restoration of the transept and nave windows a number of issues of deterioration were identified with some of the glass, where lead cames were coming to the end of their lives and some cracks are visible in the glass. These were most visible on the gable transept windows.
The original ‘enabling’ phase of work on a single window in the north gable transept revealed in opening up, anomalies and short cuts that had been taken in the original installation of the stained glass windows. It would appear that templates for the original glass were not taken correctly and that the stained glass was fitted to the stone tracery with significant gaps filled with mortar. This was a somewhat astonishing discovery and records have been retained showing all of this for each phase of work. We expect to see similar conditions on the four transept windows. In addition the very deep substrate to the monotone mosaic finished reveals obscures the glass and tracery and a timber cill had been added to the base, obscuring some of the dedication in the opening sashes of the windows.
The second, north transept gable window was addressed in 2023, with a grant under the BHIS and in 2024 a BHIS Grant was also secured to proceed with the eight nave windows. The windows restored to date were taken to the studio of Joe Sheridan (Stained Glass Creations) where they were fully re-leaded, repaired and adjusted to allow them to fit the tracery. The tracery, much of it damaged, was repaired with mild steel fixings removed, cracks and open joints raked out and pointed inside and out. New fully clear storm glazing with properly weathered ventilation has been applied to each of the windows as well.
In addressing these four transept windows, all the windows in the main body of the church will have been restored. Windows behind the Sanctuary appear to be in good condition by comparison. Upgrading of the storm glazing may be considered in closing out on work to all windows.
These works are one major area of ongoing strategic repair, restoration and refurbishment works to the Cathedral in recent years that has seen the significant weathering works to the castellation’s and parapets in order to arrest the historic moisture ingress at that level which had precipitated the decay and loss of all of the timber fabric to both roof and ceiling around the perimeter of the Cathedral. These works guarantee a much longer life for the ceiling and roof fabric. In addition, all of the damaged vaulted ceilings within have all been fully recovered and restored with all of the embellishment reinstated and ready for a new paint scheme.
It is the intention of the diocese to carry out other significant works to the front setting and to floor finishes within the Cathedral in order to enhance the interior and setting along the Moy in advance of the bicentenary in 2027.