Limerick City’s oldest building

The site of St Mary’s Cathedral was once the location of a structure called a Thingmote. This was a Viking meeting place that dates to 970 AD and was their most westerly European stronghold. It was later the site of a palace owned by Munster’s last King, Donal Mor O’Brien. St Mary’s Cathedral was established in 1168 making it the oldest building in Limerick. It is believed that its great west door was the original entrance door to Donal’s Royal palace. The stones around this doorway are marked by indentations that were used by defenders of the city to sharpen their swords and arrows during the many sieges of Limerick. The interior of the Cathedral is truly magnificent with thick rustic stone arches and beautiful tracery in the windows. In the 14th century, the tower which rises to 120 feet was added. In 1651, Cromwellian forces used the Cathedral as a stable and removed its 13-foot pre-Reformation high altar. This was made from a single block of limestone and was the largest altar of its kind in Britain and Ireland. The altar was only reinstated in the 1960s.