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St Mary's is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory. It is situated on James's Street, Kilkenny, Ireland.

Saint Mary's was designed by William Deane Butler (c.1794-1857). He was chosen by Bishop William Kinsella (1793-1845) who instigated the building of St. Mary's in February 1842. Work began in April 1843 and finished in 1857. On Sunday 4 October 1857, St. Mary's had its grand opening, which consisted of a two-and-three-quarter hour ceremony that began at 6.15am. The cost of the building is estimated to have been £25,000.

St. Mary's is made from cut-limestone which was sourced locally. The cathedral has a cruciform plan and its style is described as ‘Early English Gothic’.^[2] The design is believed to have been based on Gloucester Cathedral in Gloucester, England. It is situated on the highest point in Kilkenny City and is a significant local landmark.

Its bell in the steeple was made by John Murphy, a Dublin foundry.^[3]

St. Mary's has a noted sculpture of the Madonna by Giovanni Maria Benzoni (1809-1873).

Gallery

• 
  Rear nave
• 
  Nave facing the Sanctuary
• 
  Apse
• 
  Vault in the apse
• 
  Main façade
• 
  Tower, transept (left) and apse (right)
• 
  Kilkenny Panorama with St Mary's Cathedral at Background

References

External links

• Parish website
• St. Mary's cathedral on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage website
• A good history of St Mary's here
• A biography of William Deane Butler
• A List of architects and designers that worked on St Mary's Cathedral.