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Cork’s Spiritual Landmark cathedral exterior

A Place of Worship for over 1400 Years

Designed by William Burges and consecrated in 1870, the Cathedral lies on a site where Christian worship has been offered since the seventh century right up until today.

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A Place of Worship for over 1400 Years

Designed by William Burges and consecrated in 1870, the Cathedral lies on a site where Christian worship has been offered since the seventh century right up until today.

A Place of Worship for over 1400 Years

Designed by William Burges and consecrated in 1870, the Cathedral lies on a site where Christian worship has been offered since the seventh century right up until today.

The Vision Behind St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral

St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral stands as a testament to the genius of William Burges, who was appointed architect in 1862.

Although initially budgeted at £15,000, Burges’ ambitious vision saw costs rise to an extraordinary £100,000 by completion, creating a landmark of unmatched splendor. The foundation stone was laid in 1865 by Bishop John Gregg, and the cathedral was consecrated on St. Andrew’s Day, 1870. The towers and spires are crafted from Cork limestone and much of the interior features red Cork marble.

Inside, the walls of Bath stone hold vibrant stained glass windows, some of the finest in Ireland, retaining their vivid, unfaded colors.

William Burges’ meticulous attention to detail extended to every corner of the cathedral, from the sculpture and mosaics to the furniture and metalwork.

cathedral exterior

Discover Cork’s Spiritual Landmark

St Fin Barre’s has grown into a thriving community dedicated to faith, service, and worship. Rooted in its mission to share God’s love, the church continues to be a beacon of hope and spiritual growth in Cork.

Explore Our Story
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Events

The Cathedral hosts many different events from concerts to organ recitals, film screenings to art exhibitions. It is also available for hire as a film production location.

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Worship

The daily Eucharist is an important feature of the Cathedral’s worship and Choral services take place on Friday evening and Sunday morning and afternoon during term time.

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Music

At the heart of the Cathedral’s practice is the wonderful music of the Choral Foundation which has been in existence for over 700 years.

Cathedral interior
Opening Hours

The Cathedral is open to visitors Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Sunday hours are restricted to facilitate worship.

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Magnificent structure. Not able to go inside due to concert but will definitely check the inside next time.
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Joenah Dignomo
Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral is definitely worth the short walk from the city centre. The architecture is stunning, with intricate details both inside and out. The peaceful atmosphere and beautiful surroundings make it a lovely spot to visit. Highly recommend!
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NS
Beautiful Cathedral with amazing architecture. It is open to the public but must be respectful as it is a worship place. The cathedral was well kept, the garden was green and well kept. There is a fee to enter the building but even just walking around make it for a great experience.
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Juan Rocha
Fantastic must see attraction when in Cork. Today's structure dates from the mid 19th century but is thought to have foundations from medieval times. Lovely manicured grounds to walk around with some headstones to view dating from the late 18th century. Small charge to view cathedral itself (€7). Parking available.
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Frank Murphy
Great place to visit in Cork, rich in history. I don't remember paying an entry fee, but it sounds like it's typically 7€ so we must have paid that! Either way, it's worth that small fee. We were lucky to be able to get a private tour with Cass who was an excellent, very knowledgeable guide. Definitely ask for a tour if you want to maximize your visit!
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Andrea Molzhon
Pretty nice cathedral. Not impressive at first sight, but there's a lot of hidden simbolism. Quite small compared to others I've seen but well kept. I honestly wouldn't have graded it so high if it weren't for our guide, Fabio, who was great. He was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the cathedral, and all of its symbolism and stories. Made the visit 10x better. I think I would have been disappointed to pay 7€ to visit if it hadn't been for him. Made the visit incredibly interesting. Thanks!
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Elena De Giorgi
A beautiful cathedral in the heart of Cork. There is an entrance fee but when you see the amount of stained glass windows, you can see why the charge is needed. It is not a big cathedral but we'll worth the visit. The staff were friendly and helpful and the guide knew his history of the cathedral. A great place to worship and to visit.
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Gary Jelks
There is an entrance fee but I think it’s worth it because there are lots of employees walking around inside who will give you guided tours of the space! Super knowledgeable and kind (also breathtaking cathedral with lots of interesting facts and unique bits)
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Rielle Jones-Teske
A lovely sight to visit when in Cork city. Upon entry, you're handed a leaflet with information which tells you about the history of the cathedral and some other interesting facts. The architecture is stunning both on the inside and outside, and so are the stained glass windows. There is also a labyrinth in the garden outside that's free to visit. Admission fee is €8 for adults and €7 for students/seniors.
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Nicholas Said
A stunning cathedral with remarkable architecture, open to visitors, though it's important to remain respectful as it is an active place of worship. The cathedral and its well-maintained garden are in excellent condition. While there is an entry fee to explore the interior, simply strolling around the grounds is a worthwhile experience on its own.
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Diego Alexander
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Live-Streamed Services & Recordings

For live-streamed services see the player below.

A recording of the 11.15am and 3.30pm Sunday services and additional special occasions can also be viewed after livestream on the ‘Recordings’ or ‘Featured Videos’ tab below.

Inside st finbarres

Contribute to our mission

If you would like to support us with a once-off donation or a monthly contribution please use the Donate button above. Thank you.

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View of St Finbarres Cathedral from a Distance

Discover Cork’s Saint Fin Barre’s Quarter

Where Cork began, this historic quarter is a wonderful insight into the heritage and culture that makes Cork City so special.

Explore St. Fin Barre’s Quarter
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Cork Ireland 🇮🇪

Update on our thriving peregrine falcon chick. #StFinBarresCathedral #PeregrineFalcon #BirdwatchIreland #Nature

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Update on our thriving peregrine falcon chick. #StFinBarresCathedral #PeregrineFalcon #BirdwatchIreland #Nature

Watch Makeda and Solomon feeding their tiny chick who hopes to grow up to be strong and elegant falcons like them. #StFinBarresCathedral #BirdWatchIreland #VisitCork #PeregrineFalcon

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Watch Makeda and Solomon feeding their tiny chick who hopes to grow up to be strong and elegant falcons like them. #StFinBarresCathedral #BirdWatchIreland #VisitCork #PeregrineFalcon

We have edited 24 hours in the life of Makeda and Solomon our peregrine falcons into a 3 minute reel. Enjoy! #StFinBarresCathedral #BirdWatchIreland #PeregrineFalcons #VisitCork

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We have edited 24 hours in the life of Makeda and Solomon our peregrine falcons into a 3 minute reel. Enjoy! #StFinBarresCathedral #BirdWatchIreland #PeregrineFalcons #VisitCork

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the extraordinary Helios by Luke Jerram in the majestic setting of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. #StFinBarresCathedral #CorkMidsummerFestival #GothicArchitecture #VisitCork

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Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the extraordinary Helios by Luke Jerram in the majestic setting of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. #StFinBarresCathedral #CorkMidsummerFestival #GothicArchitecture #VisitCork

Find out why Olivia and so many others think St Fin Barre’s Cathedral is stunning inside and out. Book now on our website. #StFinBarresCathedral #GothicArchitecture #VisitCork

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Find out why Olivia and so many others think St Fin Barre’s Cathedral is stunning inside and out. Book now on our website. #StFinBarresCathedral #GothicArchitecture #VisitCork

Another day of sitting on the eggs as hatching gets ever closer. #StFinBarresCathedral #PeregrineFalcon #Nature #birdwatchireland

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Another day of sitting on the eggs as hatching gets ever closer. #StFinBarresCathedral #PeregrineFalcon #Nature #birdwatchireland

We`re live on @rtetoday with a feature on our peregrine falcons Makeda and Solomon. Tune into the programme to get the latest updates! #StFinBarresCathedral #PeregrineFalcon #RTE

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We're live on @rtetoday with a feature on our peregrine falcons Makeda and Solomon. Tune into the programme to get the latest updates! #StFinBarresCathedral #PeregrineFalcon #RTE
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