Press Releases19 Sep 19

Contract signed for St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, roof restoration project

The contract for the restoration of the roof of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, was signed on Tuesday morning (September 17) in the cathedral’s Deanery. Work on the €9.2 million conservation project has already begun but the cathedral’s Dean, the Very Revd William Morton, and Chris Chambers of Clancy Construction officially signed the papers today.

This is the largest project undertaken at St Patrick’s since the Guinness restoration 150 years ago. The need came to light about four years ago when high winds resulted in slates being blown off the roof leaving two large holes. “It would have been possible to place a Mini car through either of them,” Dean Morton said, recently observing that it was lucky that the holes appeared where there was a stone vault ceiling rather than the lathe and plaster ceiling.

Over €5 million has been raised for the repair work so far. Earlier this year a sponsor a slate programme was launched to secure the future of the 800 year old building. The Friends of St Patrick’s Cathedral were present to witness the historic contract signing this morning and presented the Dean with a cheque for the repair fund.

Dean Morton stressed that money raised during the cathedral’s Eucharist services and from candle stands is ring fenced for charitable purposes. The cathedral has donated about €1 million to charities and community organisations over the last 10 years through its Community and Charitable Fund. The 2019 fund is now open for applications and organisations from all over the island of Ireland are invited to apply.

The works will be undertaken by Clancy Construction under the supervision of the cathedral architect, John Beauchamp of B2 Architects. The distinctive blue grey slates to be used in the restoration of the roof will be sourced from the same slate mine in Wales as the original slates used in the Guinness restoration during the 1860s.