RESTORATION work has begun this week on the 200-year-old St Patrick’s Cathedral in Skibbereen.
The foundation stone was laid in 1825 and over the past two centuries the fabric of the building has deteriorated and now needs urgent conservation and repair.
A sample panel of the sandstone retaining wall at the north entrance steps of the Cathedral was cleaned by Joe Downing Construction under the direction of heritage conservation consultants, Southgate Associates.
The sandstone was quarried in the nineteenth century at Sherkin Island and brought by sand boat to Chapel Quay opposite the Cathedral site.
A heated variable pressure steam system was used to clean the stone where the mixture of steam and variable pressure made it an effective and appropriate cleaning method where particular care is needed not to remove or damage the soft surface material.
The restoration works are being spearheaded by the Cathedral’s bicentenary committee who have raised €40,000 to date, which is 20% of a target of €200,000.
The scope of restoration work that it will be possible to undertake will be determined by the amount of funds raised.
More on the restoration and fundraising can be found at skibbereenandrath.ie/bicentenary/
