Thurles Cathedral
| Cathedral of the Assumption | |
|---|---|
The main façade
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Thurles, Republic of Ireland |
| Geographic coordinates | 52°40′49″N 7°48′32″W / 52.68028°N 7.80889°WCoordinates: 52°40′49″N 7°48′32″W / 52.68028°N 7.80889°W |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Rite | Roman |
| District | Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | J.J McCarthy |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1865 |
| Completed | 1879 |
The Cathedral of the Assumption is the mother church of the Metropolitan Province of Cashel and the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly in Thurles, County Tipperary in Ireland. It is the cathedra of the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly and stands on the site of earlier chapels, which were the only Roman Catholic churches in Thurles. Following the English Reformation, many archdiocesan assets, including the cathedral at the Rock of Cashel were appropriated by the Established church. James Butler II (1774–91), on being appointed by the Holy See moved his residence and cathedra from Cashel, favouring Thurles instead, where his successors continue to reign today.
Following the appropriation of church assets by the Church of Ireland, the majority population who adhered to Roman Catholicism were obliged to conduct their services elsewhere. From the time of the English Reformation onwards, those archbishops appointed by Rome had to make their throne in whichever house in Tipperary would hide them from the forces of the crown. This state of affairs continued until the late 18th century when some of the harsher provisions of the Penal Laws were relaxed.
In 1857 Archbishop Patrick Leahy revealed his plan to replace the 'Big Chapel' which had been used as parish church in town since, with as Archbishop Bray explained "a cathedral worthy of the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly"
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