Our Parish

Welcome to St Mary’s Parish

Céad Míle Fáilte

Nestled in the heart of the medieval city of Kilkenny, St Mary’s Parish, similar to the other three parishes of the city, serves the people of its geographic area and those who regularly worship in the Cathedral. From Friary Street to the River Breagagh the parish embraces the heart of the ancient city: High Street, Parliament Street, and the Watergate; Abbey Street and James Street; ancient laneways that carry names of yesteryear; squares and greens; streets that remember heroes Emmet and Parnell, saints like Dominic and Francis, churchmen such as Fr Murphy and Dean Cavanagh; from the River Nore westward to the townlands of Clonmoran and Poulgour, Drakelands and Castleinch. The parish is the smallest of the four city parishes.

Wherever you are in the city or parish the Cathedral tower, piercing the heavens, can be seen. Consecrated in 1857, after 13 years of building, St Mary’s replaced an earlier church commonly referred to as St James’s Church. St Mary’s has been the cathedral church of Bishops Walsh, Moran, Brownrigg, Collier, Birch, Forristal, Freeman, Farrell and Coll.

In over 160 years the parish, through the Cathedral, has welcomed Presidents and Taoisigh, Cardinals and Archbishops, leaders of church and state. Side by side with such big moments the Cathedral has been a place where hundreds have gathered in song and celebration: welcoming new bishops and newly ordained priests, witnessing weddings, burying the dead, celebrating First Communions, welcoming the Holy Spirit in Confirmation – a place that has celebrated life and death, joys and sorrows. It is a place that welcomes the lonely individual as well as the Sunday congregation. It is a haven of beauty and repose which gives rest to the soul. It is a place of mystery, a place of warmth, a place of private prayer and intercession, a place of nooks and crannies, a place for lighting candles and passing the time of day with saints, a place of companionship with the Lord, a place to celebrate, a place to be renewed, a place to be united with God.

The parish is blessed with three wonderful primary schools: Presentation Primary School, Scoil Iognáid de Rís, and Mother of Fair Love. Our nearest neighbour is the Christian Brothers Secondary School which serves the needs of second-level students of the city and yonder.

Of great importance are the communities of St Francis and St Dominic. The Capuchin Friary is a place of prayer and solace, a place to have one’s soul cleansed and one’s spirit renewed. Friary people are faithful to the Friary and their services. The Dominicans are in the Black Abbey and have had a presence in the city since 1225. Loved by the people of the city their presence is much appreciated by the parish and further afield.

For many years the Presentation Sisters lived in their convent which was directly across the road from the Cathedral. In more recent years the sisters live on Parnell Street and continue to have a wonderful presence in our parish.

Drakelands Nursing Home is also within the parish of St Mary’s. An interesting link with the nursing home is that the Drakelands House was the ‘Country Residence’ of the Bishop of Ossory until the 1930s. Bishop Brownrigg lived there and enjoyed a magnificent panoramic view of the city with the Cathedral standing proud on the skyline.

Enjoy your visit to our parish. If you are in Kilkenny, drop in to visit our beautiful Cathedral.