- St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin completed a €9.4 million renovation in August 2021
- The work included 14,000 handcut Welsh slates and new fire prevention systems
- Funding came from government, public sponsorship, visitors and borrowing
- The cathedral borrowed €3.4 million after the pandemic cut visitor income
Dublin’s St Patrick’s Cathedral has finished its most significant restoration in 160 years, the Irish Times reported in September 2021. The €9.4 million project took two years and was completed in August 2021.
The work included installing 14,000 handcut Welsh slates, new fire prevention systems, gutters and walkways, and repairs to masonry, glass and woodwork. Clancy Construction carried out the work, overseen by cathedral architect John Beauchamp.
Funding came from several sources: €1.25 million from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, €1.25 million from public sponsorship, visitor contributions, and €3.4 million in borrowing to cover a shortfall caused by the fall in visitors during the pandemic.
The Dean, Dr William Morton, said the work would secure the building “for generations to come”. He also noted the timing: “The works on the cathedral started in early 2020, just a few weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic brought many sectors in Ireland – and across the world – to a complete standstill.”
For Jamaican churches with historic buildings, St Patrick’s shows the mix of funding a major repair needs: public grants, donations, visitor income and, when those fall short, borrowing. Tourist income can dry up suddenly, as it did during the pandemic, leaving a church with debt. Planning major roof and fire-safety work carefully, spreading funding sources and keeping reserves can protect heritage churches from such shocks.
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