Galway Cathedral

The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, known simply as Galway Cathedral, stands on Nun's Island beside the fast-flowing River Corrib in the heart of Galway city. Completed in 1965 on the site of the old city gaol, it is one of the largest and most architecturally ambitious churches built in Ireland in the 20th century.

Designed by John J. Robinson, the cathedral combines a Renaissance-style dome, Romanesque arches and Gothic-influenced rose windows in locally quarried limestone. The result is monumental but warm, and the broad interior is filled with light from richly coloured stained glass. Highlights include the mosaics in the side chapels, the marble floors quarried from Connemara, and a memorial mosaic to President John F. Kennedy.

The cathedral is a working place of worship that also welcomes visitors throughout the day and hosts regular organ recitals and concerts that take advantage of its excellent acoustics. Its riverside location puts it within an easy walk of the Latin Quarter, Galway University and the Spanish Arch, making it a natural stop on any walking tour of the city.