St. Mel's Old Cathedral

History of St Mel’s Old Cathedral

The foundation of a church at Ardagh is traditionally attributed to St Patrick in the mid-5th century. The first bishop or abbot here was St Mel, who was said to have been Patrick’s nephew, although this has been discounted.

Archaeological excavations in 1967 identified the presence of one or more earlier timber churches beneath the masonry ruins.

The upstanding remains are typical of an early Irish church, comprising a rectangular, single-roomed building, with a gabled front and rear elevation.

The interior is entered from the west through a single flat-headed, lintelled doorway with inclined jambs, tapering from base to top.

Of particular interest are the massive masonry foundation blocks at the base of the walls. Measuring on average almost 2x1m, this would have been an unusual feature for Longford churches.

Another unusual feature is the church’s two pilasters, or antae, on the front elevation. These flank the entrance. This would have been a typical feature of Irish church architecture from the pre-Romanesque and Romanesque periods. It is believed to be a carry-over from earlier timber church buildings.