The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Dublin City Council have awarded the Cathedral funding under the Historic Structures Fund 2025.
Below is the excerpt from the application detailing the proposed works and methodology using the grant.
‘Over the next four years, it is proposed to undertake a varied programme of repairs at the cathedral to address ongoing moisture ingress issues, to conserve historic fabric, and to enhance the visual presentation of the cathedral complex in time for the celebration of the cathedral’s millennium.
The calp stonework to the wall of the south nave clerestorey has been repointed in the past using cement-based mortar. Much of this pointing has now started to deteriorate with long term weathering causing erosion of pointing mortars. In places this is resulting in moisture ingress into the building interior with resulting damage to the Caen stonework which lines the internal walls of the nave, as well as the ceiling vault. Occasionally this results in fragments of Caen stone falling to the floor. In other situations, erosion of joints to hood mouldings, string courses and water tables means that these do not shed water in the way they were intended and run-off is causing damage to stonework below the stringcourses, in particular to the softer Caen stone window surrounds which have suffered from considerable erosion as well as rupture where embedded iron ferramenta have corroded – in places this damage has been crudely repaired using cement mortar. Subject to further inspection, there will be a need for some replacement of decayed and missing Caen stonework to the window surrounds. Once scaffolding is in place, a detailed inspection of the Caen stone will be made, and the extent of stone replacement will be agreed. Generally, stone will be replaced with stone – the use of mortar repairs is something that is minimised at the cathedral in line with previous stone conservation projects. It is also noted that some of the limestone colonnettes are held in place using iron collars – this suggests that these are loose and may require additional fixings.
The clerestorey windows are glazed with grisaille windows which feature various diocesan armorial crests. The condition of the glass is not fully known owing to the fact that the windows are inaccessible and out of reach. However, it is evident that gaps are opening up between some of the panels to the centre lights of the windows suggesting that the windows are becoming unstable and may be at risk of collapse. The panels sit on each other without an intervening saddle bar to support each panel. It is believed that the windows have not previously been the subject of repairs or conservation works. Once access is in place, a full inspection will be made of the windows. Provisionally, the windows will be removed from the openings and brought to a studio to allow for thorough inspection of the glass, leadwork and cement grouting. At the outset, where the leadwork and cement grouting is in reasonably good condition, the panels will not be releaded and the glass will simply be cleaned. Where there are significant cracks to the lead as well as loss of cement grouting, the panels will undergo full releading to ensure there is a suitable functioning life for these windows.
The wrought-iron ferramenta are also in need of conservation. This will involve very gentle cleaning down, priming and repainting of the ironwork to a similar methodology that has been used recently in conserving the hinges to the cathedral’s doors. The ferramenta will be removed from the windows to allow for conservation of the stonework to the window reveals as well as the conservation of the stained-glass panels.’
The cathedral will match fund the amount awarded. Work began in June 2025 and should be completed in January 2026.