St Laserian's Cathedral

The medieval Church of Ireland cathedral at Old Leighlin, two kilometres west of the village

St Laserian's Cathedral sits in the small settlement of Old Leighlin, two kilometres west of the village of Leighlinbridge itself — a reminder that the two places are connected but distinct. The cathedral is one of the smallest in Ireland: a low cruciform building with a fifteenth-century west tower, much of the rest dating from a thorough Victorian restoration, and a few much older fragments built into the fabric.

Inside, look for the medieval font, the Maguire tomb, and the chancel arch. The churchyard contains a holy well associated with the founder, St Laserian, and a small stone-walled cell where the saint is said to have prayed. The cathedral is part of the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cashel and Ossory and is usually open in daylight hours.

things to do sight
A story
St Laserian, a sixth-century Irish monk who had studied at Iona under Saint Columba, founded the original monastery at Leighlin around 632. The cathedral that grew from his foundation was, in medieval times, the seat of one of Ireland's smaller dioceses — a quiet ecclesiastical centre that gave the village a status quite out of proportion to its size.