The Heart of Paisley's Faith: St Mirin's Cathedral
Standing at the junction of Incle Street and Glasgow Road, St Mirin's Cathedral is one of the most serene and beautiful buildings in Paisley — and one with a story that stretches back almost 1,500 years to the very founding of the town itself.
The Man Behind the Name
St Mirin was an Irish monk, born around 565 AD and trained at the great monastery of Bangor Abbey in County Down. Around 580 AD he made his way to the west of Scotland and eventually arrived where Paisley now stands. A local chief took a liking to him and granted him a small plot of land near the river — known as St Mirin's Croft — where he founded the first church in Paisley.
After his death, his shrine became a centre of pilgrimage, and his legacy has been woven into the identity of the town ever since. His feast day falls on 15th September, and you'll find his name everywhere in Paisley — from the cathedral to the football club.
A striking bronze statue of St Mirin by sculptor Norman Galbraith stands directly opposite the cathedral, unveiled in 2007, and is well worth a look before you head inside.
A Cathedral With Deep Roots
The current cathedral was completed in 1931, built close to the site of the original church of the same name, which dated from 1808 and held the remarkable distinction of being the first stone-built Catholic church in post-Reformation Scotland. The building was elevated to cathedral status in 1948 when the Diocese of Paisley was established, and it has served as the mother church of the diocese ever since.
Beauty at Every Turn
The cathedral was designed by architect Thomas Baird in the neo-Romanesque style. Its sandstone exterior is pleasingly understated — but step inside and the building opens up into something quite extraordinary. A soaring arched interior gives the space a wonderful sense of light and calm.
The chancel is lined with Italian marble, and there are several features well worth taking your time over: a beautifully sculpted pulpit, a set of Art Deco Stations of the Cross, and twelve stunning stained glass windows depicting angels in the sanctuary. It's a genuinely uplifting space, whether you're visiting for prayer or simply to appreciate the craftsmanship.
Come and Visit
St Mirin's Cathedral is open to visitors and holds Daily Mass at 10am, with a seasonal 1pm Mass available Monday to Friday. It's a welcoming and peaceful place to step inside, whatever brings you there.
You'll find the cathedral at Incle Street, Paisley, PA1 1HR. More information is available at stmirinscathedral.co.uk.
St Mirin Cathedral Paisley.
History
St Mirin Cathedral Paisley is situated in Incle Street, Paisley at the junction with Glasgow Road and was completed in 1931 close to the site of the original church of the same name which dated from 1808. The original building was the first stone-built Catholic church in post-Reformation Scotland.
The present building was raised to cathedral status in 1948 following the erection of the diocese in 1947.
(Read more about Saint Mirin Statue Sculptor gets the recognition he deserves)
Fabric
The building is neo-Romanesque in style with a plain sandstone exterior and an airy arched interior: its architect was Thomas Baird. The chancel is principally of Italian marble. Excluding the chancel, the cathedral is 109 feet (33.22 metres) in length and has a breadth of 48.5 feet (14.78 metres). The chancel itself is 29.5 feet (8.99 metres) in width by 23.25 feet (7.09 metres) in depth and is semi-octagonal in form.
Of particular interest are the pulpit by Gillespie, Kidd and Coia, with a representation of the Sermon on the Mount sculpted in relief from blond sandstone, and the Stations of the Cross designed by Kenneth King of Dublin which are Art Deco in style. In the apse four colourful tripartite stained glass windows depict the Twelve Apostles.
In the former baptistry to the north side of the vestibule is a stained-glass window depicting Jesus with children by Charles Baillie, whilst a shrine to St John Ogilvie by Norman Galbraith can be found on the south side.
The organ, which was constructed in 1912 by Messrs Peter McConacher & Co for Stepps Parish Church in Lanarkshire, was purchased by the cathedral and installed there in 1982 by Michael Macdonald Organ Builder.
The church, which is the largest in the diocese, can accommodate around 1300 worshippers.
Opposite the cathedral, at the junction of Incle Street with Gauze Street and Glasgow Road, stands a bronze statue of St Mirin by Norman Galbraith which was completed and unveiled in 2007.
In July 2010 modifications to the main entrance, porch and frontage of the cathedral were announced.
Clergy
Customarily a cathedral, as the seat of the bishop, has him as its nominal parish priest. However, to oversee the running of the cathedral and its parish there is an administrator, currently the Very Rev Monsignor John Canon Tormey. He is assisted by the Rev Ian Dalgleish, curate (on supply from the Diocese of Wrexham in Wales), the Very Rev Mgr Anthony Balee (on supply from the Diocese of Wa in Ghana) and the Very Rev Mgr William Canon Diamond, priest in residence.
Diamond Jubilee
On the 15 September 2008, the feast day of its patron saint, the Diocese of Paisley celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. To mark the occasion a mass concelebrated by His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St. James the Most Rev Faustino Sainz Muñoz, the Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh His Eminence Cardinal Keith O’Brien, theArchbishop of Glasgow the Most Rev Mario Conti, the Bishop of Motherwell the Rt Rev Joseph Devine, the Bishop of Aberdeen the Rt Rev Peter Moran, the Bishop of Galloway the Rt Rev John Cunningham, the Emeritus Bishop of Paisley the Rt Rev John Mone, the Bishop of Paisley the Rt Rev Philip Tartaglia and many priests of the diocese took place in the cathedral. Present at the mass were a large number of civic dignitaries and representatives of other churches in Paisley. Representing Her Majesty the Queen were the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire Mr Guy Clark and his deputy Mr James Wardrop.
Postal Address: St. Mirin’s Cathedral, Cathedral House, Cathedral Precincts, Incle Street, Paisley PA1 1HR
Tel: 0141 889 2404 Fax: 0141 848 5744
e-mail: stmirinscathedral@paisleydiocese.org.uk
Website: http://www.saintmirins.org.uk/
Website: www.paisleydiocese.org.uk
Sunday Mass Times
Vigil Mass 6.30pm, 8am, 10am, 12 noon, 4pm
Holyday of Obligation
Vigil Mass 7pm, 8am, 10am, 1pm, 7pm
Sacrament of Penance
Thursday 7pm, Saturday, after 10am Mass and 5.30-6.30pm