St Mel’s Cathedral rises ‘Like a Phoenix from the Ashes’

On Friday 19th Dec 2014, GEM Purcell successfully and proudly handed over the restored St. Mels Cathedral, Longford, in time for a series of ceremonies, ahead of Christmas Eve Mass 2014. Representatives of GEM Purcell presented Bishop Francis Duffy, Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnois with a commemorative chalice in memory of the works that took place and all that were involved in the painstaking and cherished restoration. Fr Tom Healy, Administrator of St Mel’s Cathedral con-celebrated the first Mass since the fire, along with Bishop Francis Duffy, Bishop Emeritus Colm O’Reilly and other members of the Clergy. The story of this project was beautifully told in a special RTE documentary, ‘The Longford Phoenix’, which aired on RTE One, on Tuesday 30th December. GEM Purcell are very proud to have been the main contractor for this major conservation project which has been described as "the largest of its kind in Europe".