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A stained-glass window above old stonework inside the church.
Argyll and Bute

St Moluag’s Cathedral

Lismore's parish church, once the cathedral of Argyll, on the spot where St Moluag founded his monastery.

Welcome

Lismore's parish church does not look like a cathedral, but it was one: the cathedral of the medieval diocese of Argyll.

St Moluag founded a monastery on this spot in the 6th century, and the story goes that he raced St Columba for the island, and when he saw he would lose, cut off his little finger and threw it ashore to touch Lismore first. The cathedral itself was built in the second half of the 13th century, much of it under Bishop Laurence.

By the 1600s it was in ruins, and in 1749 the chancel was made into the parish church, its walls lowered by two or three metres. Inside, look for the survivals of the older building: three round-headed seats for the clergy, a piscina for washing the communion vessels, and a south door with a pair of carved heads. Medieval grave slabs lie in the churchyard. The church is still in use as the island's parish church.

Close byIsle of Lismore CaféThe award-winning café at the Lismore Gaelic Heritage Centre, with a deck looking out over the island, open April to October.1 min by roadSee itThe café's timber deck with tables and red parasols, looking out over green fields to the hills.
Before you go

The church is on the island's main road, near the middle of Lismore, a short way from the Gaelic Heritage Centre.

Lismore is reached by ferry from Oban or Port Appin.

Where
Lismore, PA34 5UL.
Ferry
From Oban or Port Appin.
Where it is

Lismore, Loch Linnhe.

Close byOn Lismore.
  1. Crumbling walls of the castle above Loch Linnhe.Castle CoeffinThe ivy-clad ruin of a 13th-century MacDougall castle on the west coast of Lismore, reached on foot from the ferry.Under a mile1 min by road
  2. Tralee BeachTralee Beach3 miles9 min by road
  3. Ben Lora Cafe & BookshopBen Lora Cafe & BookshopA family-run café and bookshop in Benderloch, north of Oban, a short walk from Tralee beach.4 miles10 min by road
  4. The heritage centre's sign and its grass-roofed building.Lismore Gaelic Heritage CentreThe island's own museum and café on Lismore, with a thatched cottar's cottage of the 19th century outside.5 miles14 min by road
  5. Connel BridgeConnel BridgeThe steel cantilever of 1903 over the Falls of Lora at the mouth of Loch Etive, built for the railway and now carrying the road.6 miles14 min by road
Directions
The café's timber deck with tables and red parasols, looking out over green fields to the hills.CafeIsle of Lismore Café0.6 miles
Slochd, Argyll and ButeArgyll and ButeSlochdSleeps 2 · 4.3 miles
Castle Stalker on its islet in still, grey water.AttractionsCastle Stalker4.4 miles over the water
Stormhouse North, Argyll and ButeArgyll and ButeStormhouse NorthSleeps 2 · 4.8 miles
Stormhouse South, Argyll and ButeArgyll and ButeStormhouse SouthSleeps 2 · 4.8 miles
Oyster Inn, Argyll and ButeRestaurantsThe Oyster Inn, Connel6.6 miles
Couple share wine at a driftwood table overlooking a yacht-filled bayCafePoppies, Saulmore8.0 miles
AttractionsDunstaffnage Castle9.3 miles
The timber-clad visitor centre and its welcome sign.AttractionsOcean Explorer Centre9.3 miles
Stay nearby

Places to stay near the church, and when each is next free.

Stormhouse South, Argyll and ButeStormhouse South
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Argyll and Bute
  • 5 miles from the cathedral
Free 31 Jan – 5 FebStormhouse North, Argyll and ButeStormhouse North
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Argyll and Bute
  • 5 miles from the cathedral
Free 1–6 FebSlochd, Argyll and ButeSlochd
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Argyll and Bute
  • 5 miles from the cathedral
Check datesA stone cottage with a slate roof and chimney stands among birch and pine trees on a wooded hillside.The Old Post Office
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Argyll and Bute
  • 6 miles from the cathedral
Check datesPlaces to stayEvery stay in Argyll and ButeAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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