Ardfert Cathedral

Ardfert Cathedral (Irish: Ardeaglais Ard Fhearta) is a ruined former cathedral in Ardfert, County Kerry, in Ireland. Dedicated to Saint Brendan, it was the seat of the Diocese of Ardfert from 1117. It is now a heritage tourism site.

The cathedral has a Romanesque west doorway with outward pointing chevron decoration in the Anglo-Norman style. It is flanked by blind arcading with lozenge-stonework similar to that found in parts of south-west France. It also has a 13th-century east window and a row of nine lancets in the south wall. Two effigies of ecclesiastical figures of the late 13th- or early 14th-century period are mounted on either side of the east window. The battlements were added in the 15th century. The pre-12th century block of masonry is clearly visible in the north wall. One of the two smaller churches is a fine example of late Romanesque and the other is a plain 15th century structure with a carving of a wyvern on one of the windows. In the north-east corner is a double rectangular niche containing a grotesque head with lips pulled back to reveal large teeth. This may be a variant of the 'mouth-puller' motif often found in Spain and western France.

To the north-west of the cathedral itself is Temple-na-hoe, a late Romanesque church, whose chancel has now disappeared. It has decorated three quarter columns instead of antae at each cornerstone, with heads and bird motifs on the capitals. A cornice decorated with spiral bosses supports the roof. The west doorway is plain, but the south window has floral ornament and the chancel arch has chevron ornament.

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