About the Honan Chapel
We Warmly Welcome You
The Honan Chapel has always been a place of prayer, reflection and welcome – serving both our University and visitor community. We are an active part of campus life today, while valuing our historical and cultural importance and architectural beauty.
The Honan Chapel, with its full title of Collegiate Chapel of Saint Finbarr, is a small chapel within the Campus of University College Cork. Founded and consecrated in 1916 for ‘the scholars of Munster’, the Chapel carries the name of its principal patrons – the Honan’s, who were a wealthy Cork merchant family. Constructed during the First World War, the Honan Chapel is an important part of Irish heritage.
While our liturgical celebrations follow the Catholic tradition, we also offer opportunities for ecumenical prayer times. During the academic semesters, the Chapel celebrates daily and Sunday liturgies, while several prayer events are offered during the academic year. The Chapel is also a much-loved choice for weddings for alumni, staff and students.
“The Honan Chapel is a place of immense peace, beauty and meaning. Across the years we have offered our congregation a sanctuary for quiet reflection, meaningful appreciation and personal fulfilment through a personal encounter with Christ.”
Fr Gerard Dunne, Chaplain
The Honan Chapel and YOU
Reflect and Connect
Across the ages, the Honan Chapel has been a sanctuary for prayer and peaceful reflection. The Chapel provides the space to reconnect with the beauty of life in the presence of God.
Spiritual Nourishment
The transcendent beauty of the Honan Chapel will fill you with a sense of wonder – nourishing the soul and enriching our faith.
Take an Historical Journey
To visit the Honan Chapel is to be in awe of its rich heritage and significance in the story of Ireland. The Chapel was a unique concept at the time of its consecration – reflecting the important Irish arts and crafts movement of the day in its architecture, design and decoration. At this time, it was decided by the executor of Isabella Honan’s will, Sir John O’Connell, that the Chapel should be truly Irish in inspiration and representative of early Irish ecclesiastical art.
With the collaboration of the College President, Sir Bertram Windle, the Chapel was conceived and executed as an expression of the early 20th century Celtic revival and renaissance. Known as the Honan Collection, the Chapel features an extraordinary trove of furnishings, textiles and vestments and contains items in silver, wood, cloth, paper and stone. It is a valuable and unique record of the best of Irish ecclesiastical art at the time.
Experience Beauty
The Honan Chapel is admired locally, nationally and internationally for the sheer beauty of its sacred space. Culturally and architecturally-significant, the Chapel is considered one of the iconic examples of the Hiberno-Romanesque style of architecture – born of the Celtic Style revival of the 1900s. To spend time in the Chapel is to appreciate and be inspired by the extraordinary detail of the symbolism, aesthetics and imagery within this unique building. Highlights include:
- Beautiful carved stonework, sculpted by Henry Emery, assisted by students at the Cork Technical School (now the Crawford Art Gallery), which frames the Chapel entrance.
- Statue of St. Finbarr over the door, carved by Oliver Sheppard.
- The magnificent ‘River of Life’ mosaic floor design, designed by Oppenheimer of Manchester, richly depicting the wonders of Creation.
- The enamel-embellished tabernacle, designed by Oswald Reeves, in the shape of an early Irish oratory.
- Elegantly carved oak pews, designed by John Sisk.
- 19 extraordinary stained-glass windows, including works by Harry Clarke and An Túr Gloine (the Glass Tower) studios.
Marriage Celebration
As a student, staff member or alumnus of UCC, you can honour your love and faith by choosing the Honan Chapel as the venue for your marriage. Students and Alumni of the National Universities of Ireland and others may also be eligible to marry in the Honan Chapel.