Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has attended the re-dedication of the Cathedral Organ at St. Fin Barre's Cathedral Cork.

Minister Deenihan said: "St Fin Barre's Cathedral Cork is a protected structure on Cork City Council's Record of Protected Structures. The Cathedral is rated as being of International importance on my own Department's National Inventory of Architectural Heritage's survey and it is also a recorded monument.

"As one of the most coherent examples of Victorian ecclesiastical architecture in Western Europe I was delighted last year, under the Special Projects funding measure to allocate a sum of €212,000 towards the conservation works to the cathedral."

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The newly restored organ now boasts more than 4,500 pipes, making it the biggest in the Republic. It is also the only organ situated in 'a pit' across the island of Ireland. For over 700 years there has been a choir in the various cathedrals on the site. The organ is essential to the continuance of this tradition which not only provides three choral services a week, but also provides free musical education for boy and girl choristers from eight years of age upwards. Third level students also benefit from the lay vicar scholarship programme.

Funding provided by the Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht, under the Special Projects, assisted with emergency works to the South and West elevations of the building but also contributed towards the essential works to the North Transept and the organ pit, thus ensuring that the organ would be protected from water ingress for future generations.

(CD/JP)