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St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Quiz

Do you think you know your medieval Cathedrals? Test your knowledge on Dublin's St. Patrick's Cathedral.

A multiple-choice quiz by vintageprincess. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
vintageprincess

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
300,277

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
252

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Built in the 13th century, what style of architecture does St. Patrick's follow? Hint

Early English Gothic

Perpendicular Gothic

Decorated Gothic

Late Medieval Gothic

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Question 2 of 15

2. To what Christian denomination does St. Patrick's belong? Hint

Roman Catholic

Presbyterian

Celtic Catholic

Anglican

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Question 3 of 15

3. Under what Norman archbishop was the building of St. Patrick's Cathedral begun? Hint

Henry of London

John Comyn

Columb Gilpatrick

Oliver King

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Question 4 of 15

4. St. Patrick's was a Cathedral designed and built by Englishmen. On what English Cathedral is the plan based? Hint

Liverpool Roman Catholic Cathedral

York Minster

Wells Cathedral

Salisbury Cathedral

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Question 5 of 15

5. Dublin has two Protestant Cathedrals, a situation that is almost without precedent. Which came first, St. Patrick's or Christ Church? Hint

St. Patrick's

They were built in the same year.

Neither, St. Mary's is older

Christ Church

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Question 6 of 15

6. What is the title of the highest-ranking clergyman at St. Patrick's? Hint

Bishop

Dean

Archbishop

Prebend

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Question 7 of 15

7. St. Patrick's Dublin is not the only Cathedral named for Ireland's patron saint. What county has two Cathedrals (one Protestant and one Catholic) dedicated to him? Hint

Armagh

Down

Sligo

Kerry

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Question 8 of 15

8. The Cathedral's east window depicts three famous Irish saints. One is St. Patrick. Name the other two. Hint

Ronan of Aran and Brendan of Clonfert

Columba of Iona and Brigid of Kildare

Kieran of Killarney and Aiden of Lindisfarne

Cormac of Munster and Cowey of Ireland

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Question 9 of 15

9. There have been several famous and powerful Deans at St. Patrick's. What Irish writer was Dean from 1713 to 1745? Hint

James Joyce

George Bernard Shaw

Samuel Beckett

Johnathan Swift

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Question 10 of 15

10. St. Patrick's has no surviving medieval stained glass. The oldest current stained glass dates to what period? Hint

Tudor

Georgian

Victorian

Edwardian

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Question 11 of 15

11. The Minot tower, which contained one of Dublin's first public clocks, was built after a fire destroyed the west end of the nave in what year? Hint

1422

1382

1362

1402

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Question 12 of 15

12. St. Patrick's has been restored many times. The largest restoration took place in the 1860s. What family, famous for an alcoholic beverage, financed the restoration? Hint

Jameson

Guinness

Murphy

Tullamore

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Question 13 of 15

13. How many statues of St. Patrick are there in the Cathedral? Hint

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Question 14 of 15

14. How long has there been a Christian house of worship on the current Cathedral site? Hint

Since the 6th century

Since the 5th century

Since the 4th century

Since the 7th century

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Question 15 of 15

15. St. Patrick's is the largest Cathedral on the island of Ireland.

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Built in the 13th century, what style of architecture does St. Patrick's follow?

Answer: Early English Gothic

The English Gothic style features small windows and is characterised by pointed archways.

2. To what Christian denomination does St. Patrick's belong?

Answer: Anglican

As a Norman (read: English) cathedral, St. Patrick's came under the Anglican Communion as part of the established Church of Ireland. It has been Protestant since c.1537, the time of the English Reformation under Henry VIII.

3. Under what Norman archbishop was the building of St. Patrick's Cathedral begun?

Answer: John Comyn

Comyn did not live to see the Cathedral building completed. It was finished during the primacy of Henry of London.

4. St. Patrick's was a Cathedral designed and built by Englishmen. On what English Cathedral is the plan based?

Answer: Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury, however, is much larger.

5. Dublin has two Protestant Cathedrals, a situation that is almost without precedent. Which came first, St. Patrick's or Christ Church?

Answer: Christ Church

Christ church is about a century older and is currently the diocesan Cathedral for Dublin. St. Patrick's holds the status of National Cathedral. There is a separate Roman Catholic Cathedral, St. Mary's.

6. What is the title of the highest-ranking clergyman at St. Patrick's?

Answer: Dean

The Dean is the head of the Chapter, which currently has around 30 members, both men and women. As of 2008 the Dean is the Very Rev'd Robert McCarthy.

7. St. Patrick's Dublin is not the only Cathedral named for Ireland's patron saint. What county has two Cathedrals (one Protestant and one Catholic) dedicated to him?

Answer: Armagh

St. Patrick himself is not buried at any of the Cathedrals named for him. His reputed burial site is at Downpatrick, Co. Down.

8. The Cathedral's east window depicts three famous Irish saints. One is St. Patrick. Name the other two.

Answer: Columba of Iona and Brigid of Kildare

Columba was a leading Scottish missionary (often called Colum Cille in Ireland) and Brigid founded the convent at Kildare.

9. There have been several famous and powerful Deans at St. Patrick's. What Irish writer was Dean from 1713 to 1745?

Answer: Johnathan Swift

Swift was a famed satirist and is buried in the Cathedral. His epitaph reads:

Here lies Johnathan Swift, Doctor of Divinity and Dean of this Cathedral
Where savage indignation can no longer rend the heart
Go traveler and imitate, if you can,
This earnest and dedicated champion of liberty

He is buried next to his lifelong friend, Stella Johnson.

10. St. Patrick's has no surviving medieval stained glass. The oldest current stained glass dates to what period?

Answer: Victorian

The oldest window dates to 1855 and is dedicated to veterans of the Crimean war.

11. The Minot tower, which contained one of Dublin's first public clocks, was built after a fire destroyed the west end of the nave in what year?

Answer: 1362

Several fires have damaged St. Patrick's. One, which destroyed a portion of the Victorian choir stalls, was reputed to have been started by a chorister dropping a cigarette.

12. St. Patrick's has been restored many times. The largest restoration took place in the 1860s. What family, famous for an alcoholic beverage, financed the restoration?

Answer: Guinness

Sir Benjamin Guinness' effort is commemorated by a statue in the Cathedral's courtyard. He was also responsible for clearing the slums outside of the Cathedral and building a massive social housing project in the area known as the Liberties. The family is also commemorated in the Iveagh window in the north transept.

13. How many statues of St. Patrick are there in the Cathedral?

Answer: 3

One is wooden, dating to the 10th or 11th century, one is marble, probably from the 17th century and one is bronze, a modern piece.

14. How long has there been a Christian house of worship on the current Cathedral site?

Answer: Since the 5th century

The first church was a small timber church, built near a well where St. Patrick baptised local Celts. At the time, the land was on an island in the river Poddle, and the church was called St. Patrick's in insula, or, on the island. Dublin had not yet been established as a city and was probably a small tribal farming settlement.

15. St. Patrick's is the largest Cathedral on the island of Ireland.

Answer: True

Its nave measures a length of 91m and a height of 17m. Interestingly, the smallest Church in all of Europe is also in Ireland, on the island of Inishmore. It only holds 11 people, standing.

Source: Author vintageprincess

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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