An investigation into the cause of a fire which destroyed St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford on Christmas Day has revealed that arson was unlikely. Gardaí yesterday completed the forensic investigation into the fire at the 19th-century church.
The circumstances of the blaze do not seem to be suspicious, but gardaí said they were still awaiting the final outcome of the inquiry, which began on Wednesday upon confirmation that the ruins were structurally sound.
Irreplaceable artefacts which were on display at the diocesan ecclesiastical museum at the cathedral were destroyed in the fire.
The most important artefacts were the Crozier of St Mel, dating from the 10th century, and the book shrine of St Caillin, dated to 1536.