The Longford Phoenix | Would You Believe? Special | December 30th 6:30pm | RTÉ One

On Christmas Morning 2009, the people of Longford woke up to the devastating news that their beloved St Mel’s Cathedral was engulfed by flames. Local Bishop Colm O’Reilly was heartbroken, but he was also determined that this 170 year old landmark would be rebuilt.

Over the last five years, master craftsmen and women from all over Ireland have come together with people from the local community to work on one of the largest restoration projects in Europe. In this hour long special documentary RTE has captured the key moments in the phoenix-like re-birth of St Mel’s from the ashes of the old cathedral.

Bishop Colm O’Reilly wants this new cathedral to be a symbol of the renewal of faith and the future of the Church in Ireland. Local people in Longford love their Cathedral deeply, but they have not always welcomed changes made to it. So how will the parishioners react when the new St Mel’s opens for Christmas 2014?

See more at: http://www.rte.ie/player