6 FEBRUARY

. . . .in the Irish calendar is the feast of St. Mel, the first abbot-bishop of Ardagh in county Longford. This is the patronal feast in Longford and the Catholic St. Mel's cathedral is the most prominent landmark in Longford Town. There is a small picture of the Georgian style church here. The interior,alas, was devastated by the former bishop Daley. There is a smaller and not very clear picture of the ancient St. Mel's Cathedral in Ardagh here. It's hard to distinguish from the newer (circa 1810) Church of Ireland parish of St. Patrick's next to it.

Mel Gibson's family are Longford people and he is named after their county's saint.