As you pass through the glass doors you are immediately aware of the fine stained glass windows through which streams of light penetrate the whole interior of the church.

The first windows on your left and right are of Celtic Design. These windows presented a particular problem for the designer Susan Bradbury as they are positioned behind the heavy structure of the gallery. The gallery obscures the central third of the design, therefore the artist chose a repeat pattern so that the mind automatically fills in the hidden parts. The pattern-work is in the form of Celtic knots which shade from green to blue to represent the relationship between heaven and earth and the unbroken love that God has with everyone. The Celtic theme refers to the history of the congregation, originating in Ireland, now firmly rooted in Scotland, and because it has no beginning and no end this is also a symbol of eternity.

The second window on your left is called ‘Divine Light’. This window shimmers with all the colours of the spectrum and incorporates ideas such as Let there be Light, The Light of the World.

On the right hand side of the nave the “Water of Life” window reminds us that Ayr has always depended on water. The River Ayr and the coast have been important for trade and fishing. Water has a rich and varied spiritual symbolism and there is a great resonance to verses such as; “But whoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst…” (Jn 4:14).

 The ‘Water of Life’ window is also a memorial to all those who died in the PanAm 103 disaster. This window was gi ed to the Parish by the American relatives of those involved in the air disaster. This was in recognition of the close bonds that the previous Cathedral Administrator (Patrick Canon Keegans) had with these families as he was Parish Priest in Lockerbie at the time of the disaster.

Both ‘Devine Light’ and ‘Water of Life’ windows sparkle with lenses of lead crystal; in one for the theme of light, in the other to represent bubbles as the River Ayr flows into the blue mass of the sea.

The window at the West side (above the Gallery) of the Cathedral fronting John Street was renovated in 2016. It has been designed by the same artist as those in 2000 and again uses modern and symbolic images to interpret a spiritual theme.

The window comprises of three lancets with five tracery lights above. The new design is inspired by the theme of Praise as described in Psalm 148, represented symbolically by a blaze of golden light. There are a range of different types of glass within this window including blown glass, etched glass, flash glass, spun rounders and glass lenses

The title of this window is “Gloria in Excelsis Deo… Glory to God in the Highest”.