Churches and Cathedrals

Churches & Cathedrals

Christ Church Cathedral
Lord Edward St, Dublin 2
Founded in 1083 by the Danish Kind Sitric and Donatus, Bishop of Dublin. Demolished by the Normans in 1172 and rebuilt by them during the next fifty years. One of the main points of interest is the tomb of Stongbow, who conquered Dublin during the reign of Henry II. The monument depicts strongbow and his son, whom Strongbow is said to have killed for cowardice in battle. While King James II was in Dublin in 1689, the cathedral was seized, and for a brief period, the rites of the pre-Reformation faith were restored and Mass celebrated in the king's presence. Christ Church is the traditional venus for Dubliner welcoming in the New Year: songs, drink and tolerant policemen, but it' not quite Piccadilly Circus.
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Pro-Cathedral
Marlboro St, Dublin 1.
Built in the early nineteenth century in the Grecian-Doric style, the portico is copied for the Theseum in Athens and the interior is modelled on the Church of St Philippe du Roule in Paris. It is situated parallel to O'Connell St, Dublin 1.

St Audeon's Church
High St, Dublin 8.
Founded by the Normans in the late twelfth century and dedicated to St Ouen of Rouen, it is the oldest of the city's parish churches. Though partially ruined, it is used for public worship. The tower dated from the twelfth century and three of the six bells were cast in the early fifteenth century, making them the oldest in Ireland.

St Mary's Church
Mary St, Dublin 1
Built in 1627. Theobald Wolfe Tone, founder of the United Irishmen, was baptised there and his death mask is on view. Playwright Sean O'Casey was also baptised in the Church.

St Michan's Church
Church St, Dublin 7
Dating from the seventeenth century, though erected on the site of a Danish church founded in 1096. The square tower is believed to date from this period. The vaults are worldrenowned; bodies, including one of an eight-foot tall crusader have lain there for centuries showing no signs of decomposition. The organ, dating from 1724, and on which Handel is belived to have played, is still in the church.

St Patrick's Cathedral
Patrick St, Dublin 2.
Close to Christ Church, and also Church of Ireland, St, Patrick's was founded in 1191 by John Comyn, first Anglo-Norman Archbishop of Dublin. The architecture is described as `early English`, the square tower being added in the fourteenth century, and the two-hundred foot spire in the eighteenth century. It is mainly associated with Jonathan Swift of Gulliver's Travels fame, who was Dean of the cathedral from 1713 to 1745, and whose tomb is there, There are also monuments to John Philpot Curran the orator, Samuel Lover novelist and poet and Turlough O'Carolan the great Irish harpist. In the fourteenth century, the catherdal housed a university, later suppressed by Henry VIII. The cathedral was extensively restored in the mid-nintheenth century by a member of the Guinness family.

St Werburgh's Church
Werburgh St, (off Christchurch Place) Dublin 8.
Originally erected towards the end of the twelfth century, the present church dated for 1718 and , thanks to recent restoration, is perhaps the most perfect Georgian church in Dublin. There are twenty-seven vaults beneath the church, one containing the remains of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, one of the leaders of the United Irishmen who died during the Rebellion of 1798.

Whitefriar St. Church
Whitefriar St, (off York Street) Dublin 2.
Whitefriar St. Church is a small Dublin Church with a colourful history. Not many Dublin residents would know the full story of why the church has become rather famous, but it does have to do with St. Valentine. If you would like to know more simply follow the link.