Fairview church

Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fairview

FairviewGothic Revival

This church is still ahead. Its chapter will be written when its visit comes.

§What is known

Built: 1855 · Patrick Byrne (per NIAH)
Style: Gothic Revival
Order: Franciscan Conventual (OFM Conv)
Dedication: Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mass times

Sunday: 9:30 AM · 11:30 AM
Saturday: 10:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 6:00 PM
Monday: 8:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Tuesday: 8:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Wednesday: 8:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Thursday: 8:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Friday: 8:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Holy Days: 10:00 AM (Holy Day Mass) · 7:30 PM (Holy Day Mass)

§Where

Address: Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3, D03 E165 · D03 E165

Open route ↗ Official website ↗ Return to the map

No photographs yet — the essay appears only after the visit.

§Notes

Fragments gathered while researching this church: stories, curiosities, people and dates.

The NIAH records the church under another name

The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage lists the building on Fairview Strand as St Mary's Church, with a dedication to Our Lady of Fair View in 1856, while the parish and the archdiocese use Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The dates, location and description match the same building.

Neighbours on the Strand

Fairview Strand also holds Dublin's oldest Jewish cemetery, opened in 1718 at Ballybough, with a mortuary chapel of 1857; its last burial took place in 1958. A nearby burial ground for suicide victims is cited as one of the inspirations for Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Timeline

1847
Construction begins The parish and the archdiocese state that building of the Church of the Visitation started in 1847. Wikipedia gives 1853 as the start of construction.
1855
Church opens The parish and the archdiocese give the opening as 14 January 1855; Wikipedia gives 15 January 1855.
1856
Dedication The church was dedicated on 12 October 1856. The heritage record refers to a dedication to Our Lady of Fair View in 1856.
1987
Entrusted to the Conventual Franciscans The parish was entrusted to the Conventual Franciscan Friars in March 1987 according to the parish website and the archdiocese. A message from the parish priest on the same site speaks of the friars being assigned there since 1986.
2022
Building Hope partnership Under the archdiocese's Building Hope plan announced in Advent 2022, Fairview was grouped in a parish partnership with Donnycarney and Marino.

People

Patrick Byrne (1783-1864) Architect (per the heritage record) — The NIAH attributes the church to Patrick Byrne, the most prolific Catholic church architect in Dublin of his time, whose works include St Paul's Arran Quay, St Audoen's and Mary Immaculate Refuge of Sinners in Rathmines.

Also known as: St Mary's Church