A round tower of the 1950s
The belfry, over 100 feet high, is an adaptation of the early Irish round tower; a 2014 architecture blog compares its cap to the tower beside St Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny.
← The Church
To come
Merrion Road Church
Our Lady Queen of Peace, Merrion Road
This church is still ahead. Its chapter will be written when its visit comes.
§What is known
- Built
- 1953 · Simon Leonard, W. H. Byrne and Son
- Style
- Romanesque revival with round tower
- Order
- Pastoral care provided by the Opus Dei Prelature since 2008
- Dedication
- Our Lady Queen of Peace
Mass times
- Sunday
- 10:00 AM · 12:00 PM · 9:00 PM
- Saturday
- 10:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 12:00 PM · 6:00 PM
- Monday
- 7:30 AM (Weekday Mass) · 12:00 PM (Weekday Mass)
- Tuesday
- 7:30 AM (Weekday Mass) · 12:00 PM (Weekday Mass)
- Wednesday
- 7:30 AM (Weekday Mass) · 12:00 PM (Weekday Mass)
- Thursday
- 7:30 AM (Weekday Mass) · 12:00 PM (Weekday Mass)
- Friday
- 7:30 AM (Weekday Mass) · 12:00 PM (Weekday Mass)
§Where
- Address
- Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 NX33 · D04 NX33
No photographs yet — the essay appears only after the visit.
§Notes
Fragments gathered while researching this church: stories, curiosities, people and dates.
An organ gallery without an organ
A 2014 blog account of the building notes that the church has an organ gallery beneath the rose window but that no organ was installed in it at the time of the visit.
Timeline
-
1925
Fundraising bazaar and carnival A week long bazaar and carnival was held from 5 to 13 September 1925 in the grounds of the Convent of the Sisters of Mercy, Booterstown, to fund the planned church.
-
1940
Temporary church opened A temporary church, known locally as the tin church, was opened on the site by Monsignor Francis Wall shortly after John Charles McQuaid became Archbishop of Dublin. It was later relocated to Kilmacud.
-
1951
Construction of the permanent church began Work on the permanent church started in 1951 with Farmer Brothers as contractors, to a design by Simon Leonard of W. H. Byrne and Son. The cost exceeded 200,000 pounds.
-
1953
Church opened and blessed Archbishop John Charles McQuaid officially opened and blessed the new church on 13 December 1953.
-
1964
Parish constituted The parish of Merrion Road was formally constituted in 1964 from Booterstown, with Canon Scanell as its first parish priest.
-
2008
Opus Dei Prelature takes on pastoral care The parish website states that pastoral care of the parish has been provided by the Opus Dei Prelature since 2008.
People
- Simon Aloysius Leonard (1903-1976) Architect of the church — Partner and later principal of W. H. Byrne and Son, he designed the Hiberno-Romanesque church in 1951-1954. His drawings survive in the former office archives.
- John Charles McQuaid (1895-1973) Archbishop of Dublin who opened the church — He officially opened and blessed the church on 13 December 1953.
- Earley Studios (Earley Brothers) Stained glass studio — The Dublin studio produced the church's stained glass, including the rose window depicting Our Lady Queen of Peace.
Also known as: The tin church · Church of Our Lady of Peace