Clam shell holy water stoups
Wikipedia states the church has giant clam shell holy water stoups, donated in 1917 by a sea captain who had sailed the Pacific Ocean.
Saturday, 15 August 2026
Saint Audoen's Roman Catholic Church on High Street, Dublin 8, was designed by Patrick Byrne and built between 1841 and 1846, in the years after Catholic Emancipation. A neoclassical granite portico was added later by George Coppinger Ashlin, though sources give different dates for this addition. The church stands beside the older Church of Ireland St Audoen's, and current sources describe it as the base of the Polish Catholic chaplaincy in Dublin.
§Architecture & history
- Built
- 1846
- Architect
- Patrick Byrne (portico G. Ashlin 1898)
- Style
- Greek Revival / Neoclassical
- Dedication
- St Audoen's Catholic Church
- Heritage
- Protected Structure
The church originally had a dome over the crossing, which collapsed in 1880 and was replaced with a flat ceiling, according to Wikipedia and Archiseek. Sources disagree on when the granite portico by George Coppinger Ashlin was added: Archiseek gives 1893, Wikipedia gives 1898, and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage gives a range of 1898 to 1902.
The church stands directly beside the medieval Church of Ireland Saint Audoen's Church, and the two buildings share the same dedication but are separate structures belonging to different denominations. Sources describe the Roman Catholic church as now serving as the base of the Polish Catholic chaplaincy in Dublin, with regular Mass celebrated in Polish.
Beside medieval St Audoen's; National Shrine of St Anne. Public Mass currently suspended/relocated (Jul 2026).
Built 1841-1847 (architect Patrick Byrne; portico added 1898 by G. Ashlin). Greek Revival. National Shrine of St Anne. NOTE: its Polish Chaplaincy Mass community relocated to St Luke, Kilmore West, from July 2026 - regular public Mass at St Audoen's not currently confirmed.
§Notes
Fragments gathered while researching this church: stories, curiosities, people and dates.
Now the base of the Polish Catholic chaplaincy
Wikipedia and a mass times listing describe the church as now serving as the base of the Polish Catholic chaplaincy in Ireland, with regular Mass in Polish and a Polish language contact website.
Timeline
-
1841
Cornerstone laid The cornerstone of the church was laid in July 1841, according to Wikipedia.
-
1846
Church completed The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and Archiseek date the completion of Patrick Byrne's church to 1846.
-
1847
Consecration Wikipedia states the consecration of the church was completed in 1847.
-
1880
Dome collapse The original central dome over the crossing collapsed in 1880 and was replaced with a flat roof or ceiling, according to Wikipedia and Archiseek.
-
1898
Portico added (date disputed) George Coppinger Ashlin added the granite portico to the front elevation. Sources disagree on the date: Archiseek gives 1893, Wikipedia gives 1898, and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage gives a range of 1898 to 1902.
People
- Patrick Byrne (1783-1864) Original architect of the church — Designed the church, built 1841 to 1846. Byrne also designed St Paul's Church on Arran Quay, Dublin.
- George Coppinger Ashlin Architect of the later portico — Added the granite neoclassical portico to the front elevation in a later phase of work; sources disagree on the exact date.
- Daniel O'Connell Founding donor to the building fund — Wikipedia states Daniel O'Connell was a founding donor to the church's building fund.
§If you go
Mass times to be confirmed.