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To come

St John's, Clontarf

St John the Baptist, Clontarf

Clontarf RoadPerpendicular Gothic, later style of English architecture per Lewis

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

§What is known
Built
1838 · Patrick Byrne; additions by George Ashlin and Ashlin and Coleman
Style
Perpendicular Gothic, later style of English architecture per Lewis
Dedication
St John the Baptist

Mass times

Sunday
10:00 AM · 12:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Tuesday
10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Wednesday
10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Thursday
10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Friday
10:00 AM (Weekday Mass)
Holy Days
10:00 AM (Holy Day Mass) · 6:00 PM (Holy Day Mass)
§Where
Address
Clontarf Road, Dublin 3
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.

Two churches, one dedication

Clontarf has two churches of St John the Baptist: the Catholic parish church of 1838 on Clontarf Road and the Church of Ireland church of 1866 on Seafield Road West, both successors to the medieval and seventeenth century churches whose ruined graveyard survives off Castle Avenue.

Timeline

  • 1835
    Foundation stone laid The archdiocese records that the foundation stone of the church was laid on 16 June 1835, the year Patrick Byrne produced the design.
  • 1838
    Church opened for worship The church opened for use in 1838, replacing an older chapel.
  • 1842
    Dedication The church was dedicated in 1842, according to the heritage record.
  • 1893
    Apse added by George Ashlin The heritage record and Archiseek date an apse extension by George Ashlin to 1893. The parish history describes a chancel end extension of seventeen feet in 1895 funded by a benefactor named Allingham; the two accounts may describe the same works with differing dates.
  • 1909
    Clontarf became an independent parish The parish history records that Clontarf became an independent parish in 1909 under Fr James Hickey, after decades within a united parish structure reorganised in 1879.
  • 1910
    Porches added by Ashlin and Coleman Two porches by the firm Ashlin and Coleman were added; the NIAH dates them to 1910 and Archiseek to 1911.
  • 1966
    Parish divided into three In 1966 the parish territory was divided, creating the separate parishes of St Anthony's and St Gabriel's alongside St John's.
  • 2009
    Three Clontarf parishes grouped again The parish history records that the three parishes were brought back together in 2009; today they share a pastoral team under one moderator.

People

  • Patrick Byrne Architect of the church, 1835 — The NIAH, the parish history and Archiseek agree that the Dublin ecclesiastical architect Patrick Byrne designed the church in 1835.
  • George Ashlin Architect of the 1893 apse — George Ashlin designed the apse extension of 1893; his firm Ashlin and Coleman later added the porches.
  • Fr Patrick O'Neill Parish priest 1879 to 1909 — The parish history records Fr Patrick O'Neill as parish priest from 1879 to 1909; he bought 1 and 2 St John's Terrace as presbyteries and left them to the parish.
  • Fr James Hickey First parish priest of the independent parish, 1909 — When Clontarf became an independent parish in 1909, Fr James Hickey led it, according to the parish history.
  • Allingham (benefactor) Funded the 1890s enlargement and furnishings — The parish history names a benefactor called Allingham who funded the chancel extension of the 1890s and donated the high altar, pulpit, altar rails, sacristy, bell, belfry and new benches; a Miss Allingham decorated the interior.