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Berkeley Road Church

St. Joseph's, Berkeley Road

Berkeley RoadA cruciform Gothic Revival church of rock faced granite with carved limestone dressings, pointed arch windows with trace

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

§What is known
Built
1880 · O'Neill and Byrne (church, 1875-1880); John L. Robinson (tower, 1892-1893)
Style
A cruciform Gothic Revival church of rock faced granite with carved limestone dressings, pointed arch windows with trace
Order
Discalced Carmelite (OCD)
Dedication
St. Joseph's

Mass times

Sunday
10:00 AM · 11:45 AM (Filipino Mass · Filipino) · 11:45 AM
Saturday
10:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 5:45 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) · 10:00 AM (Weekday Mass) · 5:45 PM (Weekday Mass)
Holy Days
10:00 AM (Holy Day Mass) · 5:45 PM (Holy Day Mass)
§Where
Address
Berkeley Road, Dublin 7 · D07 F952
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.

A Carmelite church for forty years

From July 1983 the parish was administered by the Discalced Carmelites and the building was widely known as St Joseph's Carmelite Church, the name still used by the NIAH record. The parish website now describes the Carmelite stewardship as concluded.

Two towers

The NIAH description notes both the square western tower and a smaller circular eastern tower, an unusual pairing on a parish church of this date.

Timeline

  • 1870
    Wooden chapel of ease erected A wooden chapel of ease was erected on Berkeley Road while the district was still part of St Michan's parish.
  • 1875
    Construction of the granite church begins Construction of the present church to designs by O'Neill and Byrne ran from 1875 to 1880.
  • 1880
    Church consecrated The granite church replaced the wooden chapel and was consecrated in 1880.
  • 1890
    Berkeley Road parish created The parish of Berkeley Road was created in 1890 from St Michan's.
  • 1893
    Tower completed The square north western tower, designed by John L. Robinson, was built in 1892 to 1893. Sources give the completion year as 1892 or 1893.
  • 1902
    Side altars by Ashlin and Coleman The NIAH records side altars supplied in 1902 by the practice of Ashlin and Coleman.
  • 1983
    Parish entrusted to the Discalced Carmelites In July 1983 the parish came under the administration of the Discalced Carmelites.
  • ·
    Return to diocesan administration The parish website states that the Carmelite stewardship has concluded and the church continues as a diocesan parish; the archdiocese lists a diocesan parish priest. No source accessed gives the date of the handover.

People

  • O'Neill and Byrne (John O'Neill and William Henry Byrne) (partnership c. 1869-1882) Architects of the church — The NIAH attributes the church to the Dublin and Belfast partnership O'Neill and Byrne. The Dictionary of Irish Architects records the partnership of John O'Neill of Belfast and William Henry Byrne from about 1869, with a Dublin office from 1874.
  • John L. Robinson Architect of the tower, 1892-1893 — John L. Robinson designed the square tower added to the church in 1892 to 1893.
  • Mary Redmond (1863-1930) Sculptor of the reredos angels — Wikipedia records that the reredos with life size angels was designed by the Dublin artist Mary Redmond, who also created the Fr Mathew statue on O'Connell Street. The NIAH also lists her among the designers of carved elements.
  • Hardman and Co Stained glass makers — The window at the west end of the Blessed Virgin aisle is credited to Hardman and Co of Birmingham.
  • Edmund Sharp Ecclesiastical sculptor listed in the NIAH record — The NIAH lists Edmund Sharp among the designers and craftsmen associated with the church's carved and marble work.