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Phibsborough church

St Peter's, Phibsborough

PhibsboroughGothic Revival

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

§What is known
Built
1902 · George Goldie (spire completed early 1900s)
Style
Gothic Revival
Order
Vincentian (CM)
Dedication
St Peter's

Mass times

Sunday
8:00 AM · 10:00 AM · 11:30 AM
Saturday
10:30 AM (Weekday Mass) · 6:30 PM
Monday
10:30 AM (Weekday Mass) · 7:00 PM (Weekday Mass)
Tuesday
10:30 AM (Weekday Mass)
Wednesday
10:30 AM (Weekday Mass)
Thursday
10:30 AM (Weekday Mass)
Friday
10:30 AM (Weekday Mass)
Holy Days
10:30 AM (Holy Day Mass) · 6:30 PM (Holy Day Mass)
§Where
Address
Phibsborough, Dublin 7
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 novena that keeps drawing people

A 2024 report in The Liberty, a Dublin community newspaper, described St Peter's as Ireland's last Vincentian church and noted that attendance at the Monday evening Miraculous Medal novena had been growing even as Mass attendance declined nationally. Church secretary Antoinette Dunne told the paper that the church contributes to many people's lives in the local community in different ways.

Source: The Liberty

The tower taken down by court order

The first central tower was dismantled after a court found its foundations insufficient, following a long and costly lawsuit between architect and builder that halted construction for about thirty years.

A cardinal's remark about Dublin's skyline

The completion of the tower and spire is said to have been encouraged by a remark by Cardinal Moran of Sydney about the shortage of Catholic church spires in Dublin. The story is reported by Wikipedia and a community newspaper; the available sources present it as anecdote rather than established fact.

One of Dublin's tallest spires

The heritage record gives the octagonal spire a height of 60 metres, and period sources describe the tower and spire rising over 200 feet from one of the higher points of the north city.

Ireland's last Vincentian church

A 2024 community newspaper report describes St Peter's as the only remaining Vincentian church in Ireland, in the order's hands since the site was transferred to them in 1854 after they took charge of the mission in 1838.

Timeline

  • 1826
    School and first chapel A Catholic school was established at Phibsborough around 1826, and its top floor was converted into a chapel; the first Mass was celebrated on Trinity Sunday 1827.
  • 1838
    Vincentians take charge The Vincentian community (Congregation of the Mission) took responsibility for Phibsborough in 1838, under Dean Philip Dowley according to one account.
  • 1857
    Construction of the Goldie church begins The NIAH dates the original church to c.1857-65, designed by Weightman, Hadfield and Goldie, replacing the smaller pre Emancipation chapel.
  • 1871
    Central tower dismantled by court order By about 1871 the chancel, transepts and a central tower had been built, but a dispute between architect and builder over the foundations led to a long lawsuit; the court found the foundations insufficient and the tower was dismantled, stalling work for about three decades.
  • 1902
    Ashlin and Coleman remodelling begins From 1902 Ashlin and Coleman remodelled the nave, added aisles and built a new tower at the east end, with James Kiernan of Talbot Street as contractor, at a cost of about 25,000 pounds.
  • 1911
    Reconstruction completed with the 60 metre spire The parish records the grand reconstruction as complete by 1911, with the steeple rising over 200 feet, about 60 metres. Wikipedia gives 1907 for the completion of the church with its tower; the sources differ on the exact year.
  • 1919
    Harry Clarke window installed The Adoration of the Sacred Heart window by Harry Clarke, dated 1919, is recorded by the NIAH as one of the church's artistic highlights.
  • 1949
    Organ rebuilt by Conacher The 1910 Magahy organ was substantially rebuilt by the Conacher organ company between 1947 and 1949.
  • 1952
    Jeanne Demessieux recital The French organist Jeanne Demessieux performed on the organ of St Peter's in 1952.
  • 1974
    Phibsborough becomes a parish The Archdiocese of Dublin records that Phibsborough became a parish in 1974.

People

  • George Goldie (Weightman, Hadfield and Goldie) (1828-1887) Architect of the original church — The Sheffield based firm Weightman, Hadfield and Goldie designed the church begun in the late 1850s; Archiseek associates the design particularly with George Goldie, whose tower was later dismantled after the foundations dispute.
  • George Coppinger Ashlin (Ashlin and Coleman) (1837-1921) Architect of the remodelling, tower and spire — Ashlin's firm remodelled the nave and built the tower and 60 metre spire in the 1900s campaign that completed the church.
  • Harry Clarke (1889-1931) Stained glass artist — Clarke's Adoration of the Sacred Heart window of 1919, an early work, is in the church, alongside glass by Lobin of Tours.
  • Fr Thomas McNamara CM Vincentian associated with mid century building plans — A community newspaper account states that Fr Thomas McNamara, a Meath native, drew up renovation plans in 1862 during the Vincentian building campaign.
  • Jeanne Demessieux (1921-1968) Visiting organist — The French organist performed at St Peter's in 1952 on the Conacher rebuilt organ.