St. Catherine's, Meath Street
History
There have been two churches on this site, the first being an octagonal chapel opened in 1782. The chapel and a presbytery were knocked down to make way for a bigger church. The foundation stone of the new church was laid on 30 June 1852. The architect was James Joseph McCarthy and construction of the main church was completed in March 1858, but the original design of the upper portion of the tower and spire was never completed. The church was dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria on 30 June 1858.
James Joyce's first short story, The Sisters, concerns a former priest of St. Catherine's Church, Meath Street.
A small grotto was built on the grounds and dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. It was renovated and rededicated in 2000.
The church suffered damage from an arson attack in January 2012.
Gallery
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Inside the church.
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The altar before the fire of January 2012.
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The grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes.
See also
References
- ^ Short Histories of Dublin Parishes. Part IX. at www.chaptersofdublin.com
- ^ Dictionary of Irish Architects
- ^ Man charged over Liberties church fire
- ^ Irish Times - Man (48) charged with arson after fire at historic Dublin Church
External links
- Parish Website
- St. Catherine's on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage website
- Saint Catherine’s: the poor man’s Cheadle?