Survey Data
Reg No
50010228
Rating
National
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Artistic, Historical, Scientific, Social, Technical
Previous Name
Dublin Metropolitan Catholic Chapel
Original Use
Church/chapel
In Use As
Cathedral
Date
1810 - 1930
Coordinates
315978, 234795
Date Recorded
05/12/2011
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding stone-built Greek Revival Catholic cathedral, built 1814-25, on cruciform plan with pedimented portico. Possibly designed by John Sweetman, with involvement of John Taylor and George Papworth. Altered and extended c.1835, c.1840, c.1857 and c.1928. Roof concealed by coursed granite ashlar parapet walls with replacement metal rainwater goods breaking through to re-entrant angles. Single-span pitched slate roof with ridge running east to west, interrupted in centre by large copper clad dome on octagonal base. Roof bowed to west apse with hipped slate roofs to four corner pavilions and later accretions. Deep moulded Portland stone cornice to base of parapet spanning front and side elevations with mutules and guttae having frieze below enriched with triglyphs and metopes, plain to pavilions. Coursed squared granite ashlar walls with platband at sill level, squared coursed calp limestone to rear elevation only. Prostyle hexastyle Greek Doric portico executed in Portland stone with fluted columns on raised granite plinths and full-span pediment surmounted by three statues by Thomas Kirk, added c.1845. Central double-height square-headed door opening with moulded granite architrave surround, double-leaf flat-panelled wood-grained timber doors and overpanel. Door opening flanked by marble water fonts set into walls with further square-headed door opening to either side with moulded architrave surrounds and double-leaf flat-panelled wood-grained timber doors with incorporated lights. Doors opens onto granite-paved stylobate with seven granite steps with entire east and south railed areas paved to height of raised plinth wall. Square-headed blind window to both cheeks of portico with architrave surrounds and entablature. All four projections have pedimented tripartite window opening executed in Portland stone with Doric columns fronting stone mullions, twelve-over twelve-pane timber sliding sash windows to southeast and northwest projections and fish-scale leaded stained glazing to southwest projection. Colonnaded central wing to east elevation has granite ashlar walls and five square-headed window openings with fish-scale leaded stained glass flanked by engaged fluted Portland stone Doric columns supporting Portland stone Doric entablature and parapet wall with corresponding squat piers. To central bay of colonnade is advanced granite doorcase with architrave surround, decorative frieze and cornice and double-leaf timber panelled doors. Informal rear elevation has voussoired segmental-headed recess containing tripartite window opening with granite mullions surmounted by console brackets supporting lintel cornice and having leaded stained glazing. Recessed door opening with granite surround and flight of granite steps with double-leaf timber panelled doors and wrought-iron gate. Rear elevation extends to north as single-storey granite accretion with further two-storey block having Diocletian window openings. Front and south side elevations are enclosed to street by decorative wrought and cast-iron railings and set on raised granite plinth with scrolled iron panels surmounted by crucifixes and matching iron gates. Apsidal-ended colonnaded basilica-plan interior with central raised altar below dome, side aisles and ambulatory. Principal entrance porch to east with organ gallery above (1893, dedicated to James Joseph Cunningham) supported by two slender Corinthian columns and with ornate floral balustrade and brass handrail. Decorative mosaic tiled flooring to nave and side aisles and marble flooring to altar. To southwest is parish office, with sacristy to northwest. Front of altar table carved by Peter Turnerelli in 1825 depicting pair of kneeling angels. Ambulatory contains two altars: Sacred Heart (on north side) and Blessed Virgin (on south side), dating from eighteenth century from former church on Liffey Street. Side altars to aisles dedicated to Saint Joseph (north aisle) and Saint Laurence O'Toole (south aisle) are restrained Corinthian marble aedicules of 1861 by J. Lyons. Cylindrical timber pulpit placed in north aisle, raised-and-fielded timber confessional boxes also to north aisle. Timber pews with carved panels to backs and sides. Side aisles have painted plaster walls with engaged pilasters supporting deep cornices. Nave has compartmentalised barrel-vaulted plaster ceiling with ornate beaded frames to compartments. Towards western end to fore of chancel ceiling opens up as coffered dome with lantern and rests on large rounded arches with Diocletian windows and painted details to spandrels depicting four Evangelists. Chancel area half-domed and decorated with Ascension into Heaven in relief. Side aisles and ambulatory have flat compartmentalised ceilings with floral details to beams.
Appraisal
This Greek Revival cathedral was conceived before Catholic Emancipation (1829) and was built on the site of Annesley House to replace Saint Mary's Catholic Chapel in Liffey Street. The brainchild of Archbishop John Thomas Troy (1739-1823), who laid the foundation stone on 28th March 1815, the intention was to reinstate a Catholic cathedral in Sackville Street [O'Connell Street] but this was largely resisted by the predominantly Church of Ireland community. The design is believed to be modelled on French basilicas including Église Saint-Philippe-du-Roule (1774-84) in Paris. The design of the cathedral has been attributed to John Sweetman (1752-1826) with many notable architects making later contributions including Richard Morrison (1767-1849), John Benjamin Keane (d. 1859), John Bourke (d. 1871), George Papworth (1781-1855), George Coppinger Ashlin (1837-1921) and finally Ralph Henry Byrne (1877-1946) in 1928. Squeezed into a restricted corner site on a narrow street, the grand portico and elaborate interior set a precedent for Catholic church building throughout Ireland. The fine stone work of the exterior is matched by a robust Greek Revival interior complete with central dome and an impressive colonnade encircling the central chancel. The cathedral constitutes one of the great neoclassical buildings in the city. Saint Mary's Catholic Pro-Cathedral has been the focal point of the Catholic community in Dublin ever since its dedication ceremony was carried out on 14th November 1825 and was the venue for the requiem mass (29th August 1922) of Michael Collins (1890-1922) following a procession from City Hall 'through streets thronged with thousands of mourning spectators...some occupying the windows of the buildings overlooking the streets' and the state funeral (2nd September 1975) of former Taoiseach and President Éamon de Valera (1882-1975).