On Thursday 21 January 2010 the thirteenth annual Sir John T. Gilbert Commemorative Lecture was held at Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street. The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Emer Costello, was chairman for the evening. City Librarian, Deirdre Ellis-King, welcomed the capacity audience and introduced the Lord Mayor.
The thirteenth lecture was given by Brendan Grimes, Dublin School of Architecture, D.I.T. Bolton Street. Brendan Grimes lecture, Commodious temples: Catholic church building in nineteenth-century Dublin, brought the audience on a fascinating tour of Dublin churches such as Saint Nicholas of Myra's, Saint Audeon's and Saint Francis Xavier's.
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Commodious Temples: Catholic church building in nineteenth-century Dublin
1. THE SIR JOHN T. GILBERT
COMMEMORATIVE LECTURE, 2010
Commodious Temples
Roman Catholic church building in nineteenth-century Dublin
Brendan Grimes
21 January 2010
2. Saint Patrick’s church, Waterford Interior
Photo: Brendan Grimes (1991) Photograph from Edward McParland, Public architecture in Ireland 1680-1760, Yale 2001
2
3. Saint Teresa’s, Clarendon Street (1793) Saint Teresa’s chapel
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2010) Source: Ordnance survey map 1838-47
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4. Saint Mary’s, Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough Street Saint Nicholas of Myra, Francis Street Saint Andrew’s, Westland Row
Saint Francis Xavier, Upper Gardiner Street Saint Paul’s, Arran uay Saint Audoen’s, High Street 4
5. Saint Mary’s, Moorfields, London
(destroyed 1902)
Saint Mary’s, Pope’s uay, Cork S ourc e : John Britton, and
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009) Augustus Pugin, Illustrations of
public buildings in London, volume Cathedral church of Saint Mel,
Designed by Kearns Deane for the Dominicans and built in 2, London 1828 Longford
1832-9. is church with its handsome Ionic portico Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009)
overlooking the river was meant to raise the esteem Saint Mary’s (RC), Moorfields,
accorded to and felt by the Catholics of Cork. was designed by John Newman. Started in 1840 to the designs of John B.
e foundation stone was laid on Keane, this neo-classical church uses a
5 August 1817 and the building basilican plan similar in many respects to
completed in 1820. Saint Mary’s the plan of the Pro-Cathedral which
was well-known to contemporary Keane knew well having worked there
clerics and architects interested in for many years during the construction
church architecture. Behind the of the east portico.
altar was a painting of the e tower was added by John Bourke
crucifixion by Agostino Aglio lit and the portico was completed in 1893
by a hidden lighting source. e under the direction of George Ashlin.
same idea was used by Patrick
Byrne in Saint Paul’s, Arran uay. 5
6. Saint Mary’s, Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough Street Saint Nicholas of Myra, Francis Street Saint Andrew’s, Westland Row
Saint Francis Xavier, Upper Gardiner Street Saint Paul’s, Arran uay Saint Audoen’s, High Street 6
7. e ree Patrons of Ireland, Rathgar
Our Lady of Refuge, Rathmines
Adam and Eve’s, façade to Merchants’ uay 7
8. Saint Teresa’s, Clarendon Street (1793) Saint Teresa’s chapel
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009) Source: Google Earth - accessed 12 January 2009
1793-1810, architect Timothy Beahan
1865, south extension, east transept, architect John Bourke
1876, west transept & facade to Clarendon Street, architects O’Neill & Byrne
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9. Saints Michael and John, Blind uay, Dublin Saints Michael and John
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2004) Source: Desmond Guinness, Georgian
Dublin, London 1979
e church of Saints Michael and John was designed
by John Taylor in 1815 and built on the site of the
Smock Alley theatre incorporating some of the old
structure.
Saints Michael and
John
Source: Ordnance
survey map 1838-47
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10. Saint Michan’s, North Anne Street, Dublin
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009)
is is the oldest Catholic church in Dublin still
in use for its original purpose. e foundation Saint Michan’s, North Anne Street, Dublin
stone was laid in 1810 and the church opened
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2010)
for use in 1816. It was designed by O’Brien and
Gorman of whom little is known. 10
12. Saint-Philippe-du-Roule, Paris
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2003)
Designed by Jean-François-Chalgrin in 1764 and
built between 1774 and 1784.
e front façade has a tetrastyle Doric portico but
the columns have bases and are unfluted. e plan of
Saint-Philippe-du-Roule was copied or adapted for
many other basilican style churches including the
Pro-Cathedral.
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13. Saint-Philippe-du-Roule, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, Paris
Source: Direction des affaires culturelles, Paris. Original source not stated.
Saint-Philippe-du-Roule was designed by Jean-François-Chalgrin in 1764 and built between 1774 and 1784. As shown here, and as built,
there was no ambulatory behind the apse, as in the Pro-Cathedral. This was re-ordered in 1846 by Hippolyte Godde to the present plan
shown. This means that the apsidal arrangement in the Pro-Cathedral was not copied from Saint-Philippe-du-Roule.
13
14. Saint Mary’s, Pro-Cathedral Interior from organ gallery Saint-Philippe-du-Roule, Paris
Source: Irish Architectural Archive reproduced in Michael Photo: Brendan Grimes (2003)
MacCarthy, ‘Dublin’s Greek Pro-Cathedral’, in James Kelly &
Dáire Keogh, History of the Catholic diocese of Dublin, Dublin There are 22 free standing Ionic columns inside. The
2000 interior is lit by three windows in each aisle and two
high level windows over the embryonic crossing.
This photograph was taken before the altar rails and the rails As built originally there was no ambulatory behind the
dividing the nave from the aisles were removed but after the apse and the apsidal columns were engaged in a wall
south portico was filled in. with niches. This was re-ordered in 1846 by Hippolyte
Godde who also built the Chapelle de la Vierge and
introduced the windows into the vault
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15. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, York Row
Source: G. N. Wright, Ireland illustrated om the original drawings of G. Petrie, Esq. and others, London 1840
e first stone was laid on 25 October 1825 by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Daniel Murray. It was raised by
the exertions, and under the superintendence of the Prior of the Order, the Very Reverend John Spratt and
solemnly consecrated by Dr Murray, on 11 November 1827.
Note the rail dividing the congregation according to class. e wealthy part of the congregation are nearest the
altar and have seats and the poor have to stand or kneel on the floor at a distance from the altar.
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16. Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2005)
In 1844 the church was extended to the north and part of
Papworth’s original church was incorporated into the
south aisle (shown here). In 1859 the church was altered
and added to by J. J. McCarthy. In 1951 the High Altar
was moved from the East to the West end. e original
classical altar surround has been removed.
Chapel of the Carmelite friary
Source: Ordnance survey map 1864
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17. Saint Nicholas of Myra, Francis Street
Source: Dublin Penny Journal, 29
December 1832
Designed by John Leeson and started in
1829. A similar engraving showing the
church and part of the presbyteries is
reproduced in the Catholic Penny
Magazine, I:11, 26 April 1834. e
design was not fully realised; the spire
was omitted and only one of the
presbyteries was built.
17
18. Saint Nicholas of Myra, Francis Street
18
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009)
19. Saint Nicholas of Myra, Francis Street (1829)
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Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009)
20. Saint Nicholas of Myra, Francis Street (1829)
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Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009)
21. Saint Nicholas of Myra, Francis Street
Angels by Francesco Pozzi
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2004)
21
22. Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, Paris (1823), architect
Hippolyte Lebas
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2003)
Saint Francis Xavier, Upper Gardiner Street (1829), architect John B. Keane
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009)
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23. Saint Francis Xavier Saint Francis Xavier
Photo: National Library of Ireland R1190
Source: National Library of Ireland, reproduced in Maureen Ryan,
‘Roman opulence in a Dublin church: the high altar of St Francis is photograph, taken in the early 1900s shows a richly furnished
Xavier’s’, Irish Arts Review yearbook 1998, XIV, 33-9. and painted interior. Note the gated railings in the nave at the
crossing. e original altar rails were made of carved wood, but
is engraving was published in 1832 and shows the church before these were replaced with Victorian marble rails (seen here) which in
the extension of the apse, and the insertion of the confessionals e their turn were removed.
same engraving was reproduced on the title page of the Catholic Penny
Magazine, I:3, 1 March 1834.
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31. Saint Andrew’s
Source: St Andrew’s Catholic Annual, 1933-4
e rails to segregate the congregation have since been removed, as has
the pulpit, some of the fittings from the altars, and the suspended
lighting. Note the ample space provided in the nave for standing room.
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32. Adam and Eve’s
Adam and Eve’s, Merchants’ uay
Source: Ordnance survey map 1864
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2009)
e transept is the only part of the interior that retains original work from
the 1830s by James Bolger
Adam and Eve’s
Source: Ordnance survey map 1838-47
32
33. Adam and Eve’s
Source: Franciscan Library, Killiney, reproduced in Peter
Costello, Dublin churches, Dublin 1989
is photograph was taken from the west balcony before the
apse was enlarged or the nave extended. Note the rails for
segregating the congregation and the north balcony. e
treatment of the sanctuary with its three pedimented altar
frames, the coved ceiling, lighting above the cornice, and the
Adam and Eve’s Façade to Merchants’ uay, Dublin
articulation of the wall surfaces is closely related to Bolger’s
Photo: Brendan Grimes (2004)
handling of the interior of Saint Andrew’s.
e original intention was to build an Ionic portico to Merchants’ uay.
It was not until the early 1860s that the Franciscans could afford to build
the façade which was designed by Patrick Byrne. e inspiration for the
façade comes from the architecture of 16th Italy.
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34. Dominican chapel, Denmark Street
Source: [Hugh Fenning], St Saviour's church Dublin: centenary 1861-1961, Dublin 1961
This classical façade was built by the Dominicans in 1835 as part of the re-modelling to their church which had
been built in 1780. The church was converted for use as a school when the Dominicans built their new church in
the 1860s in Dominic Street. The old church and its façade were demolished in the 1960s.
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36. Saint Paul’s Arran uay (1835), Catholic Penny Journal, 10 January 1835
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37. Saint Audoen’s, High Street
Source: Catholic directory (1844), between 388 and 389
It was intended to put statues of the apostles in the niches in the nave, but
they were never put in. Note the rail dividing the nave from the transept.
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40. Saint Audoen’s Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Saint-Symphorien de Montreuil Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou Saint-Denis-du-Saint-Sacrement Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle Saint-Philippe-du-Roule
Dr Brendan Grimes
School of Architecture
Dublin Institute of Technology
January 2010
41. brendan.grimes@dit.ie
The Directors of Irish Academic Press
cordially invite you to a reception to celebrate the launch of
Majestic Shrines and Graceful Sanctuaries
The Church Architecture of Patrick Byrne 1783–1864
Brendan Grimes
Speaker
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
To be held at
Saint Paul’s Church
Arran Quay
Dublin 1
on
Monday 25th January 2010
6-8 pm
The Church will also be open for guests to visit should they wish to do so
RSVP
Karen O Donoghue T: 01 298 9937 F: 01 298 2783 E: info@iap.ie