Cathedrals and Churches
St. Patrick's Cathedral – dates from 1191, it is the largest church in Ireland. According to legend, the holy site where St. Patrick first baptized Irish converts. It is the national cathedral of the protestant Church of Ireland. Jonathan Swift, (Gulliver’s Travels) was the dean, and is buried in the cathedral. https://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/
Christ Church Cathedral Neo-Gothic cathedral on the site of an 11-century Viking church and overlooks the wood quay Viking settlement. Christ Church Cathedral is the Protestant Church of Ireland local Cathedral for the diocese of Dublin & Glendalough. https://christchurchcathedral.ie/
Saint Mary’s Pro-Cathedral – is the Catholic cathedral for Dublin. It dates from 1825, It was the first Catholic cathedral established in United Kingdom and Ireland after the protestant reformation. Even though Ireland was circa 90% Catholic, catholic churches are typically off the main streets and occupy less grand positions, St Mary’s is on Marlborough Street which runs parallel with O’Connell Street to the east. http://www.procathedral.ie/
Other churches
St. Michan’s Church, founded in 1095, present structure dates from 1685, renovated in 1825, has changed little since Victorian times. Below the church are five long burial vaults containing the mummified remains of many of Dublin’s most influential families from 1600 to 1800. In the vaults, guests can view the death mask of Wolfe Tone, full guided tours of vaults.
St. Audoen’s Church is the oldest church in Dublin, dates from 1190, but was built on a the site of a 7th century church
Whitefriar Church is the resting place of St. Valentine, the patron saint of love, was executed in Rome and buried there in the 3rd century. Much later, an Irish priest was granted permission to exhume his remains, and now his skeleton lies under this church.
St Theresa’s Church on Clarendon street was built between 1793 and 1808 and is the first Catholic parish built after the Roman Catholic Relief Act was passed in 1791. The church is un-embellished with a few sculptures by John Hogan, another highlight is Phyllis Burke’s seven stained glass windows. https://clarendonstreet.com/
St. Werburgh’s was built in 1178, shortly after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the town, and named after St. Werburgh, abbess of Ely and patron saint of Chester. In 1311, the church burnt to the ground and was rebuilt.
