History

Lore of Yore

Goat’s milk and mountain air – these were the remedies available in Dundrum to those in the final stages of recovery from illness. It is recorded that early in the nineteenth century fashionable invalids would arrive here on numerous jaunting cars to breathe the pure air and sample the restorative beverage.

Alas, due to extensive suburban traffic the air is no longer completely pure, and due to the absence of goats the beneficial beverage is difficult to find. But the place of the goat in local lore is likely to live on because of the district of ‘Goatstown’ within the parish – a constant reminder of its former fame due to the excellence of its breed of goat.

Dundrum is an exciting place to be at present. A great variety of developments are currently in progress: the construction of a new town centre incorporating a wide range of amenities, planning for the complete renovation of the Village of Dundrum, and the building of LUAS – a new Light Rail transport provision from the centre of Dublin.

In 1813 the first small Catholic Church was built here as a church of ease to Booterstown when Dundrum was part of that parish. It was replaced in 1878 by a more suitable building and it was then that Dundrum was constituted a separate parish. In 1943 Mount Merrion and Kilmacud were taken out of Dundrum and together became a new parish. In the meantime these have become two separate parishes.

In 1953 when a church was built in neighbouring Clonskeagh Mulvey Park was transferred from Dundrum to the new parish.

In 1956, due to the expanding population, a large extension to the church was built which doubled its capacity while blending harmoniously with it.

In 1974 Ballinteer was separated from Dundrum to become a new parish. In the final decades of the twentieth century Dundrum has continued to grow and is now a parish of three and a half thousand catholic families with a population of about twelve thousand parishioners.

Our church is the focal point on Dundrum’s main street. Built in Gothic style its walls are of Dublin granite, with dressings of Portland and Bath stone providing a stylish setting for its doors and windows.

Features within the church include pillars of polished Aberdeen granite with carved Portland stone capitals and bases. All the stained-glass windows are pleasing to the eye and uplifting to the heart.

One window, Our Lady of the Rosary by Michael Healy almost a century ago deserves special mention. The artist was educated at the Dublin School of Art and the Instituto de Bella Arte, Florence. A pioneer artist in the Irish stained-glass movement, an Túr Gloine , he collaborated with Sarah Purser and Harry Clark. He helped to raise stained-glass making to the highest level in Europe.

The Baptismal Mosaic by a contemporary artist, Laura O’Hagan, was erected to commemorate the Jubilee of the year 2000. Rich in baptismal symbolism – Spirit, light, colour, life, growth, journey, power, water, invitation - it greatly enhances our celebration of the sacrament.

Back to Top

Succession of Pastors Since 1616

List of Curates Since 1813

Dom Marmion

Inscriptions