Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough
Encyclopedia
The United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough is a diocese
of the Church of Ireland
in the east of Ireland
. It is headed by the Archbishop of Dublin
who is also styled the Primate of Ireland
. The diocesan cathedral is Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
.
as well as at Finglas
, Glasnevin
, Rathmichael, Swords
, Tallaght
. Several of these functioned as "head churches" and the most powerful of all was Glendalough.
In the early church in Ireland, the church had a monastic basis, with greatest power vested in the Abbots of the major communities. There were bishops but not organised dioceses in the modern sense, and the offices of abbot and bishop were often comprised in one person. Some early "Bishops of Dublin," back to 633, are mentioned in Ware's Antiquities of Ireland but the Diocese of Dublin is not considered to have begun until 1038, and when Ireland began to see organised dioceses, all of the current Diocese of Dublin, and more, was comprised in the Diocese of Glendalough.
King of Dublin, Sitric, his son Godfrey
became Christian in 943
, and the Kingdom of Dublin first sought to have a bishop of their own in the eleventh century, under Sitric MacAulaf, who had been on pilgrimage to Rome. He sent his chosen candidate, Donat
(or Donagh or Donatus), to be consecrated in Canterbury in 1038, and the new prelate set up the Diocese of Dublin as a small territory within the walled city, over which he presided until 1074. The new diocese was not part of the Church in Ireland but of the Norse Province of Canterbury. Sitric also provided for the building of Christ Church Cathedral
in 1038 "with the lands of Baldoyle, Raheny and Portrane for its maintenance."
At the Synod of Rathbreasail
, convened in 1118 by Gillebert (Gilbert), Bishop of Limerick
, on papal authority, the number of dioceses in Ireland was fixed at twenty-four. Dublin was not included, the city being described as lying in the Diocese of Glendalough, but the Danish Bishops continued, still attached to Canterbury.
commissioned Cardinal Paparo to go to Ireland and establish four metropolitans, and at a general synod at Kells in 1152, Armagh, Dublin, Cashel, and Tuam, were created archiepiscopal sees. In a document drawn up by the then Archbishop of Tuam in 1214, the cardinal is described as finding both a bishop based in Dublin, who at the time exercised his episcopal office within the city walls only, and "He found in the same Diocese another church in the mountains, which likewise had the name of a city (Glendalough) and had a certain chorepiscopus. But he delivered the pallium to Dublin which was the best city and appointed that the diocese (Glendalough) in which both these cities were should be divided, and that one part thereof should fall to the metropolitan."
The part of North County Dublin known as Fingall was taken from Glendalough Diocese and attached to Dublin City. The new Archdiocese had 40 parishes, in deanaries based on the old senior monasteries. All dependence upon English churches such as Canterbury was also ended.
The second Archbishop
, from 1161 to 1179, was Saint Laurence O'Toole, previously Abbot
of Glendalough, who had previously been elected as Bishop of Glendalough but had declined that office. During his time in office, the presence of the Church grew in Dublin city (by 1170 there were six churches other than the cathedral within the walls) and religious orders from the continent came to Ireland (Augustinians, Dominicans, Franciscans and Carmelites had houses in Dublin, and the great convent of Grace Dieu
, near Donabate
, was an example of women's religious life and education). As part of this trend, Laurence installed a community of canons to minister according to the Aroasian Rule in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
, later known as Christchurch. The important house of Abbey of Saint Mary
was founded in Dublin at that time, first under the Benedictine
Rule, then passing to the Cistercians.
Not only was the Irish Church transformed in that twelfth century by new organisation and new arrivals from abroad, but Ireland's political scene was changed permanently by the coming of the Normans and the influence of the English Crown
.
Saint Laurence's successor was a Norman, and from then onward to the time of the Reformation in Ireland
, Dublin's Archbishops were all either Norman or English
.
In 1185, the Pope granted a petition to merge the Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough, to take effect on the death of the then Bishop of Glendalough. The union took effect in 1216, and the dioceses have remained merged ever since.
, the Church of England
was established by the state as the established church. Later, by decree of the Irish Parliament, a similar new body became the State Church
in the Kingdom of Ireland
. It assumed possession of most Church property (and so retained a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population remained faithful to the Latin Rite of Roman Catholicism, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church. They were obliged to find alternative premises and to conduct their services in secret. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the Church of Ireland or to Presbyterianism. In 1833, the two provinces of Dublin and Cashel were merged. Over the centuries, numerous dioceses were merged, in view of declining membership.
Diocese of Dublin
Parishes
Other entities
Diocese of Glendalough
Parishes
Other entities
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
in the east of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is headed by the Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
who is also styled the Primate of Ireland
Primate of Ireland
The Primacy of Ireland was historically disputed between the Archbishop of Armagh and the Archbishop of Dublin until finally settled by Pope Innocent VI. Primate is a title of honour denoting ceremonial precedence in the Church, and in the Middle Ages there was an intense rivalry between the two...
. The diocesan cathedral is Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
.
Early Christianity in Ireland
The broad Dublin area was Christian long before Dublin had a distinct diocese, with monasteries such as GlendaloughGlendalough
Glendalough or Glendaloch is a glacial valley in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is renowned for its Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St Kevin, a hermit priest, and partly destroyed in 1398 by English troops....
as well as at Finglas
Finglas
-See also:* List of towns and villages in Ireland* List of abbeys and priories in Ireland...
, Glasnevin
Glasnevin
Glasnevin is a largely residential neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland.-Geography:A mainly residential neighbourhood, it is located on the Northside of the city of Dublin . It was originally established on the northern bank of the River Tolka...
, Rathmichael, Swords
Swords, Dublin
Swords is the county town of Fingal in Ireland. It is about 13 km north of Dublin city centre and is part of its commuter belt.- History :...
, Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
. Several of these functioned as "head churches" and the most powerful of all was Glendalough.
In the early church in Ireland, the church had a monastic basis, with greatest power vested in the Abbots of the major communities. There were bishops but not organised dioceses in the modern sense, and the offices of abbot and bishop were often comprised in one person. Some early "Bishops of Dublin," back to 633, are mentioned in Ware's Antiquities of Ireland but the Diocese of Dublin is not considered to have begun until 1038, and when Ireland began to see organised dioceses, all of the current Diocese of Dublin, and more, was comprised in the Diocese of Glendalough.
The Danish Diocese of Dublin
Following a reverted conversion by one NorseNorsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
King of Dublin, Sitric, his son Godfrey
Gofraid mac Sitriuc
Gofraid mac Sitriuc , in Old Norse Guðrøðr Sigtryggsson, was King of Dublin. He was the son of Sihtric ua Ímair and a great-grandson of Ímar, founder of the Uí Ímair kindred which dominated much of the Norse-Gael and Scandinavianised parts of Britain and Ireland in the 10th century.Gofraid became...
became Christian in 943
943
Year 943 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Rebellion of the Zenete Berber tribe of the Banû Ifrân under Abu Yazid against the Fatimid dynasty ....
, and the Kingdom of Dublin first sought to have a bishop of their own in the eleventh century, under Sitric MacAulaf, who had been on pilgrimage to Rome. He sent his chosen candidate, Donat
Donat, Bishop of Dublin
Dúnán was the first bishop of Dublin, appointed under Dublin's Hiberno-Norse kings. He is known also as Donatus or Donat. The diocese was put on a regular basis, in 1028, at the request of Sigtrygg Silkbeard...
(or Donagh or Donatus), to be consecrated in Canterbury in 1038, and the new prelate set up the Diocese of Dublin as a small territory within the walled city, over which he presided until 1074. The new diocese was not part of the Church in Ireland but of the Norse Province of Canterbury. Sitric also provided for the building of Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
in 1038 "with the lands of Baldoyle, Raheny and Portrane for its maintenance."
At the Synod of Rathbreasail
Synod of Rathbreasail
The Synod of Ráth Breasail took place in Ireland in 1111. It marked the transition of the Irish church from a monastic to a diocesan and parish-based church...
, convened in 1118 by Gillebert (Gilbert), Bishop of Limerick
Bishop of Limerick
The Bishop of Limerick is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Limerick in the Province of Munster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it still continues as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of...
, on papal authority, the number of dioceses in Ireland was fixed at twenty-four. Dublin was not included, the city being described as lying in the Diocese of Glendalough, but the Danish Bishops continued, still attached to Canterbury.
The Reorganisation of the Church in Ireland, 1152
Then, in 1151, Pope Eugene IIIPope Eugene III
Pope Blessed Eugene III , born Bernardo da Pisa, was Pope from 1145 to 1153. He was the first Cistercian to become Pope.-Early life:...
commissioned Cardinal Paparo to go to Ireland and establish four metropolitans, and at a general synod at Kells in 1152, Armagh, Dublin, Cashel, and Tuam, were created archiepiscopal sees. In a document drawn up by the then Archbishop of Tuam in 1214, the cardinal is described as finding both a bishop based in Dublin, who at the time exercised his episcopal office within the city walls only, and "He found in the same Diocese another church in the mountains, which likewise had the name of a city (Glendalough) and had a certain chorepiscopus. But he delivered the pallium to Dublin which was the best city and appointed that the diocese (Glendalough) in which both these cities were should be divided, and that one part thereof should fall to the metropolitan."
The part of North County Dublin known as Fingall was taken from Glendalough Diocese and attached to Dublin City. The new Archdiocese had 40 parishes, in deanaries based on the old senior monasteries. All dependence upon English churches such as Canterbury was also ended.
The Early Archbishops
The founding Archbishop of the larger Dublin Diocese, consecrated at Lambeth, was Gregory, with the Bishops of Kildare, Ossory, Leighlin, Ferns, and Glendalough reporting to him.The second Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
, from 1161 to 1179, was Saint Laurence O'Toole, previously Abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Glendalough, who had previously been elected as Bishop of Glendalough but had declined that office. During his time in office, the presence of the Church grew in Dublin city (by 1170 there were six churches other than the cathedral within the walls) and religious orders from the continent came to Ireland (Augustinians, Dominicans, Franciscans and Carmelites had houses in Dublin, and the great convent of Grace Dieu
Grace Dieu Abbey
The Grace Dieu Abbey is an Augustinian abbey in County Dublin in Ireland. It was founded about 1190 by John Comyn to house an order of nuns, the Sisters of St. Augustine. It derived most of its income from lands at Lusk and Swords, County Dublin...
, near Donabate
Donabate
Donabate is a small suburban coastal town in Ireland, some 20 km north-northeast of Dublin City. The town is situated on a peninsula which it shares with the town of Portrane. This peninsula lies on Ireland's east coast, between the Rogerstown Estuary to the north and Broadmeadow Estuary to...
, was an example of women's religious life and education). As part of this trend, Laurence installed a community of canons to minister according to the Aroasian Rule in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
, later known as Christchurch. The important house of Abbey of Saint Mary
St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin
St. Mary's Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey located near Abbey Street in Dublin, Ireland. Its territory stretched from the district known as Oxmanstown down along the river Liffey until it met the sea. It also owned large estates in other parts of Ireland...
was founded in Dublin at that time, first under the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
Rule, then passing to the Cistercians.
Not only was the Irish Church transformed in that twelfth century by new organisation and new arrivals from abroad, but Ireland's political scene was changed permanently by the coming of the Normans and the influence of the English Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
.
Saint Laurence's successor was a Norman, and from then onward to the time of the Reformation in Ireland
Reformation in Ireland
The Reformation in Ireland was a movement for the reform of religious life and institutions that was introduced into Ireland by the English administration at the behest of King Henry VIII of England. His desire for an annulment of his marriage was known as the King's Great Matter...
, Dublin's Archbishops were all either Norman or English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
.
In 1185, the Pope granted a petition to merge the Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough, to take effect on the death of the then Bishop of Glendalough. The union took effect in 1216, and the dioceses have remained merged ever since.
Reformation
When the Church in England broke communion with the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
was established by the state as the established church. Later, by decree of the Irish Parliament, a similar new body became the State Church
State church
State churches are organizational bodies within a Christian denomination which are given official status or operated by a state.State churches are not necessarily national churches in the ethnic sense of the term, but the two concepts may overlap in the case of a nation state where the state...
in the Kingdom of Ireland
Kingdom of Ireland
The Kingdom of Ireland refers to the country of Ireland in the period between the proclamation of Henry VIII as King of Ireland by the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 and the Act of Union in 1800. It replaced the Lordship of Ireland, which had been created in 1171...
. It assumed possession of most Church property (and so retained a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population remained faithful to the Latin Rite of Roman Catholicism, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church. They were obliged to find alternative premises and to conduct their services in secret. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the Church of Ireland or to Presbyterianism. In 1833, the two provinces of Dublin and Cashel were merged. Over the centuries, numerous dioceses were merged, in view of declining membership.
Structure
The united entity comprises 95 parishes, many now operating in unions. The parishes and other religious organisations in diocesan jurisdiction include:Diocese of Dublin
Parishes
- BooterstownSt. Philip and St. James Church, BooterstownSt. Philip and St. James Church, Booterstown is a church of the Church of Ireland located in Booterstown, Dublin.-Beginning the Parish:The area of the parish of Booterstown was founded in 1821, where the area had previously been covered by the parish of Donnybrook.-Initial Building:The site of the...
(Mount Merrion was United with Booterstown) - Bray
- Castleknock
- Christ Church Cathedral Group of Parishes (St. Andrew, St. Werburgh with St Mary, St. Michan and St. Paul, and All Saints', Grangegorman)
- Clondalkin
- ClontarfChurch of Ireland Parish of ClontarfThe Parish of St. John the Baptist, the Church of Ireland Parish of Clontarf, Dublin is a religious community located on the north shore of Dublin Bay, bounded by the Parishes of North Strand to the west, Coolock to the north and Raheny to the east .The Parish Church is situated on , approximately...
, comprising also Killester for many centuries - CoolockParish of Coolock (Church of Ireland)The Parish of Coolock in the Church of Ireland was one of two successors to the ancient parish of that name, the other being the ongoing Roman Catholic parish.-Early years:...
, in Union with Raheny since 1960 - Crinken
- Crumlin
- Dalkey
- Donnybrook
- Drumcondra
- Dun Laoghaire
- Glenageary
- Holmpatrick (Skerries)
- Howth
- Kill
- Killiney (Ballybrack)
- Killiney, Holy Trinity
- Kilternan
- Malahide
- MonkstownMonkstown Church, DublinMonkstown Church is a church of the Church of Ireland located in Monkstown, County Dublin, Ireland.-History:The original church on this site was opened in 1789 and was a very simple church. In 1825 it was decided to rebuild the church and the architect John Semple of the Board of First Fruits was...
- RahenyParish of Raheny (Church of Ireland)The Parish of Raheny is the modern successor in the Church of Ireland to an early parish, in Raheny, a district of Dublin reputed to be a site of Christian settlement back to 570. Today's parish comprises Raheny village and the wider district, and is in a Union with the Parish of Coolock...
, in Union with Coolock since 1960 - Rathfarnham
- Rathmichael
- Rathmines
- Sandford
- Sandymount
- Santry
- St. Ann
- St. BartholomewSt Bartholomew's Church, DublinSt Bartholomew's Church, Dublin is a parish church in the Church of Ireland on the Clyde Road located in Ballsbridge, Dublin.-History:St Bartholomew's Church, Clyde Road, was consecrated in 1867...
- St. George and St. Thomas
- St. Patrick's Cathedral Group of Parishes (St. Catherine and St. James, St. Audoen'sSt. Audoen's ChurchSt. Audoen's Church is the church of the parish of St. Audoen in the Church of Ireland, located south of the River Liffey at Cornmarket in Dublin, Ireland. This was close to the centre of the medieval city. The parish is in the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. St. Audoen's is the oldest parish...
) - Stillorgan
- Swords
- Tallaght
- TaneyTaney ParishTaney is a populous parish in the Church of Ireland, located in the Dundrum area of Dublin.-Early history:Taney's origins go back to the early Irish saint Nathi, who in the 6th century established a centre for monastic life. This centre may have been on what is now the site of St. Nahi's Church in...
- Tullow
- Whitechurch
- Zion
Other entities
- Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght
- C.O.R E. (City Outreach through Renewal and Evangelisation)
- Church of Ireland Theological College
- CMSI Dublin
- General Synod Education Office
- Irish Church Missions
- Rathdown School
- St. Columba's College
- The King's Hospital
- University College, Dublin
- University of Dublin
Diocese of Glendalough
Parishes
- Arklow
- Athy
- Blessington
- Castlemacadam
- Celbridge
- Delgany
- Donoughmore
- Dunganstown
- Greystones
- Leixlip
- Narraghmore
- Newcastle
- Powerscourt
- Rathdrum
- Wicklow
Other entities
- East Glendalough School