St. Peter's Church, Aungier Street, Dublin
Encyclopedia
St. Peter's Church was a former Church of Ireland
parish church located in Aungier St. in Dublin, Ireland
, where the Dublin YMCA
building now stands. It was built on land that formerly belonged to the Whitefriars
in Dublin. It served the largest Church of Ireland parish in Dublin.
is named) and for the use of lepers, was built nearby, and its clergy also administered to the parishioners of St. Peter's. The Whitefriars were dissolved by Henry VIII in the 16th century and their lands forfeited by the Crown during the Reformation
.
In 1625 Sir Francis Aungier obtained a grant to the Whitefriars' estates. A later Francis Aungier (created Earl of Longford) started developing the area and while building Aungier Street in 1677 also contributed to the building of the church, which was completed in 1685. The church took the place of the two older churches, both falling into ruin.
The new St Peter's was enlarged in 1773 and rebuilt in the Gothic style in 1867, retaining only the nave walls of the original church. At the time it was the largest Church of Ireland parish church in Dublin. The church was demolished in 1983.
In the 19th century charity sermons were delivered in the church by guest preachers. The most famous of these at the church was the Rev. Walter Blake Kirwan (1754–1805). For a number of years he managed to raise over £4,000 per annum for charity, in addition to donations of jewellery, watches and other items which parishioners overcome with emotion spontaneously threw into the collection plate.
community. The churchyard continued in use until about 1883.
After the church was closed the churchyard was taken over by W & R Jacob's
biscuit factory as a recreation ground for its staff. When the land was developed in the 1980s the remains of the Huguenots were transferred to Mount Jerome cemetery
. In December 2000 planning permission was granted to the YMCA
by Dublin Corporation to erect a hostel at the site.
Among the notable people buried in St. Peter's Churchyard were the Earl of Roden
and several members of his family, along with a great number of bishops and other dignitaries. Also interred there are the Dunboyne family and the notorious Black Jack Fitzgibbon, Earl of Clare
and Lord High Chancellor of Ireland.
, the new parish of St. Peter in 1680 consisted of the old parish, the whole of St. Kevin's, almost all St. Stephen's and a good part of St. Bridged's
. Due to the large size of the parish, several chapels-of-ease were required to administer it. These included St. Kevin's
in Camden Row, St. Stephen's in Mount St. and several others. The parish corresponded to the civil parish of St. Peter's.
(son of the Duke of Ormonde), Lady Antrim
and Lord Merrion and Lieutenant-general Archibald Hamilton, who fought at the Siege of Derry
, in 1688.
William Molyneux
resided just behind the church in Peter's Place.
The novelist Charles Robert Maturin (1780–1824) was born in Dublin of a Huguenot family. In 1805 he became curate of St Peter's, where he remained until his death.
The church was the parochial church of the family of Robert Emmet
and family members, notably Emmet's grand-nephew Dr. Thomas Addis Emmet, believed that Emmet was reburied in the family vault in St Peter's. According to this story, which was independently shared by the Hammond family, friends of the Emmets, the interment of Mary Anne Holmes around 1804 was used to secretly transfer Emmet's body from St. Michan's Church
with the help of the Rev Thomas Gamble, who ministered in St Michan's.
The barrister John Connellan Deane, son of the prominent architect Thomas Deane
, was married in the church in 1839; he died at Posillipo
in 1887 and was buried in the English Cemetery, Naples
.
Owen Connellan
, writer, antiquarian and Professor of Celtic Languages and Literature at Cork, who had a house in Emor Street. His daughter Catherine was married in the church.
George Bernard Shaw
attended St. Peter's parish school in Camden Row.
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...
parish church located in Aungier St. in Dublin, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, where the Dublin YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
building now stands. It was built on land that formerly belonged to the Whitefriars
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Carmelites is a Catholic religious order perhaps founded in the 12th century on Mount Carmel, hence its name. However, historical records about its origin remain uncertain...
in Dublin. It served the largest Church of Ireland parish in Dublin.
The church
The land of the Whitefriars, who arrived in Dublin the 12th century, took in what was probably a pre-Viking Irish monastic settlement. A small church, dedicated to St. Peter (St. Peter del Hille), was built in 1280 near present-day Stephen St. Later a hostel and church, dedicated to St. Stephen (after which St. Stephen's GreenSt. Stephen's Green
St Stephen's Green is a city centre public park in Dublin, Ireland. The park is adjacent to one of Dublin's main shopping streets, Grafton Street, and to a shopping centre named for it, while on its surrounding streets are the offices of a number of public bodies and the city terminus of one of...
is named) and for the use of lepers, was built nearby, and its clergy also administered to the parishioners of St. Peter's. The Whitefriars were dissolved by Henry VIII in the 16th century and their lands forfeited by the Crown during the Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
.
In 1625 Sir Francis Aungier obtained a grant to the Whitefriars' estates. A later Francis Aungier (created Earl of Longford) started developing the area and while building Aungier Street in 1677 also contributed to the building of the church, which was completed in 1685. The church took the place of the two older churches, both falling into ruin.
The new St Peter's was enlarged in 1773 and rebuilt in the Gothic style in 1867, retaining only the nave walls of the original church. At the time it was the largest Church of Ireland parish church in Dublin. The church was demolished in 1983.
In the 19th century charity sermons were delivered in the church by guest preachers. The most famous of these at the church was the Rev. Walter Blake Kirwan (1754–1805). For a number of years he managed to raise over £4,000 per annum for charity, in addition to donations of jewellery, watches and other items which parishioners overcome with emotion spontaneously threw into the collection plate.
The churchyard
The churchyard of St. Peter's was the final resting place of many members of the parish, which in the 19th century grew to be the largest Church of Ireland parish in Dublin. It was also used as a burial place by the HuguenotHuguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
community. The churchyard continued in use until about 1883.
After the church was closed the churchyard was taken over by W & R Jacob's
Jacob's
Jacob's is a brand name for several lines of biscuits and crackers. The brand name in the Republic of Ireland is owned by Jacob Fruitfield Food Group and in the United Kingdom it is owned under license by United Biscuits.-History:...
biscuit factory as a recreation ground for its staff. When the land was developed in the 1980s the remains of the Huguenots were transferred to Mount Jerome cemetery
Mount Jerome Cemetery
Mount Jerome Cemetery is situated in Harold's Cross on the south side of Dublin, Ireland. Since its foundation in 1836, it has witnessed over 300,000 burials...
. In December 2000 planning permission was granted to the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
by Dublin Corporation to erect a hostel at the site.
Among the notable people buried in St. Peter's Churchyard were the Earl of Roden
Earl of Roden
Earl of Roden is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1771 for Robert Jocelyn, 2nd Viscount Jocelyn. This branch of the Jocelyn family descends from the 1st Viscount, prominent Irish lawyer and politician Robert Jocelyn, the son of Thomas Jocelyn, third son of Sir Robert Jocelyn,...
and several members of his family, along with a great number of bishops and other dignitaries. Also interred there are the Dunboyne family and the notorious Black Jack Fitzgibbon, Earl of Clare
John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare
John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare PC , later known as Earl of Clare or Lord Clare, was Attorney-General for Ireland in 1783, then Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1789, in which capacity he was first promoted to the Irish peerage.He was a controversial figure in Irish history, being described...
and Lord High Chancellor of Ireland.
The parish
Due to the shortage of clergymen after the RestorationRestoration (Ireland)
The Restoration of the monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, the new parish of St. Peter in 1680 consisted of the old parish, the whole of St. Kevin's, almost all St. Stephen's and a good part of St. Bridged's
St. Bride's Church, Dublin
St. Bride's Church is a former Church of Ireland church located in Bride St., Dublin, Ireland.-The church:The original St. Bride's church was an ancient Irish church located south of the walls of Dublin, dating back to pre-Viking times, and dedicated to St. Bridget . It was located north-east of...
. Due to the large size of the parish, several chapels-of-ease were required to administer it. These included St. Kevin's
St. Kevin's Church and Cemetery
St. Kevin's Church , in St. Kevin's Park, Camden Row, Dublin, Ireland, is a church dating back at least as far as the 13th century, and was dedicated to Kevin of Glendalough.-The church:The church was first mentioned in historical annals in 1226...
in Camden Row, St. Stephen's in Mount St. and several others. The parish corresponded to the civil parish of St. Peter's.
Notable parishioners
Notable parishioners associated with St. Peter's when the church was built in the 17th century were the Cuff family (after whom Cuffe St. is named), who were relatives of the Aungiers, Lord ArranEarl of Arran
Earl of Arran is a title in both the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. The two titles refer to different places, the Isle of Arran in Scotland, and the Aran Islands in Ireland...
(son of the Duke of Ormonde), Lady Antrim
Earl of Antrim
Earl of Antrim is a title that has been created twice, both times in the Peerage of Ireland and both times for members of the MacDonnell family, originally of Scottish origins. This family descends from Sorley Boy MacDonnell, who established the family in County Antrim...
and Lord Merrion and Lieutenant-general Archibald Hamilton, who fought at the Siege of Derry
Siege of Derry
The Siege of Derry took place in Ireland from 18 April to 28 July 1689, during the Williamite War in Ireland. The city, a Williamite stronghold, was besieged by a Jacobite army until it was relieved by Royal Navy ships...
, in 1688.
William Molyneux
William Molyneux
William Molyneux FRS was an Irish natural philosopher and writer on politics.He was born in Dublin to Samuel Molyneux , lawyer and landowner , and his wife, Anne, née Dowdall. The second of five children, William Molyneux came from a relatively prosperous Anglican background...
resided just behind the church in Peter's Place.
The novelist Charles Robert Maturin (1780–1824) was born in Dublin of a Huguenot family. In 1805 he became curate of St Peter's, where he remained until his death.
The church was the parochial church of the family of Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
and family members, notably Emmet's grand-nephew Dr. Thomas Addis Emmet, believed that Emmet was reburied in the family vault in St Peter's. According to this story, which was independently shared by the Hammond family, friends of the Emmets, the interment of Mary Anne Holmes around 1804 was used to secretly transfer Emmet's body from St. Michan's Church
St. Michan's Church
St. Michan's Church, located in Church Street, Dublin, Ireland, is a Church of Ireland church.-Building:Built on the site of an early Danish chapel , the current structure dates largely from a reconstruction in 1686, but is still the only parish church on the north side of the Liffey surviving...
with the help of the Rev Thomas Gamble, who ministered in St Michan's.
The barrister John Connellan Deane, son of the prominent architect Thomas Deane
Thomas Deane
Sir Thomas Deane was an Irish architect. He was the father of Sir Thomas Newenham Deane, and grandfather of Sir Thomas Manly Deane, who were also architects.-Life:...
, was married in the church in 1839; he died at Posillipo
Posillipo
Posillipo is a residential quarter of Naples, southern Italy, located along the northern coast of the Gulf of Naples; it is called Pusilleco in the Neapolitan language.-Geography:...
in 1887 and was buried in the English Cemetery, Naples
English Cemetery, Naples
The English Cemetery, Il Cimitero degli Inglesi, or more correctly, Il Cimitero acattolico di Santa Maria delle Fede, is located near Piazza Garibaldi, Naples, Italy...
.
Owen Connellan
Owen Connellan
Owen Connellan was an Irish scholar who translated the Annals of the Four Masters into English in 1846.-Life:He was born in County Sligo, the son of a farmer who claimed descent from Lóegaire mac Néill, High King of Ireland in the fifth century. He studied Irish literature and obtained employment...
, writer, antiquarian and Professor of Celtic Languages and Literature at Cork, who had a house in Emor Street. His daughter Catherine was married in the church.
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
attended St. Peter's parish school in Camden Row.