St. Catherines RC Meath Street

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St Catherine's RC Chapel at Meath Street (opened in 1782) was an octagonal building, much smaller than the one we know today.

It was here that the Carmelite Friar Fr John F Spratt (1796-1871) champion of Dublin's poor, was baptised.

In the 1850s, the original buildings were demolished to make way for a bigger church.

St. Catherine of Alexandria, Meath Street

Designed by architect James Joseph McCarthy, the foundation stone of the new church was laid on 30 June 1852, and construction of was completed in March 1858. A small grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes can also be found on these grounds.

"The Sisters" in the short story series Dubliners by James Joyce, is about Father Flynn a former priest at this church. (In 1904, "The Sisters" was Joyce's first published work of fiction).

In January 2012, the church suffered extensive damage following an arson attack. It reopened in December 2013 and is still in use today.

FIND PARISH RECORDS: St. Catherine's, Dublin city, Dublin - Catholic Parish Registers