Griffith Avenue Archives - THE CHURCH AND THE GRAVE

GRIFFITH AVENUE

The suburb of Marino was developed in 1924 when Dublin Corporation decided to build a revolutionary type of housing in the area of Fairview. This represented a radical departure for the Corporation of that time, and created a unique development of housing and roads in a previously rural environment.

The estate lands of Lord Charlemont formed part of the first phase of development, and eventually both the Charlemont and Croydon estates formed the Parish of Marino as we know it today.

All that now remains of the former rural landscape is the exquisite Casino, an 18th century architectural gem, set to the rear of Marino Church. I will photograph the Casino next week, all going well.

The Church Of St.Vincent De Paul, Marino was completed in 1928 on the old Charlemont estate, on the initiative of the Very Rev.John Flanagan P.P, of Fairview parish to which the new suburb belonged. The foundation stone of the Church of St. Vincent de Paul was laid on 2nd May, 1926, and it was consecrated on the 7th. October by Dr.Edward Byrne, Archbishop of Dublin.

DRUMCONDRA AREA OF DUBLIN

Corpus Christi Catholic Church is floodlit at night, serving as an easily recognisable landmark for Drumcondra; its green copper dome can be seen from many parts of the city.

The 1920’s and early 1930’s had seen a huge rise in the development of Drumcondra with almost 400 extra houses built during that time. Griffith Avenue was built originally to house civil servants (including military personnel). Corpus Christi National School, which shares the grounds with this church, was built in 1931.

Rev. J. Dwyer commissioned a new ‘modernised Romanesque’ church, to accommodate nearly 1,600 to be built on Griffith Avenue (between Clare Road and Valencia Road) at a cost of IR£70,500. The foundation stone was laid in Sep or Oct 1939, and the Church of Corpus Christi was dedicated June 1941.

There were wooden gates at the point where the nave of the church met the transepts. These were in place to separate the classes (upper Drumcondra – north of Home Farm Road, and lower Drumcondra – south of Home Farm Road). This segregation was also applied in Corpus Christi National school until the mid-1970s.

Griffith Avenue

ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHURCH MARINO

CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH ON GRIFFITH AVENUE