protected structure Archives - THE CHURCH AND THE GRAVE

2017 LEGACY PHOTO COLLECTION BY WILLIAM MURPHY

St Anthony’s Church on Clontarf Road (and what was once Clontarf Town Hall)

Many are familiar with Saint Anthony’s Church on Clontarf Road, but fewer realise that the current parish church is actually situated behind an older building, a structure that once served as the town hall.

St Anthony’s parish, Clontarf, was formed in 1966 when it separated from the historic Parish of Clontarf. The parish, located in the Fingal South East deanery of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin, is served by a Church of St Anthony of Padua, built in 1975.

This modern church succeeded an older building of the same name which initially served as a chapel-of-ease. This older church, a protected structure, had previously been the Town Hall for Clontarf during the brief period when the district was incorporated as a town under the control of local Commissioners.

The parish encompasses the part of Clontarf from the junction of Howth Road with Clontarf Road, extending south of the Parish of Killester and then dividing the district along the line of Castle Avenue. This area includes the Garda station, a secondary retail area, and localities such as Seafield.

Interestingly, within the parish bounds, there was once a holy well, named for either St. Philip or St. Dennis. Located in the vicinity of The Stiles Road, this well is no longer visible.

St Anthony’s Hall: A Building with a Rich History

St Anthony’s Hall, previously known as St Anthony’s Parish Church (Irish: Eaglais Pharóiste Naomh Antaine) and, before that, Clontarf Town Hall (Irish: Halla an Bhaile Cluain Tarbh), is a former ecclesiastical building and, even earlier, a municipal building on Clontarf Road. Today, it serves as a parish hall for St Anthony’s Parish Church.

From Town Hall to Place of Worship

The township of Clontarf appointed town commissioners in 1869 following significant population growth, partly due to the area’s popularity as a tourist destination and its development as a residential suburb of Dublin. In the early 1890s, the town commissioners decided to erect a town hall. The site they selected on the north side of Clontarf Road was generously donated by the local landowner, Colonel Edward Vernon, whose seat was at Clontarf Castle.

The new building, designed in the Gothic Revival style by William George Perrott, was constructed in red brick by Robert Farquharson and completed in 1896. The design featured a gabled main frontage facing onto Clontarf Road. The side elevations, each with six bays, were fenestrated by pairs of lancet windows and flanked by buttresses.

In 1899, the town commissioners were replaced by an urban district council, and the building on Clontarf Road briefly served as the meeting place of the new council. However, the town hall ceased to be the local seat of government in 1900 when the urban district was annexed by the City of Dublin.

A Hub of Republican Activity

The Irish republican, Michael McGinn, became caretaker of the town hall in 1901 and also keeper of the town hall library, which was established in the building in 1902. He played a crucial role in facilitating meetings of the supreme council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood at the town hall. It was at one such meeting in January 1916 that the supreme council agreed to a proposal from Seán Mac Diarmada that a rebellion should proceed “at the earliest date possible”. At this same meeting, the leader of the Irish Citizen Army, James Connolly, was persuaded to join the rebellion. On 16 April 1916, another republican, Paddy Daly, was questioned in the town hall about his proposal to destroy the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park. The Easter Rising went ahead a week later.

The town hall, which had already started showing silent films, reopened after the First World War as a picture theatre in December 1919. After Michael McGinn’s death, his wife, Catherine, became caretaker and provided accommodation for republican leaders during the Irish War of Independence.

From Civic Building to Sacred Space

The building was converted into a chapel of ease in 1926. The main frontage facing onto Clontarf Road was refaced in rusticated granite. The new facing featured an arched doorway, dressed with an ashlar granite architrave and enhanced with a carved shield in the tympanum. The entrance was flanked by two small arched windows, and there was a tripartite mullioned window on the first floor.

The building became a parish church in its own right, as St Anthony’s Parish Church, in 1966. After a modern Catholic church was built for the parish just to the north in 1975, the original building was converted for use as the parish hall for the area and became known as St Anthony’s Hall. The former presbytery at the back of the hall was demolished in 1998.

43 DUBLIN STREET IN CARLOW

My understanding is that the Government is planning to use this building for social housing. Extract from official statement: “As the Capuchin Centre is available for immediate use, it will be used to address the needs of families. This is one of a number of premises that will change use as a result of this shortage.”

The building at 43 Dublin Street in Carlow stands as a testament to the town’s layered history. Its architectural makeup reveals a fascinating blend of eras: a fine early Victorian three-story structure seamlessly integrated with an older complex from around 1740. The building’s protected status underscores its historical significance, ensuring the preservation of its many original features.

The property enjoys frontage onto Dublin Street with side access also from Coxes Lane which runs from Dublin Street to the Barrow Track (along the river Barrow). Adjoining the rear boundary of the property is Barrow Track public car park. Accommodation includes 7 x ensuite bedrooms, capable of immediate occupation, together with large sitting room, separate large dining room, kitchen, former chapel (direct access from Dublin Street), stores and outbuildings.

Until its closure in 2022, it served as Carlow’s Capuchin Friary. This extensive property encompassed not only residential quarters for the friars but also a dedicated chapel and tranquil walled gardens, creating a self-contained spiritual and living space.

The Closure and Broader Context

The closure of the Capuchin Friary in Carlow is part of a wider trend observed in Ireland in recent years. Numerous religious institutions, including monasteries and friaries, have shuttered their doors. This phenomenon can be attributed to several interconnected factors:

Declining Vocations: A significant decrease in the number of individuals entering religious life has led to a shortage of priests and religious personnel. This has made it increasingly challenging to sustain the operation of these institutions.

Aging Religious Communities: Many religious communities are grappling with an aging population, with fewer younger members to replace those who retire or pass away.

Financial Constraints: Maintaining large, often historic, buildings can be financially burdensome. Coupled with decreasing donations and income, many institutions find it difficult to keep up with maintenance and operational costs.

Shifting Societal Attitudes: In recent decades, Ireland has experienced a shift in societal attitudes toward religion, with a decline in church attendance and religious observance. This has impacted the support base for religious institutions.