Christ Church Cathedral Dublin

A jewel in Dublin, Christ church cathedral is a must for people to visit. The earliest document states that the Cathedral was in its current location as 1030 well before the Normans came to Ireland.

When English king Henry VIII split with Rome as in the rest of the Anglican world there was massive change. He abolished the Augustinian Holy Trinity priory. In 1562, the nave roof of the cathedral came down and Strongbow’s (Richard de Clere) tomb was destroyed and a replacement tomb was delivered from Drogheda. As a result of the collapse of the nave roof cathedral was severely damaged and major rebuilding started straight away. The major rebuild lasted for three hundred years and was only finished in the 1870’s! Christ Church got a new constitution in 1660 which, occasionally modified by the Church of Ireland’s general synod since 1870, is still the basis of governing the cathedral.

In the 17th century there was a period of turmoil as in 1689 King James II attended Catholic Mass in the Cathedral for some months and for a short time, the rites of the pre-Reformation Catholism came back. It did not last long as only just about a year later, when coming back victorious over James II from the Battle of the Boyne on 6 July 1690; the new King William III worshiped in the cathedral and thanked God for making him victorious over King James II and gave the cathedral a twin gold communion plates.

In 1742 the cathedral choir combined together with the choir of the sister Cathedral St Patrick’s sang in a great event of the world premiere of Handel’s Messiah in Fishamble Street, which is now part of Temple Bar.

As it now the cathedral is today could be described as a Victorian cathedral as there were extensive, changes, restorations and renovations (between 1871 and 1878) were over seen by the esteemed architect George Edmund Street The work was benevolent by the well known whiskey brewer called Henry Roe. Henry Roe contributed a massive sum in those days of £230,000, which would be worth around 40 million Euros in today’s money to maintain the cathedral.

In 1982 there was a two year full restoration of the cathedral stonework and roof. Kenneth Jones from Bray, who also rebuilt the organ in Christ Church Cathedral Waterford, installed a brand new organ in 1984.

A beautiful building and so peaceful it is used by many at any time of day for a quiet time and prayer.

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