Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Other resources Dublin School of Architecture 2005-01-01 The Architecture of Dublin's Neo-Classical Roman Catholic Temples 1803-62 Brendan Grimes Technological University Dublin, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/bescharcoth Recommended Citation Grimes, Brendan: The Architecture of Dublin's Neo-Classical Roman Catholic Temples 1803-62. Doctoral Thesis. Dublin, National College of Art and Design, 2005. This Theses, Ph.D is brought to you for free and open access by the Dublin School of Architecture at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Other resources by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License The ARCHITECTURE of DUBLIN’S NEO-CLASSICAL ROMAN CATHOLIC TEMPLES 1803-62 In two volumes Volume 1 Text Brendan Grimes Dip. Arch., B.A., M.Litt. Ph.D. Submitted to the Faculty of History of Art and Design and Complementary Studies National College of Art and Design a recognised college of the National University of Ireland Supervisor: Dr Paul Caffrey September 2005 The ARCHITECTURE of DUBLIN’S NEO-CLASSICAL ROMAN CATHOLIC TEMPLES 1803-62 In two volumes Volume 2 Illustrations Brendan Grimes Dip. Arch., B.A., M.Litt. Ph.D. Submitted to the Faculty of History of Art and Design and Complementary Studies National College of Art and Design a recognised college of the National University of Ireland Supervisor: Dr Paul Caffrey September 2005 Declaration I delare that this thesis has not been submitted as an exercise for a degree at any other college or university, and that it is entirely my own work. I agree that the library of the National College of Art and Design may lend or copy the thesis only with my written permission for a period of three years from the date of lodgement. After three years (or earlier if I give notice in writing) the library may lend or copy the thesis without restrictions. Brendan Grimes CONTENTS OF VOLUME 1 Abstract 4 Acknowledgments 5 Abbreviations 8 Glossary 9 Introduction 13 Chapter 1 BACKGROUND 23 Politics, culture, and architecture 19th century church buildings – attitudes to religion – chapels in 18th and 19th Dublin – observations of travellers – morality and architecture – architectural ambitions – expenditure on religious buildings – importance of location Chapter 2 A CHASTE AND SIMPLE ELEGANCE 36 The Pro-Cathedral Neo-classicism– architectural sources in Paris and Laugier’s theory of architecture – sources outside France - Saint-Phillipe-du- Roule the model for the Pro-Cathedral - ‘Who was P?’ –– sources for temple fronts - influence of the Pro-Cathedral - Our Lady of Mount Carmel Chapter 3 PATRICK BYRNE (c.1783-1864) 75 An architect of accomplishment Saint Paul’s – Saint Audoen’s Chapter 4 NEO-CLASSICISM AND THE T-PLAN 102 Three churches and two architects Adam and Eve’s, Saint Nicholas of Myra - Saint Andrew’s – James Bolger – John Leeson Chapter 5 ARCHITECTURE FOR A ROMAN EYE 137 The Church of Saint Francis Xavier The Gesù and the Church of Saint Francis Xavier – vaults - Notre-Dame-de-Lorette - Novitiate chapel, Monastery of the Christian Brothers, North Richmond Street 1 Chapter 6 CLERICAL INFLUENCE 153 Patrons and architecture Classical v Gothic - Archbishop John Troy – Archbishop Daniel Murray - Father Matthew Flanagan – Father Bartholemew Esmonde SJ – Father Peter Kenney SJ – Father Charles Aylmer SJ – Dr Michael Blake – Dr William Meagher – Our Lady of Refuge, Rathmines – The Three Patrons, Rathgar Chapter 7 CREATING ORDER 181 Planning the churches Charles Borromeo – control of entrances – segregation of classes – music Chapter 8 SPIRITUAL RESOURCES 207 Funding the churches Sources of money – methods of collecting – bequests – sale of vaults – contributions from Protestants – charity sermons – public dinners - donations of labour and time – hardships endured 2 Conclusion 242 Timeline 248 Appendix A 259 Notes and commentary on legislation which affected Catholics and church building (1697 to 1844) Appendix B 296 An account of the dispute between those who wanted to build the new church for Saint Andrew’s parish in Townsend Street and those who favoured a site in Westland Row as reported in the pages of the Freeman’s Journal Appendix C 307 A contemporary description of the finished Pro-Cathedral Appendix D 309 A description of Our Lady of Refuge, Rathmines, by its patron Dr William Meagher Appendix E 327 The leading article in the Irish Times, 20 March 1860, describing the ceremonies which took place around the laying of the foundation stone of the Church of the Three Patrons Sources 329 3 ABSTRACT This thesis examines the architecture of Dublin’s 19th century neo-classical Catholic churches. The period under examination starts in 1803 with the campaign to build a new church in the Archbishop’s parish for the Catholic inhabitants of the city. This church, which later became known as the Pro-Cathedral, was opened for worship in 1825, and completed 1841 with the building of its Greek Doric temple front. During this period work started on several more neo-classical churches.The first, after the Pro-Cathedral, was the Church of the Carmelite friary, Whitefriar Street, started in 1825. The series continued with Saint Nicholas of Myra, Francis Street (1829); Saint Francis Xavier, Gardiner Street (1829); Saint Andrew’s, Westland Row (1832); Adam and Eve’s, Merchants’ Quay (1834); Saint Paul’s, Arran Quay (1835); Saint Audoen’s, High Street (1841); and Our Lady of Refuge, Rathmines (1850). The Three Patrons of Ireland, Rathgar, which was completed in 1862, looks back for some of its inspiration to the Pro-Cathedral. It was also the last completed work of Patrick Byrne and his patron the Very Reverend Dr William Meagher, thus bringing to a close this phase of neo-classical architecture in Dublin. The architectural language used for the churches was determined by the patrons and architects and the thesis examines the influences which determined this language. The influences include international neo-classicism, Roman classicism, the Greek revival, and traditional building methods. Important influences on the Dublin churches from Paris are the late 18th century basilican plan and temple fronted churches. Patrick Byrne was pre-eminent among architects in sustaining the neo-classical tradition in Catholic church architecture in Dublin from the 1830s until his death in 1864, and an important part of the thesis is an assessment of his contribution. Among the clerical patrons Dr Meagher made a significant contribution to the style and form of his two churches. The thesis examines the nature of his considerable influence, and that of other patrons. To match the architectural ambitions of the patrons, sufficient money had to be provided. The thesis explains how the money was collected and the essential part the Catholic laity played in providing voluntary work and the funds, to build the churches. *** 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My first acknowledgement is due to my supervisor, Dr Paul Caffrey, who first suggested to me that the Dublin neo-classical churches merited study. Throughout the work Dr Caffrey helped me with contacts and advice. Professor John Turpin was ever ready with support and encouragement when needed. Dr Edward McParland, Trinity College Dublin, took an interest in the work and was generous with his scholarship, advice, help, and encouragement. Dr Christine Casey, University College Dublin (UCD) was especially helpful to me by answering my numerous questions over an extended period, helping me with sources, and giving me valuable information. At an early stage of my research Dr Eileen Kane, UCD, devoted an entire afternoon to helping me with her scholarship, advice, and encouragement. Dr Frederick O’Dwyer, Dr Roderick O'Donnell, Professor Emmet Larkin, Dr Máire Kennedy, Dr Gerard Gillen, and Dr Joseph McDonnell all took time to listen to my questions and all responded with information and advice. I am grateful to the Vice-Rector Father Albert McDonnell of the Pontifical Irish College who made the necessary arrangements for me to stay there, for a week in March 2004, where I was made to feel very much at home by the Rector, Monsignor Liam Breslin, and by all the staff and seminarians. Monsignor John Hanly, archivist of the Irish College, not only gave me all the help I needed to use the archive, but he also introduced me to other archives in Rome together with good advice as to where I should best direct my research. 5 I am indebted to Lionel Britten, archivist, from the Mayor’s office in Paris for sending me plans of some of the Paris churches. At the Dublin Diocesan Archives I received a great deal of help from the archivist David Sheehy over an extended period. I am also grateful to the following archivists, librarians and others in libraries, archives and other repositories, in Dublin, who facilitated my research and studies: Father Hugh Fenning OP, Domincan Priory Tallaght; Teresa Whitington and Peter Costello, Central Catholic Library; Father Ignatius Fennessy, Franciscan library; Ann Hodge, Curator of Prints and Drawings, National Gallery of Ireland; Joanna Finnegan and Sandra McDermott, National Library of Ireland; Andrew Kavanagh, architect; Fintan Keenan, Scott Tallon Walker, architects; Mark Leonard, W.H. Byrne & Son, architects; Angela O'Connell, Rathmines library; Peter Cahalane, librarian, Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Bolton Street, and his staff; Reverend Dr Fergus O'Donoghue SJ, Irish Jesuit Archive; Dr Muriel McCarthy and Ann Simmonds, Marsh’s Library; Siobhan O'Rafferty, Royal Irish Academy; David Griffin, Ann Martha Rowan, and Simon Lincoln, Irish Architectural Archive; Brother Leo Judge, Brother Tom Connolly, and Noelle Dowling, Allen Library, Christian Brothers House, North Richmond Street; Jonathan Armstrong, King’s Inns Library.