The Jewel of Dublins churches Thursday 18 July 13 1 Thursday 18 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Jewel of Dublin’s churches

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} Original church dedicated to St

Werburgh built around 1190

} Destroyed by fire in 1301 } Rebuilt and repaired in 1607 } Enlarged in 1661 and rebuilt again in

1771

} Interior dates from 1759 } Present organ (still in use) installed in

1767

} Pulpit came from the Chapel Royal in

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} The original parish in Celtic and Danish times

was dedicated to St Martin of Tours and the church then stood a little south of this present building

} In the 16th and even 17th centuries, St

Werbugh’s church as we know it today had chapels of St Martin, St Catherine and Our Lady

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} Today, St Werburgh’s is part of the Christ

Church Cathedral Group of parishes with St Michan’s and All Saints’ Grangegorman.

} In total there are only 145 family units in the

“parish” with only a regular congragation here in St Werburgh’s of around 20 parishsioners.

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} All financial resources are shared equally

between the three churches and one can only imagine the enormity of the financial burden

• n such a small number of people to

maintain such old churches.

} In addition, while St Werburgh’s is a

wonderful, unique church building, our congregation is made up of parishioners

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} The current project of initial essential work is

costing the parish around ¢150.000

} The next project to secure the other windows

etc will be in the region of ¢100,000

} The third phase of complete re-wiring will

coast a further ¢250,000

} Floors and walls will then cost ???

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} The final decoration if it is to be done

correctly is anyone’s guess!!

} Apart from all this and even if such work was

never undertaken, the annual running costs

• f this magnificent church is in the region of

¢25-30,000 and that doesn’t count the clergy stipends or salaries!!

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} If as a parish, we sit back and do nothing, I

have no doubt, that there will be no alternative but to close the doors on this church for public worship

} If on the other hand, we join forces with

• ther groups such as Dublin Castle, the OPW,

Music Network and or others, then this church will have a remarkable future

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} A remarkable future, not just as a place of

worship, which would of course be its primary function, but also as a venue for such things as

} Exhibitions } Lectures } Concerts } Historical and cultural visits

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} As a parish, we already have the legal

template for a joint management group for a shared resource and we will no doubt hear more of how this can be achieved a little later when Eric Parry speaks to us on his work with St Martin in the Field, London

} This magnificent building can be preserved

as a worshipping church for generations to come.

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