Enniskerry -Gateway to the Garden of Ireland

richard January 18th, 2007

Catholic Churches

The History of the Parish of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Parish of ‘The Immaculate Heart of Mary’ was created when the Parish Church ‘St. Mary’s’ was built in Enniskerry Village in 1859. The Parish includes the areas of Enniskerry and Kilmacanogue and all the Glencree Valley up to Glencree Village. This was formerly within the Parish of Bray.

The Parish has four churches as follows:

St. Mary’s Church in Enniskerry Village.

This is the Parish Church. Fr. Thomas O’ Dwyer built it in 1859. He was the first Parish Priest and was formerly the local Curate within the Parish of Bray. Prior to this date there was no Church in Enniskerry Village and Mass was celebrated in a barn that was made available by Mrs. Dixon. It was known as Dixon’s Barn.

St. Mochonog’s Church in Kilmacanogue Village.

This was built in 1824. It replaced the previous Church on this site. It is the oldest Church in the Parish in current use.

St. Kevin’s Church in Glencree Village.

The Oblate Community who ran the Reformatory School in the former Military Barracks in Glencree built in 1941. When the Oblate Community left Glencree, the church was vested in the Dublin Diocese and became a Church of the Parish.

St. Patrick’s Church in Curtlestown.

This was built in 1891. It replaced a previous Church that was built in 1824, and a Church also existed here prior to that date.

Mass times of the four churches:

St. Mary’s Parish Church: 9am, 11am – Sundays plus 8pm – Holydays

St. Kevin’s, Glencree: 9am – Sundays

St. Patrick’s, Curtlestown: 10am – Sundays

St. Mochonog’s, Kilmacanogue: 12 noon – Sundays and Vigil Mass at 8pm on Holydays

Contact Numbers:

Fr. John Sinnott P.P. (Enniskerry) 01 2863506

Fr. Owen Lynch C.C. (Kilmacanogue) 01 2862110

Parish Offices:

Enniskerry: (Margaret Blackbyrne) 10-1pm, Mon – Fri 01 2760030 E-mail – stmarysparishoffice@eircom.net

Kilmacanogue: (Joyce Townsend) 10-1pm, Mon – Fri 01 2021882

Church of Ireland

St. Patrick’s Church, Powerscourt Parish.

St. Patrick’s Church was consecrated in September 1863 and cost £3,441.9s.2d. It was the parting gift to the parish from the Marchioness of Londonderry who had been Lady Powerscourt until the death of her husband the sixth Viscount. The foundation stone had been laid in October 1857 by her son Mervyn, the Seventh Viscount, on his coming of age. The present Church replaced a smaller Estate Church beside Powerscourt House where Henry Grattan was Churchwarden for a time. The ruins of a third and earlier church may also be found on the hill above the drive leading to the Waterfall.

Much of the early history of the parish was interwoven with Powerscourt Estate and the tenant farmers who worked there and come mostly from Wales. But the sitting of the present Church outside the Estate marked a change as it took into account the growth of Enniskerry Village and the extending parish boundaries when in 1854 the railway came to Bray and brought increased mobility.

Spire:

The copper spire on the Church is one of only two in Ireland and the reason for the delay in the consecration of the Church. The proposed slated spire designed by the Architect John Norton of London was unacceptable to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Unfortunately the spire has not been trouble free. In 1929 the original wooden frame was replaced by a steel main frame at a cost of £1,300. Further repairs were carried in 1984 and 1987. Finally the Spring storms of 1993 whipped off some of the copper sheeting. As a result a total restoration had to be undertaken in 1996.

Times of Services: (St. Patrick’s Church Powerscourt)

Sunday 8.30am Holy Communion

Sunday 11.30am

1st: Holy Communion Two

2nd: Family Service & Coffee

3rd: Holy Communion Two

4th: Morning Prayer Two

5th: Morning Prayer One

Wednesday 10.00am Holy Communion & prayer for the sick

St. Brigid’s Church, Kilbride (Kilcroney, Bray)

Sunday 10.00am

1st: Holy Communion Two

2nd: Family Service & Coffee

3rd: Holy Communion One

4th: Morning Prayer Two

5th: Morning Prayer One

Note:  The liturgy of the church uses the Book of Common Prayer 2004.  In its usage the designation ‘One’ means traditional language while ‘Two’ means contemporary language.Contacts

Phone: 01 2863534

Email: rbrountree@eircom.net

• Comments(5)