saint marys church howth

Denomination : Church of Ireland
This is a functioning Church of Ireland Church.
Minister: Rev. Kevin Brew


The first church on the site was founded by Sigtrygg, King of Dublin, around 1042. But when, around 1235, the old church was amalgamated with the church on Ireland's Eye, a new church was founded by Luke, Archbishop of Dublin, and it was granted land by Sir Almeric St. Lawrence. Little remains of either of these two churches, and much of the present church is scarcely earlier than the late 14th or early 15th century.

While the church of 1235 was probably a long single-aisled church, the present church has two aisles, the southern one being the longer, and each aisle had a gable roof. some time later, probably during the course of the 15th century, the arches dividing the aisles were repaired and the twin-gable roof given up in favour of one single, but taller gable, and for this purpose the eastern and western gables were raised.

It was possibly at this period that the porch and south doorway were added. The tall arch in the west gable was added and the bell-cot raised above it late in the 16th century when the east window in the north aisle was also inserted.