Christ Church Catherdral

The earliest manuscript dates Christ Church Cathedral to its present location around 1030. The Cathedral was founded by Dúnán, the first bishop of Dublin and Sitriuc, Norse king of Dublin. Archbishop Laurence O’Toole, John Cumin who was the first Anglo-Norman archbishop, and the Anglo-Norman leader Strongbow (Richard de Clare) were all involved in building the Cathedral as we see it today. In 1562, the nave roof vaulting collapsed and destroyed the south nave. The Cathedral was restored to its current condition in the 1870s by the architect George Edmund Street. The crypt is the oldest surviving structure in Dublin and is one of the largest in Europe, extending the length of the cathedral. The Cathedral Choir traces its origins to 1493 with the founding of the choir school. In 1742 the Cathedral Choir, together with the choir of St Patrick’s Cathedral, sang at the world premiere of G. F. Handel’s Messiah in nearby Fishamble Street. Christ Church Cathedral holds the world record for the largest number of bells that are rung full circle. They can be heard several times a week, and, most famously, on New Year’s Eve.

Location:
Christ Church Place, Dublin 8.