St Peter's Church, Phibsborough, Dublin
# St Peter's Church, Phibsborough, Dublin

St Peter's Church is a large Roman Catholic church located in Phibsborough, in the north of Dublin.

## History

In the early 19th century, Phibsborough was a crime-ridden suburb home to many families living in poverty. Ultimately, the concern for the children of Phibsborough resulted in the founding of a Catholic school in 1826. Two of the priests running this school, Rev. W. Young and Rev. W. Carroll, converted the top floor of the school into a chapel.

In 1838 the Vincentian order, under Dean Philip Dowley, took over the running of the church.

In 1843, new school buildings were built to house the growing number of students. The second floor of the old structure was removed and the chapels length was augmented, leaving it 123 feet (37 m) long and 35 feet (11 m) high. In 1907, work on the spire apparently commenced after Cardinal Moran of Australia commented on the lack of Catholic church spires in the Dublin skyline.

St Peter's Church is recognised as an important landmark in North Dublin. In 1984 Bernard Neary wrote:

   You could hardly be called a Dubliner if you hadn't heard of St. Peter's Church, Phibsborough. Standing proudly on Dublin's Northside, each stone of this noble landmark bears the story of hundreds of Irish people of many generations who dared to dream a dream.

## Decorative

St. Peter's is noted for its beautiful stained glass windows, particularly the west window and Harry Clarke's early masterpiece entitled The Adoration of the Sacred Heart. The window depicts, among scenes of the life of Jesus Christ, the adoration of the Sacred Heart with Ss. Mary Magdalene and John the Evangelist.

St. Peters is richly decorated with Gothic embellishments, such as gargoyles, pinnacles, bosses and columns made from Newry granite.

## Organ

The pipe organ, dating from 1910, is originally a Magahy instrument. The instrument was majorly rebuilt and refurbished between 1947 and 1949 by the Conacher organ company. At this time it was a very highly-regarded instrument. In 1952, Jeanne Demessieux gave a recital here.

### Specification Of The St. Peter's Organ

| Pedal | Great | Swell | Choir | Couplers |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 32' Harmonic Bass | 16' Double Diapson | 16' Lieblich Bourdon | 16' Contra Viola | Ch/Gt |
| 16' Open Diapason | 8' Open Dia. No.1 | 8' Small Open Dia. | 8' Open Diapason | Sw/Gt |
| 16' Violone | 8' Open Dia. No.2 | 8' Stop'd Diapson | 8' Viol D'Orchestre | Sw Sub-Octave/Gt |
| 16' Sub bass | 8' Open Dia. No.3 | 8' Echo Gamba | 8' Gedackt | Sw Octave/Gt |
| 16' Lieblich Bourdon | 8' Harmonic Flute | 8' Dulciana Celeste | 4' Viola | Sw/Ped |
| 8' Open Diapson | 8' Hohl Flute | 4' Principal | 4' Harmonic Flute | Gt/Ped |
| 8' Principal | 4' Principal | 4' Wald Flute | 2' Violin | Ch/Ped |
| 8' Cello | 4' Octave | 2' Fifteenth | 2' Harmonic Piccolo | Sw/Ch |
| 8' Bass Flute | 4' Concert Flute | Mixture III | 11⁄3' Larigot | |
| 4' Principal | 22⁄3' Twelfth | 8' Oboe | Mixture III | |
| 4' Flute | 2' Fifteenth | Tremulant | Mixture II | |
| 16' Bombarde | Mixture III | 8' Harmonic Trumpet | 8' Cromorne | |
| 8' Trompette | 16' Trompette | Octave | Tremulant | |
| 4' Clairon | 8' Trompette | Sub Octave | 16' Trompette | |
| | 4' Trompette | | 8' Trompette | |
| | | | 4' Trompette | |
| | | | Choir Octave | |
| | | | Choir Sub Octave | |

## Gallery

* School and Chapel architecture in 1837
* A view of the nave taken from one of the transepts
* The centre aisle, looking towards the altar
* The decorative crossing in the Nave
* The organ as seen from the Sanctuary
* The pedal board of the St. Peter's Organ
* The Adoration of the Sacred Heart by Harry Clarke
* The elaborately carved tympanum above the main entrance
* A capital in the Nave
