St. Doulagh's Church
Encyclopedia
St Doulagh's Church, the oldest stone-roofed church still in use in Ireland
, is situated approximately 10 kilometres from Dublin city, just north of the hamlet of Balgriffin
. Its complex also comprises a stone pool-house and an octagnal baptistry, Ireland's only surviving standalone baptistry.
, the church and its assets came into the control of the Established church. The majority Roman Catholic population was obliged to conduct its services elsewhere in private accommodations. Since 1974, the church of the "Holy Trinity" has served the Roman Catholic parishioners of Donaghmede
, Clongriffin
and Balgriffin
.
There was a regular "pattern" held at the church until at least the 18th century.
St Doulagh's is now one of the two churches of the "United Parishes of Malahide
, Portmarnock
and St Doulagh's".
Along the stairway is the Prior's chamber, then the area where the clergy ate and slept.
A modern church was added in 1864, and consecrated in 1865.
Aside from the main church building, St Doulagh's features, in the field beyond the church, nearer the road, a low octagonal building, covering a spring, which was probably used as a baptismal font, feeding also an open-air pool with stone seating, all these in a sunken stone enclosure. Linked to this enclosure by a water channel is a stone pool-house, with a body of water called St Catherine's Pond.
The octagonal building is believed to have been a baptistry, the only surviving detached baptistry in Ireland, and the pool alongside may have been used for adult immersion.
The baptistry was repaired and supplied with fresco paintings of St. Patrick, St Doulagh, St. Bridget and St. Columcille, and others, by a resident of the vanished village of Feltrim, in 1609. The frescos were damaged by soldiers of Sir Richard Bulkeley of Dunlavin after the Battle of the Boyne
.
There is also a cross, of non-local granite, at the entrance.
/anchorite
. He is said to have lived isolated, in a cell attached to the church, and to have had had only minimal contact with the outside world. Anchoritism was a feature of the Celtic church and one of many interesting points of similarity between Ireland's early Christianity and the Eastern churches.
In the 19th century there was some dispute over the existence of St Doulagh some thinking that he was in fact the 10th century Viking god, Olave. However it is now known that he did exist. It was also thought that the actual church may have been built by Vikings but again it was proved due to the methods of construction that the Irish built it; the features of the church were not those of Viking structures.
The feast day of St Doulagh is November 17.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, is situated approximately 10 kilometres from Dublin city, just north of the hamlet of Balgriffin
Balgriffin
Balgriffin is a former rural, now largely residential, part of County Dublin, Ireland.-Location:Balgriffin is situated approximately from Dublin city centre...
. Its complex also comprises a stone pool-house and an octagnal baptistry, Ireland's only surviving standalone baptistry.
History and status
The oldest part of the church as it stands is medieval, dating from the 12th century, and believed to have been home to a small monastic settlement. However, according to studies on the site, Christian activity here dates back to the time of St. Patrick. Following the English ReformationEnglish Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
, the church and its assets came into the control of the Established church. The majority Roman Catholic population was obliged to conduct its services elsewhere in private accommodations. Since 1974, the church of the "Holy Trinity" has served the Roman Catholic parishioners of Donaghmede
Donaghmede
Donaghmede is a residential suburb of Dublin, in the province of Leinster, Ireland.-Location:Donaghmede is situated approximately to the north east of the Dublin city centre, and is in the constituency of Dublin North East...
, Clongriffin
Clongriffin
Clongriffin is a new locality in northern Donaghmede, Dublin, Ireland.-Name:The name Clongriffin is a modern invention, a concatenation of 'clon', the anglicisation of cluain and griffin...
and Balgriffin
Balgriffin
Balgriffin is a former rural, now largely residential, part of County Dublin, Ireland.-Location:Balgriffin is situated approximately from Dublin city centre...
.
There was a regular "pattern" held at the church until at least the 18th century.
St Doulagh's is now one of the two churches of the "United Parishes of Malahide
Malahide
Malahide is a coastal suburban town, near Dublin city, located in the administrative county of Fingal, within the traditional County Dublin, Ireland. It has a village-like centre and extensive residential areas to the south, west and northwest.-Name:...
, Portmarnock
Portmarnock
Portmarnock is a small suburban village to the north of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the administrative county of Fingal.-Location:Portmarnock lies on the coast and, owing to its proximity to Dublin city, is a form of dormitory village north-northeast of the city centre...
and St Doulagh's".
The buildings
The main historic building is 48 feet by 18 feet, with a double roof of rough stone set with cement. The space between the inner and outer, wedge-style, roof is usable. Partway along the roof is a small stone tower. There is a small door on the south face, with a rough arch, and traces of smoother arches on either side. Inside are a smaller room, with the reputed tomb of St Doulagh, and a larger room, the former main place of worship, with a stairway to the upper floor and tower.Along the stairway is the Prior's chamber, then the area where the clergy ate and slept.
A modern church was added in 1864, and consecrated in 1865.
Aside from the main church building, St Doulagh's features, in the field beyond the church, nearer the road, a low octagonal building, covering a spring, which was probably used as a baptismal font, feeding also an open-air pool with stone seating, all these in a sunken stone enclosure. Linked to this enclosure by a water channel is a stone pool-house, with a body of water called St Catherine's Pond.
The octagonal building is believed to have been a baptistry, the only surviving detached baptistry in Ireland, and the pool alongside may have been used for adult immersion.
The baptistry was repaired and supplied with fresco paintings of St. Patrick, St Doulagh, St. Bridget and St. Columcille, and others, by a resident of the vanished village of Feltrim, in 1609. The frescos were damaged by soldiers of Sir Richard Bulkeley of Dunlavin after the Battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
.
There is also a cross, of non-local granite, at the entrance.
Restoration
The complex was cleaned and the baptistry complex in particular restored in 1991, although the Victorian church element was not a main focus of the work, which was State-funded.St Doulagh
Very little is known of St Doulagh who gave his name to the church. It is calculated that he lived in the early 7th century and was a hermitHermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
/anchorite
Anchorite
Anchorite denotes someone who, for religious reasons, withdraws from secular society so as to be able to lead an intensely prayer-oriented, ascetic, and—circumstances permitting—Eucharist-focused life...
. He is said to have lived isolated, in a cell attached to the church, and to have had had only minimal contact with the outside world. Anchoritism was a feature of the Celtic church and one of many interesting points of similarity between Ireland's early Christianity and the Eastern churches.
In the 19th century there was some dispute over the existence of St Doulagh some thinking that he was in fact the 10th century Viking god, Olave. However it is now known that he did exist. It was also thought that the actual church may have been built by Vikings but again it was proved due to the methods of construction that the Irish built it; the features of the church were not those of Viking structures.
The feast day of St Doulagh is November 17.