The first public performance of Handel’s Messiah took place in Neal’s Musick Hall, Fishamble Street, Dublin, in the shadows of Christ Church Cathedral on 13th April 1742. Given the strong religious nature of the oratorio, it is perhaps no surprise that its …

The 200th Anniversary of the First Performance of Handel’s Messiah Read more »

Under the terms of the Irish Church Act, of 26th July 1869, which passed into law in 1871, the union between Church and State in Ireland that had existed since the Reformation was dissolved, and the Church of Ireland ceased …

The Short Read: Monaghan Parish Register and Disestablishment Read more »

The Church of Ireland Historical Society is delighted to announce our forthcoming Spring conference, ‘Power and Piety: the bishops of the Church of Ireland, 1536-2020’, in partnership with our friends at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, In a …

Power and Piety: the bishops of the Church of Ireland, 1536-2020 Read more »

On February 2019, the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Archbishops of Dublin met at St Michan’s Church, Dublin, to issue an appeal for the return of the head of an 800-year old mummy which was stolen during a raid …

Digging for Emmet: Ghostly Images From Dublin’s Past Read more »

On Thursday 27th February the Royal Irish Academy is hosting a half-day conference produced in partnership with the Church of Ireland as part of the Church’s National Programme that commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Disestablishment of the Church of …

Church of Ireland: Disestablishment and beyond Read more »

This month, 22nd January 2020 to be exact, marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of a unique church in the history of the Church of Ireland: St Barnabas. The church stood for just over 100 years and was a …

St Barnabas Church, Dublin: leading Social Justice and Reform since the 1860s Read more »

As part of the 150th anniversary of the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland, Christ Church Cathedral (Dublin) is hosting a lunchtime lectures series detailing perspectives after the disestablishment relating to topics such as government, history, the Roman Catholic and …

Disestablishment and the Church of Ireland Lecture series Read more »

The personal story of the last member of the clergy to be ordained before Disestablishment – the Revd William Somerville-Large (1847-1939) – has been commissioned by the RCB Library as a final contribution to the 150th anniversary for 2019. The …

William Somerville-Large: the last pre-Disestablished cleric of the Church of Ireland Read more »