Friaries, Nunneries and Seceders.

**

Friaries**

Augustinian Convent. - The friary of St. John, in John-street, on the north side of Thomas-street, is within the district of Meath-street chapel. To this chapel are attached only the prior and two friars, who, by their laudable exertions in the cause of humanity, are enabled to clothe and educate 25 boys and 20 girls. **

Dominican Convent **- This convent, commonly called Denmark-street Chapel, is situated in the street of that name. The friars originally belonged to Bridge-street chapel. This place of worship is contiguous to a fashionable part of Dublin, and is consequently numerously and respectably attended by persons who hear substantial testimony of the sincerity of their charitable inclinations, for, from the sums collected here on Sundays, 25 boys are supported, and upwards of 60 girls educated; at the same time that the chapel and friary are kept in perfect repair, and continual improvements carrying on. This friary, to which seven clergymen are attached, is in the circuit of Liffey-street and the Metropolitan chapels. **

Convent of Calced Carmelites**. - This convent, with a small neat chapel attached, is situated in French-street, not far from York-street, and is within the district of Townsend-sheet chapel. The order had a chapel and convent in Ash-street, which they relinquished for the present retired and genteel neighbourhood. There are six resident clergymen in this convent, of which the proper designation is the “Friary of St. Patrick.” **

Convent of Discalced Carmelites**. - The chapel of this convent, which is in Clarendon-street, and, next to the Metropolitan, is the largest in Dublin, is in the shape of a rectangle with the corners canted off. The exterior is plain, the lower part being plastered, and the upper, in which are the studies and dormitories of the friars, only of brick. Before the building of this spacious edifice, the friars of this order performed divine service in a small inconvenient building behind the houses on the south side of Stephen-street, near Aungier-street. Seven clergymen reside here, and support an evening school, where 200 boys are educated gratuitously. This friary is within the precincts of Townsend-street chapel. **

Convent of Franciscans**. - Adam and Eve Chapel, otherwise denominated “Cook-street Chapel,” belongs to friars of the Franciscan order. To this friary eight clergymen are attached, who, from the crowded population of the neighbourhood, are constantly engaged in occasional duties. This convent is intended as a chapel of ease to Bridge-street chapel. **

Convent of Capuchins**. - The Capuchin Friary, better known by the appellation of Church-street Chapel, is situated on the west side of that street, and not far from St. Michan’s church. The friary attached to this chapel affords accommodation to seven or eight clergymen, for whom there is ample employment in this poor, but extremely populous, part of Dublin. The chapel belongs to the district of Arran Quay Chapel. The building itself possesses no remarkable features: - the respectable part of the congregation are admitted into the sacristy, which is divided from the rest of the chapel by a railing, outside which the lower classes are Obliged to remain.

This structure was for a long period in a state of dilapidation, until the manly eloquence of the Rev. P. Keogh, a friar of the Capuchin order, influenced the wealthy part of his hearers, by repeated and powerful appeals to their feelings, to contribute largely to the restoration of the edifice; and in the space of two years, within this very chapel, upwards of 1,500*l. *was collected at his sermons.

There is a school attached to this convent where 40 boys are educated, and the same number of girls both clothed and educated. **

Convent of Jesuits**. - The chapel of this order, called Hardwicke-street chapel, is a small neat building, lately fitted up in an unassuming and tasteful manner. It originally belonged to a nunnery of the order of St. Clare, in Dorset-street; but upon the building of St. George’s Church, and the opening of Hardwicke-street in front of it, the retirement of the nuns was so completely interrupted, that they withdrew to Harold’s cross on the south side of Dublin, and surrendered this chapel to the Jesuitical order. There are, in general, two of the order residing in the apartments over the chapel, which is in the division of Liffey-street and the Metropolitan chapels.

**

Nunneries.**

In Dublin and its environs there are several religious asylums for females of the Roman Catholic religion. The nunneries in Dublin are - George’s Hill - King-street - Stanhope-street - Summer-hill - Warren-mount - William-street (north). In the environs are, Cabragh - Harold’s-cross - Ranelagh - and Richmond (removed from James-street). **

King-street Nunnery**. - Is a large comfortable house, probably the longest established. The sisters, who are six or seven in number, are Poor Clares. The chief use of this asylum at present is, to afford a safe retreat to widows and other females of a respectable class, who are able to pay for their board and lodging. **

Stanhope-street and William-street (North) Nunneries**. The inhabitants of these convents are called “Sisters of Charity,” their lives being wholly devoted to charitable purposes. This order has long existed on the continent, though quite unknown, until lately, in this kingdom.

George’s-Hill or North Anne’s-street Nunnery - is of very ancient date, and the residents, about eleven or twelve in number, are called Ladies of the Presentation. These charitable females superintend a school of 300 girls, 20 of whom are clothed and fed at the expense of the convent.

This was the first Roman Catholic school permitted to be opened in Dublin, it being forbidden by the Foreign Education Bill, but that prohibition was removed in the reign of his late Majesty, George III.

Ward’s-Hill, or Warren Mount Nunnery. - The sisters of Warren Mount Nunnery are called Poor Clares: there are in general about 12 residing in the convent, to which is attached a school, where 200 girls are instructed, and 20 supported and clothed by the sisterhood.

At the village of Ranelagh, is a convent of the order of St. Joseph, where, when the Irish nobility resided in their native land, the daughters of the Roman Catholic nobility were educated, and there is still a number of highly respectable persons residing there. It is in the district of Francis-street Chapel. The sisters contribute munificently to the support of two schools, one in Paradise-row, where 20 orphans are admitted at the age of three years, and supported and instructed until sufficiently qualified to be apprenticed; and another, where 30 boys and as many girls are clothed, fed, and educated.

There is a convent of Dominican nuns at Cabragh, about three miles from Dublin, on the north side, which cannot be considered as belonging to the city. Another at Richmond, 2 miles south of Dublin. The sisters of this nunnery, who are denominated Ladies of the Presentation, formerly lodged in James’s-street.

Harold’s Cross Nunnery is more immediately in the vicinity of Dublin, and more conspicuous than the others for the magnitude of its charities. The sisters, who are Poor Clares, formerly occupied a nunnery in Dorset-street, the chapel of which now belongs to the convent of Jesuits. The nunnery is in the district of Francis-street chapel. This edifice is very extensive, having attached to the apartments of the sisterhood a large building containing a school-room and two dormitories, each capable of containing 50 beds. These benevolent sisters not only educate, but clothe and support 100 female children, for whose accommodation they have erected this spacious building, and a handsome chapel adjacent to it.

It would be uninteresting to continue a specific enumeration of the different Roman Catholic schools in this city, and the precise number educated, clothed, and fed in each but the reader will learn with surprise, that there are about 4,000 boys and 3,000 girls educated by this denomination of Christians, and nearly 2,000 of those are clothed, and half that number fed and at this moment a new society is establishing for diffusing the benefits of education amongst the poor Catholics, throughout the kingdom in general. **

Seceders from the Established Church.**

In the small circuit of the city of Dublin, the number of places of worship appropriated to different religious sects, was greater than that either of churches of the established religion, or of Roman Catholic chapels; but owing to the great care of the church, manifested by his grace the Archbishop of Dublin, the reverse of this will shortly by more nearly true.

A New Church has been opened in Upper Mount-street, called St. Stephen’s Chapel; St. Paul’s has been rebuilt; the foundations of three more are laid in the suburbs, the one at Rathmines, one at Grange Gorman, and the third at Phibsborough; and two Methodists chapels will shortly be thrown open as Free Churches for the poor, a thing hitherto unknown in Ireland. The most ancient and respectable of the Dissenters in Dublin are the Presbyterians. **

Presbyterians**. - The Presbyterian government in Ireland is modelled on that of the Scotch church. James the first encouraged many Scotch Presbyterians to pass over into the northern provinces of Ireland, where they spread to an amazing extent, and from their habits of propriety and industry, that wild and uncultivated part of the kingdom became rapidly civilized, so that at this moment it is decidedly the most improved and humanized part of Ireland.

The Presbyterian church is divided into synods or assemblies, which hold annual meetings for the better government of their body; and at those meetings, each congregation is represented by one pastor and one lay elder.

The principal synod in Ireland is that of Ulster, and there is a second, called the Munster Synod. The establishment of Presbyterian chapels in Dublin, took place in 1662, shortly after the passing of the Act of Uniformity. At this period, Samuel Winter, Provost of Trinity College, with three of the Fellows, E. Veal, R. Norbury, and S. Mather, refused to subscribe in an unqualified manner to the Thirty-nine Articles of the Established Church, and voluntarily resigned their preferments. Such leaders might naturally be expected to possess both influence to attract, and eloquence and information sufficient to preserve, a considerable number of adherents; and at their instance several meeting-houses were erected in different parts of the city, some of which have since been taken down and rebuilt upon different sites.

There are now four meeting-houses of Presbyterians;- Strand-street, Eustace-street, Mary’s Abbey, and Usher’s Quay. **

Strand-street Meeting-house** - situated in a retired street, chiefly occupied by merchants’ stores, and recedes a few yards, having in front a small court, with two gates. The front of the building is of brick, two stories in height, without any ornament and the interior is spacious; but quite plain. There are two congregations united in Strand-street Meeting, viz. Wood-street and Cook-street, which were both erected at the period of the secession of Provost Winter.

Attached to this meeting is a Poor-school, where 23 boys are clothed, fed, and educated, and afterwards apprenticed to different trades. (This school was established by the Misses Plunket, whose father was many years minister of the meeting) With the exception of about 30l. per annum, a donation, this school is entirely dependant on the results of an annual charity sermon, preached by one of the ministers of the Church, on the last Sunday in February. But from the great respectability of the Strand-street congregation, this collection may always be calculated upon as ample for the support of the charity; besides this, a collection is made every Sunday, which is appropriated to the use of a number of distressed widows. Adjoining to the meeting-house there is a library of divinity, where the members of the congregation are permitted to read, but owing to its inconvenient situation, it is seldom visited.

The Presbyterian clergymen have, for about two centuries back, received an addition to their salaries called the “Regium Donum,” given at first to encourage the introduction of this respectable body in Ireland, and still continued to those pastors whose congregation amount to a certain number. Amongst the ministers who have officiated in Strand-street, many distinguished theological and controversial writers are to be found:- Matten, Charnock, Rule, and Leland, author of “A View of the Deistical writers of the last and present Century,” have frequently preached here. **

Eustace-street Meeting-house** - is not so spacious as that in Strand-street, nor is its congregation more than half as numerous. As the members of this religious sect study and cultivate the absence of ornament, their places of worship afford nothing for the eye of curiosity to rest upon.

Attached to this chapel is a school for 20 boys, who all receive board, lodging, clothing, and education, and at a proper period, are apprenticed to useful trades. Besides the collection made at an annual charity sermon, there is a yearly income for the support of this charity, as well as for the establishing and maintenance of a girls’ school, and an alms-house for poor widows. Before the present building was erected, the members of this meeting celebrated divine worship in a small building in New Row. Dr. Leland, mentioned in the preceding article, was a Minister of this flock, and a print of him hangs in the Vestry-room. **

Mary’s Abbey Meeting-House**. - There was another meeting-house similarly denominated, the congregation of which having united with that of Strand-street, left the present chapel in the undisputed possession of this distinguishing appellation. Though these two meeting-houses, Strand-street and Mary’s Abbey, were so near in point or locality, they profess to differ widely in doctrinal points; and to make the line of distinction still more obvious, the latter congregation call themselves the Scots Church, whence it may be inferred, that they are somewhat more strict in the observance of particular religions forms than their neighbours of Strand-street. Several distinguished divines have been ministers of this congregation.

The congregation support a charity school of about 30 children; and in addition to donations and subscriptions, there is an annual sermon on the first Sunday in March for the maintenance of this little establishment. **

Usher’s Quay Meeting-house** - has also an ancient Presbyterian congregation, which united with the brethren of Plunket-street, about 50 years since, and is now a considerable body. There are two schools, containing about 40 children, supported by the collections made in this meeting-house, and aided also by an annual charity sermon. **

Seceders**. - This sect, which is a ramification of the Kirk of Scotland, consists of austere Calvinists; and, in consequence of a difference in civil matters, it is subdivided into Burghers and Anti-burghers. On account of their extremely rigid doctrines, the Anti-burghers hold very little intercourse with any other sect or Christians.

The Burghers had a meeting-house in Mass-lane, and the Anti-burghers have one on the site of the old National Bank in Mary’s Abbey.

The difference between these two sects has of late years nearly subdivided. But another body of dissenters from the Kirk has risen up, called the Relief, who are Calvinists and Presbyterians, but extremely liberal in their views. **

Independents**. - The first congregation of Independents that met in Dublin, assembled in the old Presbyterian Meeting-house, in Plunket-street. There is also a very large chapel, belonging to this sect, in York-street and the Dutch church, in Poolbeg-street, has been made use of by them for several years back.

Ebenezer chapel, at the corner of Hawkins-street and D’Olier-street; was erected in 1820, by a party of Seceders from the York-street Independents.

Zion Chapel, in King’s-Inn-street, also belongs to the Independents; this chapel, which is built of lime-stone, and fronted with mountain-granite, is ornamented by three circular-headed windows, over which is a pediment. Divine Service was performed here, for the first tune, on Sunday, 5th August, 1821, by Mr. Mr. Raffles, of the Independent Chapel, Liverpool. **

Methodists**. - About 12 years after the first promulgation of the Wesleyan doctrines, they were introduced into this city, for the first time, by a Mr. Williams, whose success was so remarkable, that he immediately communicated the tidings of this great accession of followers to Mr. Wesley, who was induced to cross over to Dublin, where he arrived on Sunday morning, between eleven and twelve, as the church bells were tolling for service.

Ever anxious to catch at any thing that could be considered as a prediction, he hailed the omen, and proceeding to Mary’s church, obtained permission to preach there. After continuing some time in Dublin, and preaching daily at a Meeting-house in Marlborough-street, he returned to England, happy at the result of his mission.

But, he was scarcely gone, when the infuriated mob, unable longer to curb their rage, attacked and destroyed the chapel, and compelled the pastors to make a speedy retreat Notwithstanding this, Wesley repeatedly visited Dublin afterwards and ultimately succeeded in his favourite object.

There is a capacious meeting-house in George’s-street, standing on a piece of ground, lately occupied by a cabinet-maker’s workshop, concealed by the houses in front.

There is another congregation, professing the same doctrine which meets in the Weaver’s hall, on the Coombe, in the Earl of Meath’s Liberty.

Those who are not considered Separatists, have a Meeting-house in Whitefriars-street, to which a book-room and alms-house are attached; it is capable of accommodating near 1,500 persons; Hendrick-street chapel, near the Royal Barracks, is not so spacious. There is another in Cork-street, in the Liberty; which has not been opened more than five or six years; and a very handsome brick building, erected (1821) in Abbey-street, near the Custom-house; was opened for divine service the first Sunday in June, upon which occasion, a most able discourse was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Clarke, one of the pastors of this congregation. The Kilhamites have no chapel in Dublin. Wesley Chapel, Great Charles-street, has been purchased for a Free Church for the Protestant Poor. **

Baptists**. - There is but one Baptist meeting-house in Dublin, which is in Swift’s Alley. Their doctrine was introduced into this city in the 16th century, when a chapel was built, which, falling into decay, was rebuilt on the same site, about the year 1730. The ceremony of immersion is performed very properly, in private. This sect supports two schools, one for boys, the other for girls; for which a charity sermon is annually preached.

Walkerites. - John Walker, a man of much learning, and formerly a fellow of the university of Dublin, conceived certain notions, regarding the mode of celebrating the service in the church of England, which led him to conclude, that he could no longer, conscientiously, continue one of its members. Upon communicating this change of sentiment to the Provost and Board, he was necessarily removed from his fellowship. The leading features of his doctrine, besides being; entirely calvinistic, are, “total exclusion of all who are not of precisely the same sentiments, as to prayer.” Mr. Walker never had many adherents, and even those few separated upon points of discipline. The zealous founder was of opinion, that the words of the Apostle, “salute one another with a holy kiss,” were to be literally understood, and acted upon, while one of his pupils advised otherwise.

He continued to instruct his proselytes, in a room in Stafford-street; and the separatists withdrew to another called the Cutlers’ Hall, in Capel-street. The sect is now nearly extinct.

There is another, of somewhat earlier date than Walker’s, called Kelly’s sect, whose doctrines differ little from Walker’s, though they would wish themselves to be considered as distinct. They have no regular place of worship in Dublin, but they sometimes meet in a private school-room, in Upper Stephen-street, near George’s-street; there is a chapel, belonging to this sect, at the village of Black Rock, four miles from Dublin. **

Moravians**. - The doctrines and tenets of this sect were first introduced into this city by Mr. Cennick, about 1740, who was joined in his ministry by Mr. Latrobe, a student of Dublin College. Mr. Latrobe’s success was very considerable; and in a few years he obtained a meeting-house in Bishop’s-street and a residence for their elders adjoining. In the same street there is a house of refuge for unmarried females of the Moravian profession, who support themselves by their needle-work, which is of the most perfect description. There is a widows’ house belonging to this body: and the females of the congregation superintend a sunday school for girls. They have a distinct burying-ground, which is about three miles from Dublin a little beyond the village of Rathfarnham. **

Quakers**. - The celebrated George Fox, one of the Founders of this sect, passed over from England to Dublin, where he regulated their meetings; and with the assistance of Edmunson, a soldier in Cromwell’s army, and afterwards a pedlar, who came into the north of Ireland a few years previous, he was enabled to raise funds for the building of two meeting-houses, one in Bride’s-alley, the other at Wormwood-gate: these have gone to decay, and Cole-alley and Sycamore-alley meeting-houses supply their places.

The Quakers of Ireland hold annual meetings in Dublin in May, and those of Dublin have monthly ones. At one of these meetings it was, that the first protest was ever made against the slave trade, and perhaps this was the origin of the bill introduced into the English parliament by Mr. Wilberforce, which has immortalized him, and given additional lustre to the throne of England. The number of Quakers in this city amounts to about 1,000. They have no distinct charitable establishments, but contribute indiscriminately and munificently to all. The only establishment of an exclusive nature they support, is a Lunatic Asylum at Donnybrook, two miles from Dublin. The Quakers, like the Moravians and Jews, have distinct burying-grounds. Those of Dublin preserve a piece of ground for this purpose in Merrion-street, and a large enclosure in Cork-street. (For a minute and impartial account of various sects and dissenters, see Evans’s Sketch of Different Denominations of the Christian World.) **

Jews**. - Although there are six or seven millions of Jews still in existence, there are not 12 in the metropolis of Ireland; yet there were a sufficient number some years back to open a Synagogue in Marlborough-street, but this has a long time been closed. The only Synagogue which ever existed in Dublin, antecedent to that in Marlborough-street, was built by some foreign Jews in Craven-lane. The few Jews who remain in Dublin read their Talmud in private, and preserve a distinct burying-ground at Ballybough-bridge, where are to be seen several monuments with Hebrew inscriptions. **

German Lutherans**. - The German Church is situated in Poolbeg-street, near the new Theatre, and has been mentioned already by the name of the Dutch Church.

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