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St.Patrick's Cathedral
Saint Patrick on his journey through Ireland is said to have passed through Dublin. In a well close to where the cathedral now stands, he is reputed to have baptised converts from paganism to Christianity. To commemorate his visit, a small wooden church was built on this site, one of the four Celtic parish churches in Dublin.
In 1191, under John Comyn, the first Anglo-Norman archbishop of Dublin, Saint Patrick's was raised to the status of a cathedral and the present building, the largest church in the country, was erected between 1200 and 1270. Over the centuries as the elements, religious reformation and persecution took their toll, the cathedral fell into serious disrepair, despite many attempts to restore it. Eventually between 1860 and 1900 a full-scale restoration based on the original design, was carried out by the Guinness family.
Saint Patrick's has contributed much to Irish life throughout its long history. The writer and satirist Jonathan Swift was dean from 1713.45. His grave and epitaph are situated near the entrance of the cathedral. The massive west tower dates from 1370 and houses one of the largest peal of bells in Ireland. The choir school was founded in 1432 and the cathedral choir took part in the first performance of Handel's Messiah in 1742. The Huguenots worshipped here from 1666 to 1816.
Saint Patrick's is not however a museum, but a living building with services held every day of the year, and sung services on six days of the week. The choir sings two services every day during school terms, the only cathedral in Ireland or Britain to do so. The chapter is made up of canons from all parts of the country and each canon spends some time of every year in residence.
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