St. Catherine's Church on Thomas Street was built in the 1760s as an Anglican Church of Ireland. It was built on the site of the original Christian church from which the civil parish was named.
ORIGINS
The original St Catherines dating back to 1185AD was a chapel-of-ease to the Augustinian Abbey of St. Thomas (from which the street got its name).
REFORMATION
In 1539, when Henry VIII dissolved all the monasteries, "the Churches of St. Catherine and St. James near Dublin." were surrendered and over the next century passed over to the reformed church (the Anglican Chruch of Ireland).
NEW BUILDING
Between 1760 and 1769, the building that stands now was built. It was designed by the architect John Smyth.
This church was the site of Robert Emmet's execution in 1803.
RESTORATION
In September 1966, the church closed due to a decrease in the size of the local congregation. It fell into disuse and was vandalised in the 1980s.
In 1993, the Anglican "CORE" church (City Outreach for Renewal and Evangelism) purchased the building from Dublin Corporation and began the restoration and refurbishment of St. Catherine's. In November 1998 St. Catherine's was reconsecrated and has been an active place of worship since then.
CEMETERY
The churchyard and cemetery, to the rear of St. Catherine's dates back to 1552. Burials ceased in 1894 and the cemetery is now a small public park.
