St Audoen’s Church (aka St Owen's) erected in 1190, is the only medieval parish church still standing in Dublin city. Established by the Cambro-Normans, it was named after St Ouen (aka Audoen) the seventh-century bishop of Rouen and patron saint of Normandy. It was here that papal bulls were pronounced and public penances carried out. St Audoen's parish was once the wealthiest within the city walls. Closely connected with the Guilds of the city, it "was accounted the best in Dublin for the greater number of Aldermen and Worships of the city living in the Parish". The Tanners' Guild was located in the tower and the Bakers' Guild aka St Ann's Guild in a "college" adjoining the church.
After the Reformation, St Audoen became the parish church for the Anglican Church of Ireland (coextensive with the civil parish of that name) and part of it is still in use by the Church of Ireland today.
An award-winning exhibition on the importance of St Audoen’s to medieval Dublin can be found in the Guild Chapel of St Ann.
Visitors can also view the stunning fifteenth-century tomb to Baron Portlester (Sir Roland Fitz-Eustace d.1496) and his wife Margaret.
BURIALS
The old disused graveyard of St Audoen's has been converted into a recreation ground. Many notables were buried there, including many bishops and Lord Mayors of the city. Among the burials within the church and graveyard are:
- Bartholomew Ball, Margaret Ball, Nicholas Ball
- Lady Frances Brudenell
- John Bysse
- Adam Cusack
- Paul Davys, 1st Viscount Mount Cashell and Sir William Davys
- Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth
- Sir Thomas Molyneux, his brother William Molyneux, and Thomas' son Capel,
- Edward Parry, the Bishop of Killaloe and his sons John Parry and Benjamin Parry, successively Bishops of Ossory,
- Philip Perceval
- Sir James Somerville, 1st Baronet
- Peter Talbot
Detailed genealogies of some of these families in seven hand-written volumes, which are now in Marsh's Library.
