Clontarf parish (Church of Ireland)
The Parish of St. John the Baptist, Church of Ireland, Clontarf, Dublin, is a faith community on the north side of Dublin Bay. The parish church sits on Seafield Road, about 4 km (2.5 miles) from the churches of its neighboring parishes.
The present church was built in 1866 to replace an earlier church near Clontarf Castle on Castle Avenue. The parish has a long history that goes back many centuries. The first church in Clontarf is linked to St. Comgall, a famous early Irish monk, and in the 14th century the parish came under the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. Clontarf is near the site of the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, where Brian Boru defeated the Vikings. A well once used by Boru is still visible on Castle Avenue.
Over the centuries, Clontarf’s lands passed to the Knights Templar under Henry II, and later to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem until 1542. An earlier church on Castle Avenue was rebuilt in 1609 and served Clontarf and, later, Killester (joined to the parish in 1686).
Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, was baptized in Clontarf Parish Church, and the Bram Stoker Museum is nearby. The Guinness family connected with the area: Benjamin Lee Guinness and his partner developed St. Anne’s Estate, which became Saint Anne’s Park. The Guinness family also influenced other local parishes, including All Saints Church in Raheny.
From 1859 to 1862, plans were made for a second, larger church at the Dollymount end of the parish. After initial hesitation by the Rector, Rev. James Pratt helped push the project forward. The foundation stone was laid on 9 August 1864, and the new church was completed and consecrated on 14 May 1866. It was built without a chancel at first; the chancel was added in 1899.
During the First World War, many parishioners served in the armed forces, and the church grounds feature a war memorial and an illuminated scroll commemorating them. In 1916, the church celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a special service.
From the 1930s to the 1950s, the area grew rapidly. Greenlanes School, originally housed in the parish hall, moved to a new site at Seafield Avenue and opened a new building in 1952, with extra space added the following year.
The parish marked its centenary in 1966 with a programme of activities for all ages. In 2007, a new Parish Centre was built in the church grounds, and the old Parish Hall was disposed of.
Today, the Parish of St. John the Baptist in Clontarf remains an active Church of Ireland community with a rich history spanning medieval and modern times.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:43 (CET).