Church of the Annunciation, Finglas West, Dublin - stained glass window (viewed from the outside)
The Church of the Annunciation in Finglas West is one of Ireland’s largest suburban churches, with the building itself covering approximately one acre. The turning of the first sod to build this church took place in July 1964 and was finally opened on the 8th October 1967 with the blessing of the Archbishop of Dublin, Charles McQuaid. The Parish of Finglas West was formally established in 1962 and the new building replaced an older tin-roofed church (Church of the Incarnation) that was located just in front of the main entrance.
The church is dedicated to the Annunciation of Our Lady which marks the occasion when the Archangel Gabriel informed the Blessed Virgin Mary that she will conceive a child through the Holy Spirit and that his name shall be Jesus. The Feast Day of the Annunciation is held on March 25th.
Additional information about the Church of the Annunciation:
• David Keane & Partners of Dublin were the architects who designed the new church. David Keane 22/9/1929 – 28/9/2007. The firm is still trading as KMD Architecture (Keane, Murphy & Duff partners). David Deane retired from KMD in 1987 but remained on as a consultant to the firm.
• Stephen Walsh designed and completed the stained glass windows, including the massive Annunciation window above the main entrance. He also created the mosaic Stations of the Cross and the large image of Christ Ascending into Heaven seen behind the alter.
• Richard Joseph King (1907-1974) designed the bronze and enamelled tabernacle. Richard is more famously known as a stained glass artist who worked with Harry Clark and went on to become director of the Harry Clarke Studios after Harry’s death in 1931. He was also well-known as an ecclesiastical painter with his own particular style, of which many of these have been illustrated in the Capuchin Annual from 1940 through to its final issue in 1977. Stephen also designed and executed the Connemara marble plaque behind the baptismal font.
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I was anxious to get some photos of the Church of the Annunciation since it’s been confirmed the church will be demolished and replaced. The reasons given have been structural problems, increasing costs of maintenance and heating, as well as falling congregation numbers. The current church can hold up to 3,500 mass-goers, while its replacement will hold up to around 350. The proposed new church has been designed by Coda Architects of Dublin. Some of the land the church is on will be used to build social housing.
As at November 2021, most of the church structure has been demolished. The stained glass panels of the main front window (as above) were removed the month before and some will be reused in the new church. It is not clear what will happen to the unused panels. The structural problems are considered too expensive to fix and relate mainly to the roof, which also leaks in places. The roof is partially constructed of cast concrete with reinforcing steel bar and it seems that the thickness of concrete used was insufficient, so rain water ingresses into it and has been corroding away the reinforcing steel bar. The organ went to Cavan cathedral. The church is also adorned inside with many statues and the bronze and enamelled tabernacle designed by artist Richard Joseph King.
But one thing is for sure, the Finglas skyline will never be the same without The Church of the Annunciation and its distinctive high spire.
.
References:
www.thejournal.ie/finglas-church-closure-3220514-Feb2017/
www.facebook.com/GlasnevinHeritage/photos/a.1826516385521... (Glasnevin Heritage Facebook page – short note about the Church of the Annunciation and the old tin church it replaced).
www.coda.ie/portfolio/church-finglas-dublin (Coda Architects website - includes artist’s impressions of the proposed replacement church).
www.facebook.com/rtearchives/photos/a.1397188113944316.10... (A 1966 photo of the new Annunciation church alongside the old tin church that it replaced. The old tin church was dismantled shortly afterwards and sold off.)
www.finglaswestparish.org/ (The above photo as seen in the Parish of Finglas West website).
Church of the Annunciation, Finglas West, Dublin - stained glass window (viewed from the outside)
The Church of the Annunciation in Finglas West is one of Ireland’s largest suburban churches, with the building itself covering approximately one acre. The turning of the first sod to build this church took place in July 1964 and was finally opened on the 8th October 1967 with the blessing of the Archbishop of Dublin, Charles McQuaid. The Parish of Finglas West was formally established in 1962 and the new building replaced an older tin-roofed church (Church of the Incarnation) that was located just in front of the main entrance.
The church is dedicated to the Annunciation of Our Lady which marks the occasion when the Archangel Gabriel informed the Blessed Virgin Mary that she will conceive a child through the Holy Spirit and that his name shall be Jesus. The Feast Day of the Annunciation is held on March 25th.
Additional information about the Church of the Annunciation:
• David Keane & Partners of Dublin were the architects who designed the new church. David Keane 22/9/1929 – 28/9/2007. The firm is still trading as KMD Architecture (Keane, Murphy & Duff partners). David Deane retired from KMD in 1987 but remained on as a consultant to the firm.
• Stephen Walsh designed and completed the stained glass windows, including the massive Annunciation window above the main entrance. He also created the mosaic Stations of the Cross and the large image of Christ Ascending into Heaven seen behind the alter.
• Richard Joseph King (1907-1974) designed the bronze and enamelled tabernacle. Richard is more famously known as a stained glass artist who worked with Harry Clark and went on to become director of the Harry Clarke Studios after Harry’s death in 1931. He was also well-known as an ecclesiastical painter with his own particular style, of which many of these have been illustrated in the Capuchin Annual from 1940 through to its final issue in 1977. Stephen also designed and executed the Connemara marble plaque behind the baptismal font.
.
I was anxious to get some photos of the Church of the Annunciation since it’s been confirmed the church will be demolished and replaced. The reasons given have been structural problems, increasing costs of maintenance and heating, as well as falling congregation numbers. The current church can hold up to 3,500 mass-goers, while its replacement will hold up to around 350. The proposed new church has been designed by Coda Architects of Dublin. Some of the land the church is on will be used to build social housing.
As at November 2021, most of the church structure has been demolished. The stained glass panels of the main front window (as above) were removed the month before and some will be reused in the new church. It is not clear what will happen to the unused panels. The structural problems are considered too expensive to fix and relate mainly to the roof, which also leaks in places. The roof is partially constructed of cast concrete with reinforcing steel bar and it seems that the thickness of concrete used was insufficient, so rain water ingresses into it and has been corroding away the reinforcing steel bar. The organ went to Cavan cathedral. The church is also adorned inside with many statues and the bronze and enamelled tabernacle designed by artist Richard Joseph King.
But one thing is for sure, the Finglas skyline will never be the same without The Church of the Annunciation and its distinctive high spire.
.
References:
www.thejournal.ie/finglas-church-closure-3220514-Feb2017/
www.facebook.com/GlasnevinHeritage/photos/a.1826516385521... (Glasnevin Heritage Facebook page – short note about the Church of the Annunciation and the old tin church it replaced).
www.coda.ie/portfolio/church-finglas-dublin (Coda Architects website - includes artist’s impressions of the proposed replacement church).
www.facebook.com/rtearchives/photos/a.1397188113944316.10... (A 1966 photo of the new Annunciation church alongside the old tin church that it replaced. The old tin church was dismantled shortly afterwards and sold off.)
www.finglaswestparish.org/ (The above photo as seen in the Parish of Finglas West website).