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Council approves the demolition of one of Dublin’s biggest churches
Final Mass Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin celebrated the final Mass in the Church in October 2018, and an application was lodged with the council the following May for the demolition of the building and the construction of the new, small church and a parish centre.
However, the decision to grant permission for the work took more than eight months, following concerns raised by the council planners over the future use of the residual church lands. In a letter to the parish, planners said the application had included “sparse information in relation to the intended future use of the remaining part of the site” that would not be required for the new, smaller church. “The development description and accompanying planning report both state that the residual site area will be the subject of a separate future application, and the architectural design statement states that this area will be used for the development of accommodation for senior citizens, although no further information is provided.” The final Mass at the Church of the Annunciation in Finglas West in October 2018, celebrated by Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw for The Irish TimesThe letter also makes reference to St Fergal’s Field and how “the retention of existing functional open space, eg school playing fields” would be addressed. The parish owns St Brigid’s, a girls’ primary school to the south of the field, and St Fergal’s Boys National School to the north. Coláiste Eoin, a post-primary school not owned by the parish, is also immediately north of the field. In response to the planners, the parish said the field had been “derelict for several years and is subject to anti-social behaviour”. A letter attached to the response confirms representatives of the parish “are in advanced negotiations” with the council to buy both the surplus church lands and St Fergal’s Field. In the region of 50 senior citizens’ apartments are proposed for the former Church site. St Fergal’s Field could have accommodated more than 100 apartments, but it is understood that the council dropped plans for homes on the site due to problems with access to roads and concerns over potential local opposition.
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