In 1960, parishioners fought tooth and nail. They wanted to save their church building. That church was Christchurch, Carysfort.
Christchurch, Carysfort once stood proudly. It was on the corner of Carysfort Avenue. Today, the Blackrock bypass runs through its former site.
Let me tell you the Carysfort story. It’s a tale of faith, division and ultimately loss.
Thomas Kelly built the church in the early 19th century. He used his own funds. He opened it as a “Dissenting Chapel” in 1814. This breakaway group was known as the Kellyites. They dissented from the Church of Ireland.
Kelly was quite the character. He was the son of a High Court judge. He studied for the Bar but had a religious awakening. He became an evangelical preacher. The Archbishop of the day disapproved of Kelly’s preaching style. Kelly was refused permission to preach in Dublin’s pulpits.
Undeterred, Kelly preached elsewhere. He eventually formed his own sect. Churches were built in several locations including Blackrock.
The Kellyite sect didn’t last long. The Carysfort Chapel was bought by trustees. It became part of the established Church.
Christ Church, Carysfort served its community for many years. In 1944, it was united with Booterstown.
But in 1959, the Church decided to close Carysfort Church. The reasons given were the proximity of other churches. Also the insufficient congregation size contributed to the decision.
The Carysfort parishioners were dismayed. They contested the closure in the High Court. They argued Carysfort was a “Trust Church”. They believed it couldn’t be closed under normal procedures. The court refused their order. The fate of Carysfort Church was sealed.
The church closed in March 1960. It was demolished around 1961.
Part of the railings still survive. The marble pulpit and reading desk were gifted to a church in County Louth. The granite cross was moved to another church in Dublin. It was erected in memory of seven Carysfort parishioners. They died in World War I.
Though the physical church is gone, its memory lives on. The new Parochial Centre in Booterstown Parish was named Carysfort Hall.
Thomas Kelly is remembered today. He wrote 765 hymns. Eight of them are still in the Church of Ireland hymnal. These include “Zion’s King shall reign victorious” and “The Head that once was crowned with thorns”.
So, as we stand near this busy road. Remember the story of Christchurch, Carysfort. It was a place of worship, contention and community. Its legacy remains in hymns and memories.