Beneath Dublin’s bustling streets lies a chilling secret within St. Michan’s Parish. This isn’t just any church. St. Michan’s Parish is the oldest parish church on Dublin’s Northside. Its story stretches back to 1095.
In that year, a Christian chapel was built here. The location was outside Dublin’s walls in marshland. This area became known as Oxmantown. It was named after the Hiberno-Norse people of Ireland. Little did they know the marshland beneath St. Michan’s Parish would later make it famous.
The current St. Michan’s Parish church dates back to the late 17th century. It serves Church of Ireland parishioners. The church boasts historical treasures. One is an organ from around 1725. Legend says George Frideric Handel practiced his Messiah here. The claim is unconfirmed. However, it remains a celebrated part of Dublin’s musical history.
But the real draw of St. Michan’s Parish lies below. Deep within the church are its crypts. These crypts hold mummified remains. The dark, dry environment preserves bodies. Limestone in the crypts helps too.
The allure of St. Michan’s mummies has drawn visitors for centuries. In the 1800s, one man described the remains as half skeleton, half mummy. He saw torn skin clinging to bones. Today, the mummies are drier and more preserved.
Richard Robert Madden noted the preservation in St. Michan’s Parish was similar to Egyptian mummies. The hair and features remain intact. It is said these crypts inspired Bram Stoker’s imagination. Stoker’s family had a burial plot here.
Many mummies reside in St. Michan’s Parish vaults. Guides often highlight three: a 400-year-old nun, a man missing limbs thought to be a thief and an 800-year-old crusader. The crusader was buried with crossed legs. All the mummies were nameless.
Touching the mummies for luck was once allowed. The practice has stopped. This is due to deterioration and vandalism. In 2019, a man stole the Crusader’s head. The crypts closed temporarily. They reopened with increased security. New coffins were provided.
St. Michan’s Parish is also the final resting place of United Irishmen members. Oliver Bond is buried here. His tombstone reads, “The noblest work of God an honest man.” Rev. William Jackson also rests in St. Michan’s graveyard. He supported the United Irishmen. He died dramatically after taking poison.
Henry and John Sheares are buried in a vault together. They were prominent members of the United Irishmen. They were executed for high treason. A plaque outside the crypts displays a harp. It is a symbol of the United Irishmen. The words read, “Equality – it is new strung and shall be heard.”
St. Michan’s Parish offers more than mummies. It reminds us of life’s fleeting nature. As Bram Stoker wrote, we should live without fear of death’s face. St. Michan’s Parish encourages reflection on our mortality.
Step inside St. Michan’s Parish. Discover its history. Witness the mummies. Ponder life and death in this unique Dublin landmark.