Plunket Street Meeting House

Plunket Street Meeting House, was the site of two churches, first a Presbyterian Church, then an independent reformed faith evangelical church on Plunket Street (now John Dillon Street and Thomas Davis Street), Dublin. It was situated between Patrick's St. and Francis St. The Plunket Street Meeting house was established in 1692, from the presbyterian congregation in Bull Alley.[1] The first minister of the church was a Rev. Alexander Sinclair who came to Dublin to take up the position in 1692. Rev. Matthew Chalmers was pastor for a short time, the Rev. John Alexander was minister from 1730 until his death in 1743. Rev. William Patten, who was minister from 1745 to 1749,[2] he was succeeded by Rev. Ebenezer Kilburn (whose son was the United Irishman, Rev. Sinclair Kilburn, A.B.), from 1749 until his death in 1773.

The dissenting church (Presbyterian) existed on the site the eighteenth century which closed,[3] with its new minister Rev. James Caldwell and the congregation moving to the Ushers Quay church. It was acquired by Lady Huntingdon who funded its refurbishment and reopening in 1773, the church used the Church of Ireland liturgy.[4] The La Touche Family were also patrons of the church.[5]

Although not a consecrated chapel in the established church, a number of evangelical Church of Ireland clergy preached at the Meeting house, such as the Hymn writer Rev. Thomas Kelly.[6] The church supported an Alm's House, which housed a number of widows. Rev. John Hawkesworth (who produced a collection of hymns to be sung at church),[7] was an early pastor at the church. The English Independent minister Timothy Priestley preached at the church on the invitation of Lady Huntington, he was followed as minister by Rev. William Cooper (secretary of the Irish Evangelical Society), who was presented with a Silver Cup for use as a Tabernacle in the Chapel, by Town Major Henry Charles Sirr.[5] Another pastor was a Rev. A. King and a Rev Houston. In 1843 the Rev. Simpson G. Morrison (ordained an Independent Minister, he was also from the Irish Evangelical Society), became minister and began reviving the fortunes of the Chapel,[8] Morrison became Presbyterian minister of Union Chapel, Lower Abbey Street, and the Plunket Street Congregation joined up with the Union Chapel.

The meeting house closed in 1882, in 1885 the area was redeveloped by the Dublin Artisan Dwelling Company.[9] There was a "free church" close to it Swift's Alley Free Church which became under the established church.

The legacy of the Plunket Street Meeting House was split between those who went with Morrison and became Presbyterians, and those who stayed independent and eventually became Unitarians, there are records of the meeting house held by the Dublin Unitarian Church.

There were two other similar Independent Chapels in Dublin, one in York Street(Congregationalist) another the Zion Chapel, King's Inns Street.

References
  1. Ormond Quay Congregation 1660-1938 www.clontarfchurch.ie
  2. 'A History of Presbyterianism in Dublin & The South & West of Ireland.' by Clarke H. Iriwin, M.A., Minister at Bray. Printed by Hazelly Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury.
  3. 'An historical guide to the city of Dublin, illustrated by engravings, and a plan of the city' by George Newenham Wright, Published by, Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, 1825.
  4. 'The Life and Times of Selina Countess of Huntington', By a Member of the Houses of Shirley and Hastings, Volume 2
  5. Plunket Street Wide and Convenient Streets Blog.
  6. Thomas Kelly Hymnology Archive.
  7. 'A collection of hymns, for the use of the congregation in Plunket-Street Meeting-House', by Rev. J. Hawkesworth, Printed by G. Perrin, 1782.
  8. 'Irish Evangelical Society - The Christian witness and church members' magazine' Volume 1, edited by John Campbell'
  9. 'Rocque's Map and the History of Nonconformity in Dublin: A Search for Meeting Houses' by Kenneth Ferguson, Dublin Historical Record, Autumn, 2005, Vol. 58, No. 2 (Autumn, 2005), page 149, Old Dublin Society.

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