St Werburgh’s Church

Of undoubtedly ancient but imprecise origin, St Werburgh’s Church has undergone numerous facelifts: in 1662, 1715 and, with some elegance, in 1759 (after a fire in 1754). The church’s tall spire was dismantled after Robert Emmet’s uprising in 1803 for fear that rebels might use it as a vantage point for snipers. The church is closely linked with the history of uprisings against British rule; interred in the vault is Lord Edward Fitzgerald, a member of the United Irishmen, the group that led the 1798 Rising. In what was a frequent theme of Irish rebellions, compatriots gave him away and he died as a result of the wounds he received during his capture. Ironically, his captor Major Henry Sirr is buried in the adjacent graveyard. In the porch you will notice two fire pumps that date from the time when Dublin’s fire department was composed of church volunteers. You will need to phone or visit the Sexton at 8 Castle St to see inside.