Sandyford Parish
The Parish of Sandyford was constituted by Archbishop Murray in 1829 from
Cabinteely. Fr. Patrick Smyth, who had served as a curate in the area, became
Parish Priest of the union of the Sandyford and Glencullen churches.
The building of St. Mary’s church began about 1806 but it was not roofed until 1830.
The vestry, belfry and spire were added ten years later and the front porches
were built by 1853. In 1956 and again in 1996 the church was extended. The
Baptistery has four windows of Netherlandish Glass crafted in 1510. A ciborium,
made in 1826, continues to be used for Holy Communion.
On 27th June 1909, St. Patrick’s Church, Glencullen, was consecrated by Archbishop Walsh. Made of beautiful granite, it replaced the church built in 1830.
To mark the centenary of the Parish and with the increase in population, Archbishop Byrne
blessed the church of Our Lady of the Wayside Kilternan in 1929. ‘The little
wooden church’ is based on an Italian design.
In 1853 there were 2,554 people in the parish area; by 2006 there were 20,000 and by 2016 the population is set to double to 40,100.