Where is it?
Well, it's in west Dublin between the M50 on the east and the
Maynooth/West of Ireland railway on the west. It stretches from
the roundabout on the Navan Road, goes south through the Castleknock
Road, across to the Carpenterstown Road and almost down to the
back of Castleknock College. It is less than 20 years old having
been constituted from the Catholic parish of Castleknock which
is situated in the village of the same name. Castleknock is in
turn one of the ten parishes which were 'mothered' by the parish
of St. Bridget in Blanchardstown.
Age Profile
Most of the people are in the mid to late thirties. The parish
is composed of the estates of Laurel Lodge, Carpenterstown Park,
Bramley, Oaktree, Laverna and Ashleigh. The Primary School is
a co-ed, with almost 1,000 children and 35 teachers. The Community
Centre on a site donated by the parish was built and is managed
by the Castleknock Community Centre Association.
The Church
It is a 600 seater community designed church with a welcoming
courtyard. It was designed by Joseph Kennedy of Edward N. Smith
& Kennedy and built by Matthew Wallace, Builders, Wellingtonbridge,
Co. Wexford. It was opened on 6th June, 1993 by Archbishop Desmond
Connell. As well as the church proper it features a little Day
Chapel/Community Room with a Parish Office and Sacristy.
A very impressive feature of the church is the eight foot high
triple stained glass Harry Clarke studio's window of the Immaculate
Conception which was donated to the parish by the Dominican Sisters
in Dun Laoghaire when sadly their convent there closed down.
In the Day Chapel there is an interesting white marble carving
depicting Our Lady giving the Rosary to St. Catherine and St.
Dominic, also donated by the Dominican Sisters. It was carved
in the late 19th century by Padraig and Willie Pearse's father
in their stoneworks situated on the street now called after that
family - Pearse Street.