Saint Bricin's Hospital

Detached cruciform-plan former Roman Catholic military chapel, built c.1930, now in use as offices. Gabled porch to north corner of east elevation. Sprocketed pitched roofs, with terracotta tiles and ridge tiles. Carved granite cross finial to projecting south gable, cast-iron bell to projecting north gable, manufactured by ‘M. O BYRNE DUBLIN’. Roughcast rendered walls with brick plinth course. Square-headed window openings throughout, those to nave arranged in threes and having red brick jambs and shared concrete sills. Bipartite windows with central brick mullion to transept gables. Quadripartite window with cross motif in red brick to gable of nave. Square-headed door opening set within porch, having tiled platform, and timber sheeted door. Located in the grounds of Saint Bricin’s Military Hospital.

This chapel was built in the Arts and Crafts style c.1930 by the Irish Defence Forces. It was deconsecrated c.2000 and a small chapel was created in the east wing of the hospital. The Arts and Crafts style was an international design movement that flourished between 1860 and 1910, and its influence was seen in Ireland until the 1930s. The bell to the north gable was locally manufactured by Matthew O’Byrne of the Fountain Head Bell Foundry at James’ Street. The chapel forms part of an important group of military related structures, including Saint Bricin’s Military Hospital to the east, a former tuberculosis hospital to the south-east and the former Royal Barracks (now Collins Barracks) to the south.