St John the Evangelist, Sandymount: The First 175 Years

Exhibition to mark the recent publication of "No Church is an Island: 175 years of St John the Evangelist, Sandymount, Dublin". Written by Alyson Gavin Lysaght and Shabnam Vasisht, the book traces the history of St John’s since its foundation in 1850 by the Hon Sidney Herbert, later Lord Herbert of Lea.

The exhibition highlights the difficulties of maintaining a unique, protected and fragile structure over many years and includes the story of the demolished vicarage and the former church hall.

Built in the early Norman Romanesque style, there is much for the visitor to see at St John’s Church, which since its foundation has embraced the High Church, Anglo-Catholic tradition. Apart from the unique architectural features, there are stained glass windows by Joshua Clarke & Sons, and by other prominent workshops. Behind the altar there is a striking mosaic by Whitefrairs Glass based on a work by Bennozzo Gozzoli, an Italian Renaissance painter. Uniquely for the Church of Ireland, the stations of the cross, by French art deco sculptor Roger de Villiers and originally presented to St John’s by Irish artist Evie Hone, are displayed on the walls.

How to get to St John's:
St John’s Church is located at the junction of St John's Road and Park Avenue, Sandymount, opposite the terminus of the C1 and C2 buses. Bus No 47 stops nearby. Buses No 4, 7 and 7A stop on Merrion Road (Ailesbury Road / Merrion Shopping Centre stops). The nearest DART station is Sydney Parade.
There is limited free public car parking on the road surrounding the church and on Park Avenue, and there is paid parking on St John's Road.