Saint James' Cemetery



In 1177, the parish of Saint Catherine and Saint James is mentioned as part of the Saint Thomas the Martyr Augustinian Abbey (named in honor of Saint Thomas Becket) (from which Thomas Street and Thomas Court got their name), and Saint Catherine's Church was a chapel-of-ease to the abbey. By the end of the 13th century the western suburbs had so increased in population that a separate parish was deemed necessary, which was provided for by splitting the parish of Saint James and setting up an independent parish for Saint Catherine's. The boundaries of the parish of St James were defined by Saint Laurence O'Toole and extended right up to the city gate at Corn Market.



By the end of the 13th century the western suburbs had so increased in population that a separate parish was deemed necessary, which was provided for by splitting the parish of St James and setting up an independent parish for St. Catherine's which was also part of the Abbey of St Thomas.



Both parishes were still subservient to Saint Thomas Abbey, but in 1539 the abbey was dissolved with all the monasteries by Henry VIII. In the surrender made by Henry Duffe, last Abbot, were included "the Churches of St Catherine and St James, in Dublin." Both churches, now independent, had new curates appointed by the crown: Sir John Brace to St Catherine's (which was shortly taken over by Peter Ledwich (or Ledwidge)) and Sir John Butler to St James. Over the following hundred years both churches passed over to the reformed church, while Roman Catholic priests led a precarious existence tending to the larger part of the population, which remained faithful to the old religion.



The Roman Catholic parish of Saint James was established in 1724, while the Anglican Church of Ireland parish of the Saint James came into existence in 1710. Both Church of Ireland parishes corresponded with the civil parishes of the same names.



In 2014, the church was bought by Pearse Lyons Distillery and converted into a whiskey and gin distillery, as well as a visitor centre.



Saint James' Cemetery is located in the District of The Liberties, at 122 James Street, in Dublin. This cemetery, that surrounds Pearse Lyons Distillery, is owned by the Dublin City Council. Community efforts are underway to revive the tradition of annual cleaning and decoration.



Many prominent and notable citizens are buried in Saint James' Cemetery. Although the present church only dates to the 18th century, there are records of burials as early as 1495 and it is believed that the cemetery may have been in use as early as the 13th century. As it was illegal for Roman Catholics to maintain their own cemeteries during penal times, Saint James was the widely used by Dublin Catholics, as well as it's own parishioners from the Church of Ireland.