The exterior of the church

From outside the church, look at the building as a whole. The architect, George Ashlin, was a leading proponent of Gothic revival architecture and his work can be seen all over Ireland; other examples in the Dublin area include St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra, the Carmelite Church in Whitefriar Street, and St Patrick’s College Maynooth. The design of All Saints’ mimics the 12th to 13th century style known as ‘Early English’, which is characterised by pointed arches, tall, narrow windows known as lancet windows, which are often grouped together to form a larger shape, and columns formed of a cluster of narrow shafts. The tower and steeple were modelled on Salisbury Cathedral in England, though they are a lot smaller. However, while the design draws on the medieval buildings of England, All Saints’ was constructed using Irish materials as far as possible; for example, the granite blocks of the walls are from Ballynockan Quarries near the Blessington Lakes, brought here to Raheny by horse and cart. The architraves over the doors and the tracery of the windows are of softer limestone, from Sheephouse Quarry in Meath, and this has been elaborately carved. 

Looking up at the tower, you can see a one-ton bell, which sounds the note E. This bell was given to the church in 1926 by Bishop Plunket in memory of Lady Ardilaun. It was cast by Taylor of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England, the same foundry that supplied the bells for St Patrick’s Cathedral. 

Now please enter the porch.