close to the location of the current building From the early middle-ages, the northside of Dublin was served by the
parish of St. Michan's and the
abbey of St. Mary. After the
dissolution of the monasteries, the abbey was all but closed, and in the late 17th century, the parish of St. Mary's was formed. As recorded by the original register book of the "Parish of St. Maries" (St. Mary's), the parish "
was separated from the Parish of St. Michans, & made a district Parish by Act of Parliament" on 20 November 1697. The current building was designed in 1697, by
Sir William Robinson, and the foundation stone was laid in 1700. and the church is notable as the first in Dublin to have been built with galleries. It was consecrated in 1701. The organ of the church was built by
Renatus Harris. The church was one of the first large buildings in the area to be constructed on the newly laid out
Mary Street, and was under construction at the same time as nearby Langford House. The parish register records that the first rector was
Peter Broun (or Browne), later provost of Trinity College, and that the first churchwardens were
Robert Rochfort, the attorney general, and
Allen Brodrick, solicitor general. Other rectors have included
John Francis (1705–23) and
Dixie Blundell.
Closure The church closed in 1986 and after
deconsecration, became a retail outlet. It was later converted to use as a pub and restaurant. Originally named the "John M. Keating Bar", the pub changed hands in 2007 and is now simply called "The Church". Its churchyard was converted into Wolfe Tone Square, a public park where the gravestones can be seen stacked up at the southern end. ==Notable parishioners and burials==