Trinity Church which is integrated into the streetscape of Catherine Street was an Episcopal church built in 1834 through subscriptions raised by the Edward Newenham Hoare. Reverend Edward Newenham Hoare after whom Newenham Street was named was born in Limerick in 1802. He was the son of Revd John Hoare of Limerick and Rachel, daughter of Sir Edward Newenham, MP. He was educated at Trinity College Dublin, where he graduated in 1839 with a Master in Arts. He was curate of St. John’s Church in 1830-31. He was a Clergyman and religious fiction and miscellaneous writer. He died in Upper Norwood, London, 1877.
The church was designed by Joseph Fogerty and was opened 4 May 1834. In 1858, an apse was added by Joseph’s nephew William Fogerty. While in 1895 extensive alterations and improvements were carried out by Joseph’s son Robert Fogerty.
This was the second church built in the Newtown Pery, the first was St George’s Chapel, which could only seat 600 at most. The first chaplain was John B. Atkins. It was built as a place of worship for the adjoining asylum for blind women. The women had access to the church via an internal doorway and so did not have to venture onto the public street to attend service. The women in this asylum were taught to knit and weave baskets.
On Easter Sunday mass in 1835, a cheque for £115 (about €15,000 today) was placed in the offering bowl.
The building has been in government use since the 1960s and is now used as part of the Health Service Executive.
