Feasibility for the use of St Werburgh’s Church, Dublin 8, as a Cultural & Community Venue

The Dean of Christchurch Cathedral was looking to partner with Dublin City Council to establish the viability of turning St Werburgh’s Church into a venue for tourism, community and an arts centre. 

The building needed urgent repairs by 2020.  

The Church is located minutes from Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin’s South inner city, with a large public car park across the street.  There is a 2-bed sexton’s house beside the church, and a large garden cemetery behind, overlooking the rear of Dublin Castle.  

I carried out research among the cultural sector, online and through Open Call visits (under Covid-19 limitations), for music producers and others to give feedback as to how the Church might work for their events.  The final Feasibility examined interventions to the Protected Structure.  It also used international case studies for capacities and possible uses (Bridgettines Brussels, and Irish College Leuven – both in Belgium), and outline costings for fit-out and possible asset register were provided.

Dublin City Council then carried out tender processes for enabling repairs, and Conservation Architecture services.  The project is currently partially through a Part 8 Planning Process.  The Part 8 planning documentation can be read here.