Dublin’s Stained Glass

A guide to the finest twentieth-century windows

David Caron

This book features thirty sites which contain collections of the finest and most interesting – and in several instances, little known – twentieth-century stained glass in Dublin city and county; the majority of the windows were made at studios in the capital, and by such internationally lauded artists as Harry Clarke, Wilhelmina Geddes, Michael Healy, Evie Hone and Richard King. Dublin’s stained glass sets out to provide a holistic overview, including the artists’ response to the architectural setting, the evolution of their design concepts, their differing stained glass techniques, along with the key role of the clergy and donors in determining the selection and interpretation of the iconography. Some windows hold secrets such as Harry Clarke’s wiley use of recycled vintage glass, and others have intriguing histories such as the expressionist stained glass Stations of the Cross which were removed at the insistence of a conservative archbishop only to be reinstated years later. The book reveals the changing styles, mores, and subject choices for windows that evolved over the course of the century; these were in part determined by artistic and architectural movements but also by seismic events such as the First World War and Vatican II. Illustrated with photographs by Jozef Vrtiel, this book is an essential guide for those who want to delve deeper into Dublin’s rich stained glass heritage. 

David Caron’s PhD research at Trinity College Dublin focused on Michael Healy and the stained glass artists of An Túr Gloine. He was one of the three original compilers of the Gazetteer of Irish stained glass in 1988, and was editor and principal author of the revised and expanded edition in 2021. David regularly contributes articles on stained glass to the Irish Arts Review. His most recent book is Michael Healy, 1873-1941: An Túr Gloine’s stained glass pioneer (Dubin, 2023).