Discover the story of the Huguenot Cemetery on Merrion Row, one of Dublin’s most historic graveyards

Located in the heart of Dublin City, Merrion Row Cemetery is nestled between notable landmarks such as St Stephen’s Green, the Shelbourne Hotel and O’Donoghue’s Bar. Despite its setting on one of Dublin’s busiest thoroughfares, the cemetery is a quiet oasis where the capital’s historic non-conforming Huguenot population have found a place to rest.

The Huguenots were French Calvinists who arrived in Ireland in the late 1600s when the Edict of Nantes was revoked by France’s ‘Sun King’ Louis XIV. Prior to this, they had enjoyed a large amount of religious freedom in predominantly Catholic France. With religious tensions high, many Huguenots fled to Ireland to start a new life. It was this first community that founded the cemetery in Merrion Row in 1693. For over three hundred years, the cemetery has been carefully maintained by the French Huguenot Fund. This charity was set up in 1716 to provide financial and practical support to the impoverished Huguenot refugees and continued to pay for the rental of the site, a sum of £2 a year, to this day.

In this audio guide, you will hear about the Huguenots’ tragic tale, which led them to flee France. We will learn how this cemetery was established, who the non-conforming Huguenots were and how they differed from the conforming Huguenots buried in Cabbage Garden Cemetery. We hear the story of some of the families buried in this hallowed ground, including the Du Bedats from Agen and the D’Oliers from Montauban, who D’Olier Street near O’Connell Bridge is named after. Throughout the guide, we will hear from Dr Marie Léoutre, professional historian and Chair of the Irish Section of the Huguenot Society of Great Britain & Ireland, who provides more detail on the Huguenot experience in Ireland.

The Huguenot Cemetery Audio Guide

This audio guide was written and produced by Abarta Heritage on behalf of Dublin City Council. The script was written by Tara Clarke and Damian Shiels, historical research was carried out by Dr Coleman Dennehy, and narration was by Sarah Jane Scott. The guide was produced in Bluebird Studios, Co. Dublin, with sound engineer Declan Lonergan and producer Tara Clarke. Special thanks to Vivien Costello (a French Huguenot Fund trustee) for her assistance during the guide production and to Dr Marie Léoutre for her contribution to the guide.

To hear more about Dublin City’s historic cemeteries, why not continue the story of the Huguenots in Dublin by listening to our audio guide for Cabbage Garden Cemetery, or discover the story of Ballybough Jewish Cemetery.