Stories from Old St Canice’s: Early Medieval Finglas and the Development of St Canices

Dr Ruth Johnson discusses the history and significance of this iconic Finglas landmark

In this episode Dr Ruth Johnson, Dublin City Council Archaeologist, takes us back through time to the early medieval foundation of the site.

Welcome to Old St Canice’s Church and Graveyard in Finglas, Dublin. Today St Canice’s, locally referred to as the abbey, offers a leafy, tranquil space at the historic heart of Finglas village. It was first established as a monastery in the 6th century by St Canice, who is perhaps better known as the founder of Kilkenny, the site today consists of a ruined stone church and an unusual High Cross set in a graveyard sheltered from the outside world by trees.

This sheltered spot has a whole host of stories to tell. This special limited podcast series will explore these stories in depth. Archaeologist Neil Jackman, will be joined by leading experts, specialists and the local community who discuss the site and its importance, and the challenges to preserve this significant local landmark for future generations.

The name Finglas derives from the Irish Fionn Glaiss, meaning ‘the bright stream.’ The waterway is now largely hidden underground, but when St Cainneach, also known as Canice, arrived here in AD 560, it ran through open countryside. Evidence of Cainneach’s earliest monastery at Finglas is difficult to see; though the curved shape of Church Street hints at the presence below ground of a large early monastic enclosure. Over time the monastery changed and adapted to become the site we see today. In the second part of our four episode series, Dr Ruth Johnson, Dublin City Council Archaeologist takes us back through time to the early medieval foundation of the site, how the site developed over the centuries. Ruth also discusses how recent archaeological research on St Canice’s and the discovery of an important female viking burial nearby has completely changed our understanding of the site.

STORIES FROM OLD ST CANICE’S PODCAST

Title: Part 2: Early Medieval Finglas and the development of St Canice’s

Duration: 28 mins

Summary:
Dr Ruth Johnson discusses the history and significance of this iconic Finglas landmark.

Stories of Old St Canice’s Show Notes

You can find out more information about St Canice’s and its history on our interactive Story Map here.

This podcast was created by Abarta Heritage and Dublin City Council, and funded by Community Monuments Fund 2024 from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The Stories from Old St Canice’s Podcast is also available on

Hear the full Story of St Canice’s

Episode 1

The Nethercross

Episode 3

The Medieval Church

Episode 4

People and Place