PAUL ARNOLD ARCHITECTS

Stylistically, the convent at Clane would appear to have been built at some time during the 1820s or 1830s in the years either side of the Act of Catholic Emancipation during which time the Roman Catholic church was actively engaged in the erection of new churches and religious institutions. According to the website claneonline, the Presentation Sisters established themselves at Clane in 1839. The 1843 O.S. Map shows the present building, described as a ‘Nunnery’ in addition to the school, which is shown as a detached building. The single storey range, which connects the convent to the school was apparently built around 1860.

Claneonline states that the school was built in 1818 with the proceeds of a charitable play held in the Theatre Royal in Dublin. The school was built at a cost of £300 and was modeled on the so called Kildare Street School plan, with one large room, two fireplaces and eight windows. Internally the school measured 50’ by 22’ and accommodated up to 10 pupils. An additional room for infants was added at the southern end of the building in 1906 and in 1929 the entrance porch with toilets was added.

The present church dates to the later nineteenth century and the church of SS. Patrick and Brigid as depicted in 1837 comprises of a cruciform building, which fronted directly onto the pavement, while the present church is separated from the street by a large forecourt. Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of 1837, describes the church as a plain cruciform building.