Prior to Catholic Emancipation the very sparsely populated area of Churchtown formed part of three quite remote parishes – Donnybrook, Booterstown and Kilgobbin. Later, however, as more churches were built and new parishes established, the Churchtown district formed part of the parishes of Dundrum and Rathfarnham. In the mid 1950s the population had risen to the point where a parish of its own was clearly needed for Churchtown.

In 1957 the just-completed Church of the Good Shepherd was consecrated. For eight years the church was a Chapel-of-Ease to Rathfarnham Parish, but in 1965 it gained full status as the centrepiece of an independent Parish. Then, in its turn, the Good Shepherd Parish in 1974 became responsible for the development of a new Church at Marley Grange, towards which the Churchtown parishioners contributed £120,000 (or some €150,000). In 1981 Marley Grange itself became an independent Parish

The Parish boundaries  extend from the Dodder River (which forms a natural boundary) at Orwell Gardens and Orwell Bridge, to the top of Beaumont Avenue, past Churchtown House, on Weston Park and the Upper Churchtown Road to the junction of Lower Churchtown Road; to the west the parish extends to the rear of Grange Road. Major residential areas included in the parish are Braemor, Landscape and Nutgrove

Highlights of the Parish

Good Shepherd Church is naturally the focal point of the parish, but there are several other important highlights which form an integral part of everyday life for parishioners. Adjacent to the church is the Good Shepherd Parish Centre which hostsparish and some community groups.See our Groups

Good schools are an essential element of a vibrant parish, and Churchtown is very fortunate to have a range of excellent schools in the parish or adjacent to it. The Good Shepherd National School and De La Salle College have deservedly good reputations, built up over years of dedicated service to our young people

View extracts from the Parish Booklet published for the 25th Anniversary in 1982