Saint Patrick is said to have baptised converts to Christianity at a well that once existed in the park alongside the Cathedral. Because of this association with Saint Patrick, a church has stood here since the fifth century. The Normans built a church in stone on this site in 1191. This was rebuilt in the early thirteenth century and is the building we see today. Archbishop Minot rebuilt the west tower in 1370 after a fire and the spire was added in 1749.

Jonathan Swift was Dean from 1713 – 45. Handel’s Messiah received its first performance in Dublin in 1742 sung by the combined choirs of Saint Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedrals.

The present Cathedral building, in terms of shape and size, dates from 1220-1259. It was constructed on the site of an ancient well (which was supposed to have been used by Saint Patrick himself). The building replaced an earlier (probably wooden) church. The fabric itself was made from local limestone and imported stone from Bristol.

The building constantly evolved over the course of the next 700 years. In 1270 the Lady Chapel (later to be known as the French Chapel because of its connection with the Huguenots) was added. In 1316 a violent storm blew down the spire of the building and in 1362 the Cathedral suffered substantial damage after an accidental fire. In 1370 repairs to the nave and the tower were carried out under the direction of Archbishop Minot. (The tower was later named Minot’s Tower). This structure also collapsed (1394) destroying much of the west end of the Cathedral in the process. Eventually the tower was rebuilt but was never renamed. This version still survives today.