A Guide To Visiting St Michan’s Church (And It’s Mummies!)

St Michan’s Church on Church Street is one of Dublin’s most unusual historic sites, not because of how it looks from the outside, but because of what lies beneath it.

A church has stood here since 1095, with the current building dating to 1686, making it the oldest surviving parish church on the north side of the Liffey.

What sets it apart are the vaults below, where dry limestone conditions preserved human remains for centuries.

That story has taken a darker turn in recent years, with vandalism in 2019 and a fire in 2024 causing irreversible damage.

Some quick need-to-knows about the St Michan’s Church in Dublin

Although a visit to St Michan’s Church is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.

1. Location

St Michan’s is located on Church Street in Dublin 7, just northwest of the City Centre. Its a 5-minute walk from the Jameson Distillery in Smithfield and a 10-minute walk from both Christ Church Cathedral and Dublinia.

2. Tours

Access to the crypts at St Michan’s is limited and tightly controlled, and opening times have changed several times in recent years.

• Tours: Run on a drop-in basis from Monday to Thursday only
• Tour time: Typically operate in two blocks: 10:00–12:00 (last tour at noon) and 14:00 – 16:00 (last tour at 16:00)
• Tickets: Purchased on arrival, and schedules can change at short notice.

3. Mummies

Several mummified remains were irreparably damaged or destroyed, most recently during a fire in 2024. Today, the focus of tours is as much on conservation and loss as it is on what has survived.

4. Bram Stoker link

Bram Stoker took much of the inspiration for his macabre writing from the streets and buildings of Dublin, and where better than in the crypts of St Michan’s? It’s said he visited them often. Did he wonder if they were restless at night? Maybe this is how he poked the embers of the Dracula stories?

About St Michan’s Church

St Michan’s Church has been part of Dublin since 1095, making it the oldest surviving parish church on the north side of the Liffey.

The building you see today dates from 1686, rebuilt under architect William Robinson on the site of an earlier Norse-era chapel. 

Objects with long memories

The altar is dressed with a red frontal that once belonged to the Royal Chapel at Dublin Castle.

It vanished during the upheaval of 1922, only to resurface years later at a flea market before finding a permanent home here.

The church also houses an early 18th-century organ case, and while tradition claims Handel played here while preparing Messiah, that story sits firmly in legend rather than record.

The vaults below

What truly sets St Michan’s apart lies underground. The vaults beneath the church, developed over later centuries, created unusually dry conditions thanks to the surrounding limestone.

As a result, bodies buried here from the 17th to 19th centuries underwent natural mummification. Among those interred were members of powerful Dublin families, political figures, and rebels.

Recent vandalism and fire have caused irreversible loss, reshaping how the site is understood today.

What you’ll see on the St Michan’s Church tour

One of the reasons that a visit to St Michan’s is so popular is due to the uniqueness of what’s on offer once you step inside its doors.

From an ancient organ and the dark vaults to the no-famous mummies and much, much more, there’s plenty to discover here.

1. The mummies

The vaults historically contained naturally preserved bodies dating mainly from the 17th to 19th centuries, including members of prominent Dublin families and political figures.

Some remains were once displayed uncovered, though handling and touching are no longer permitted, and several mummies were irreversibly damaged or destroyed following vandalism in 2019 and a fire in 2024. What remains is treated with far greater care today.

2. The vaults

Accessed by a narrow staircase beneath the church, the burial vaults are enclosed, dimly lit, and unmistakably old.

The surrounding limestone keeps the air dry, which is why natural mummification occurred here over centuries.

The layout is practical rather than ceremonial – coffins stacked, reused spaces, little separation – a reminder that this was once a working burial site, not a museum.

3. The organ

Back upstairs, the church houses an early 18th-century organ case. Tradition links it to Handel, though this sits firmly in legend rather than evidence.

Still, it adds another layer to a building where fact and folklore often overlap.

4. Famous figures

Some of those carelessly stacked coffins hold the bodies of the Earls of Leitrim. The locals hated these notables, and when the 3rd Lord Leitrim was ‘done-in’, an article in the New York Times called him a hoary-headed beast and ran a petition to raise money to defend his killers-if they were ever caught.

They raised £10,000, but it went unclaimed. Two local lawyers, the Sheares Brothers, are also here. They joined the United Irishmen 1798 Rebellion, were betrayed by spies, and arrested two days before the Rebellion started. They were hanged, drawn, and quartered before finding peace in the vaults.

5. Interesting tales

What would a place filled with mummies be without a few good stories? Like the Crusader with the outstretched hand, which was supposed to bring good luck to those who touched it. Or The Thief with his feet and forearm cut off.

It’s well known that the Earls of Leitrim were disliked intensely, but even his family hated the Third Earl. The family’s coffins are among the most ornate in the vaults, except for his.

He got a plain coffin, and some of his relatives even gave up their place in the vaults so they wouldn’t have to spend eternity with him.

Places to visit near St Michan’s Church

One of the beauties of St Michan’s Church is that it’s a short spin away from some of the best places to visit in Dublin.

Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from St Michan’s (plus places to eat and where to grab a post-adventure pint!).

1. Jameson Distillery Bow St (5-minute walk)

The Bow Street Experience begins with a timeline of the Jameson history and goes on to explain the manufacturing process, and then ends with a whiskey tasting. The tour guides are knowledgeable, and you get the chance to go to the cask room to taste a draw directly from a barrel.

2. The Brazen Head (4-minute walk)

The Brazen Head is said to be the oldest pub in Dublin, dating back to 1198. Today it’s a popular destination for tourists and traditional music lovers. Loads of beamed ceilings and interconnecting rooms give it a cosy, historical feel – you might even get to see Robert Emmett’s ghost!

3. Christ Church Cathedral (10-minute walk)

The impressive Christ Church Cathedral is loaded with history. Strongbow’s tomb is here, as is the heart of St Laurence O’Toole. A copy of the Magna Carta is downstairs in the crypt, and you can see the mummified remains of a cat and a rat. Dublinia is the underground museum showing Dublin during Medieval times.