Welcome !
“Hello and a very warm welcome — we’re so glad you’re here. Whether you’ve been part of our parish family for many years or are just visiting today, please make yourself at home. This is a community where we pray together, laugh together, support one another, and discover faith woven into the ordinary moments of our lives. Everyone has a place here.”
Rev Cathy Hallissey
Our Rector, The Rev. Cathy Hallissey, leads with a rare combination of warmth, wisdom, and deep compassion for people of every age and story. Her ministry beautifully blends the richness of Anglican tradition with fresh creativity and joyful everyday faith. She champions a church where doors are open, worship is thoughtful, and community is genuine. Cathy’s ministry encourages faith that is active, compassionate, and joyfully grounded in everyday life.
Thanks to her steady guidance, both St Patrick’s, Powerscourt and St Brigid’s, Kilbride continue to grow as vibrant expressions of God’s love at the heart of Wicklow.
People of the Parish
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Ed Hallissey
CHURCH HUMAN RESOURCES
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Andrea Beaumont
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
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Carl Strickland
WILD CHILD PROJECT
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Anna
CHURCH WARDEN
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Shane
CHURCH WARDEN
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Laura
PASTORAL CARE
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Jonie
PASTORAL CARE
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Barbara
PASTORAL CARE
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Rodger
PASTORAL CARE
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New List Item
PASTORAL CARE
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Mary
PASTORAL CARE
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Sallyann
PASTORAL CARE
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Marjorie Mold
PASTORAL CARE
St Patrick’s Powerscourt & St Brigid’s Kilbride
Nestled between the Wicklow Mountains and the sea, our joint parish of St Patrick’s Church, Powerscourt (Enniskerry) and St Brigid’s Church, Kilbride has been a place of worship, friendship, and service for generations. Together, we form a welcoming Church of Ireland community where faith and daily life meet — rooted in tradition yet open to the world around us.
At the heart of our parish life is a simple mission: to love God, to love one another, and to serve our wider community.Whether you join us in church on Sunday, watch our services online, or visit for a moment of quiet reflection, you are part of our parish family.
Our churches stand as gentle landmarks of faith — St Patrick’s, with its graceful steeple overlooking Enniskerry village, and St Brigid’s, surrounded by the rolling fields of Kilbride. Each tells its own story of prayer, music, and community spirit, and together they continue a living heritage that spans centuries.
We welcome everyone — long-time parishioners, newcomers to the area, and those simply seeking a place of peace. Through worship, outreach, and shared care, we hope to reflect the warmth and generosity of God’s love in all that we do.
At St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s, we believe faith is lived out in the everyday — in worship, kindness, and care for one another.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”
— Galatians 6:2
Our History & Heritage
The parishes of Powerscourt and Kilbride are part of the rich spiritual tapestry of County Wicklow — a landscape where faith, history, and community have long been intertwined.
St Patrick’s Church, Powerscourt, was consecrated in the early 19th century and has stood at the heart of Enniskerry village ever since. Its tall spire rises above the trees, a familiar and comforting presence for generations of local families and visitors to the valley. Built on land gifted by the Wingfield family of Powerscourt Estate, the church reflects the elegance of its time — simple, graceful architecture designed for worship and welcome. Over the years, it has witnessed countless baptisms, weddings, and memorials, quietly accompanying the lives of the people it serves.
Further south, surrounded by open countryside and the stillness of Wicklow’s rolling fields, lies St Brigid’s Church, Kilbride. Smaller in scale but rich in atmosphere, it has long been a gathering place for rural families and a symbol of enduring faith. Its simplicity and warmth reflect the heart of a community that values neighbourly care, hospitality, and the rhythm of the farming year.
In 1977 the two churches were formally united as the Parish of Powerscourt with Kilbride, joining resources, traditions, and friendships under one shared ministry. Together they embody the continuity of Christian life in this valley — a living witness that spans from the earliest Christian presence in Ireland to the vibrant, inclusive community of today.
Worship at Our Churches
Our services follow the Church of Ireland liturgy — rooted in prayer, scripture, and hymn-singing — and offer a rhythm of worship that connects us to generations of believers who have gathered before us.
Each service provides a space for reflection, thanksgiving, and fellowship, where the beauty of the words and music draws us closer to God and to one another.
At St Patrick’s, the sound of the organ fills the village church each Sunday morning, and the sunlight through the windows catches the soft colours of the stone and woodwork. The service here blends traditional liturgy with thoughtful preaching and joyful music, creating an atmosphere of reverence and warmth.
At St Brigid’s, the worship is more intimate, shaped by the surrounding countryside and the close ties of a rural community. There is a gentleness to the space — a quietness that invites prayer and reflection — and a shared sense of friendship that carries through every service and conversation over tea afterwards.
Our parish calendar is filled with moments of celebration: Harvest Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter services, Baptisms and Weddings, and special Family and All-Age Services where children help lead the prayers or readings.
Music, creativity, and community are woven through everything we do, reminding us that worship is not only an event on Sunday but a way of life throughout the week.
Everyone is welcome — whether you are rediscovering faith, visiting for the first time, or seeking a place of belonging.
We believe worship should be both holy and human: a time to listen, to sing, to pray, and to remember that God is present in every season of our lives.
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
— Psalm 46:10