Church of St Anne (Shandon)

St. Anne's Church, Shandon
Saint Anne's Church as seen from Church Street
51°54′12″N 8°28′34″W / 51.9032°N 8.4762°W / 51.9032; -8.4762Coordinates: 51°54′12″N 8°28′34″W / 51.9032°N 8.4762°W / 51.9032; -8.4762
Location	Church Street, Cork
Country	Ireland
Denomination	Church of Ireland
Website	shandonbells.ie
History
Founded	1726 (current structure)
Dedication	Saint Anne
Administration
Parish	Cork, St. Anne's Shandon
Diocese	Cork, Cloyne and Ross

The Church of St Anne is a Church of Ireland church located in the Shandon district of Cork city in Ireland. It is situated atop a hill overlooking the River Lee, and the church tower is a noted landmark and symbol of the city. The church bells were popularised in song in the 19th century and remain a visitor attraction.

The name Shandon comes from the Irish, Sean Dún, meaning "old fort". Shandon was one of 28 settlements in and around ancient Cork. A medieval church dedicated to St. Mary existed on this site and is mentioned in the decretals of Pope Innocent III in 1199 as "St. Mary on the Mountain". This church stood until the Williamite wars when it was destroyed during the siege of Cork (1690). In 1693 this was replaced by a church, also dedicated to St. Mary, and was located at the bottom of Mallow Lane, modern day Shandon Street. Due to population growth, it was decided to build anew on this ancient site and so in 1722 the present Church of St. Anne, Shandon was constructed.

It is built with two types of stone; red sandstone from the original Shandon castle which stood nearby, and limestone taken from the derelict Franciscan Abbey which stood on the North Mall. On the approach to Shandon, it is possible to see both red and white coloured stone, and such is the affection that Shandon holds that citizens designated both colours to represent the city.

The church of St. Anne attained full parochial status in 1772, when Rev. Arthur Hyde (great-great-grandfather of Dr. Douglas Hyde) was appointed its first Rector.

The church is noted for its 8 bells (rung via an Ellacombe) due to the song "The Bells of Shandon" by Francis Sylvester Mahony. The largest weighs a little over 1.5 tons and was originally cast by Abel Rudhall of Gloucester. To reduce vibration, they were placed in a fixed position. They first rang on December 7, 1752. They have been recast twice: in 1865 and 1906. Today, visitors can climb to the first floor and ring the bells themselves.