Irish Church Missions - History

History

The inspiration for its beginning came from the Revd. Alexander Dallas (1791–1869), Rector of Wonston, Hampshire, who since 1843 had been involved in actively proselytising to the Roman Catholic people of Ireland. Dallas began his missionary work in Ireland by sending over 20,000 letters to householders throughout Ireland. He followed this up by sending eight missionaries to preach throughout the country and personally conducted a preaching tour in the West of Ireland in Galway and Connemara. The result of his missionary work by 1848 was the setting up of a missionary school and church in Castlekerke, near Galway.

The means by which Dallas advanced the work of what became known as the 'Second Reformation' was through the provision of Scripture Readers, missionary clergymen and the support of the Bishops and Clergy of the Church of Ireland. The Scripture Readers were fluent Irish speakers, who were trained to preach the Gospel and refute what they considered false doctrine. Whilst initially the work of ICM was strong in the West of Ireland, most of its subsequent work centred on the city of Dublin, where it attempted to draw many converts. By the time of his death in 1869, Dallas had planted 21 churches, 49 schools, and 4 orphanages and had between 400 to 500 full-time workers employed in preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland.. Later the organisation gradually retreated from rural ares to the cities, principally Dublin.

Today, the evangelistic work of Irish Church Missions on Bachelor's Walk, near O'Connell Street, continues amongst Dublin's student and business communities.