Huguenot Cemetery

The Huguenot Cemetery is a small burial ground in the heart of Dublin City and dates back to 1693. It is a historic gem, hidden behind railings on Merrion Row and close to St Stephen’s Green.

The Huguenot Cemetery in Dublin City is not open to visitors, although it is visible through the gates and railings to passers by. A list of 239 surnames of those buried here is inscribed on a wall plaque. It is believed that more than 600 people were buried here up until 1901, however only 34 headstones remain. Those buried are descendants of Huguenots who fled persecution c1660s in France, following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes which had guaranteed religious freedom.

In 1888, the Huguenot Society erected a porch at the rear of the cemetery to give the impression of a church in the distance. A plaque beside it reads: “Erected in loving memory of those whose mortal remains have been laid within this cemetery.”

The Huguenots were encouraged to come to Ireland by James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, who had spent 12 years in exile in France after the Irish defeat by Cromwell. The Huguenots quickly established a thriving community in Dublin and other parts of Ireland based on their skills in textiles, watchmaking and finance.