The fountain in the front of the picture is where St Patrick baptised the new believers of this area in the 5th c. There was already a church here by the end of that century. The present cathedral dates back to the late 12th and early 13th c. It was built in the English Gothic style the same time as Christ Church Cathedral (5 min up the road - 2 cathedrals in one diocese...is spelt disagreement). It was turned into an Anglican Cathedral in the 16th c. and functioned as such officially until 1872.
1872: Disestablishment of the Anglican Church in Ireland under PM Gladstone. The Cathedral badly needed to be renovated by the 19th c. Sir Arthur Guinness, the richest men in Dublin at the time provided for all the expenses for the work. He funded many similar projects in the 1860s in Dublin! As of now St Patrick is used by the state for ecumenical services (but it still belongs to the Church of Ireland = Anglican Ch)
Bottom left: Swift's Tomb in St Patrick's Cathedral. Jonathan Swift who was born in Dublin, studied at Trinity College was the Dean of the Cathedral from 1713-45. He wrote his satirical portrayals of the English-Irish relations during that time
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