[5] In 2019, a man broke into the church's crypt and stole the heads of two mummies, including that of an 800-year-old body called "The Crusader".

[6] While the heads were subsequently recovered,[6] a fire set in the crypt in June 2024 resulted in the destruction of five mummies, including "The Crusader".

[7] Built on the site of an early Norse chapel from 1095, the current structure dates largely from a reconstruction undertaken under William Robinson in 1686,[4] but is still the only parish church on the north side of the Liffey surviving from a Viking foundation.

While the exterior of the church may be modest, the interior boasts some fine woodwork, and an organ (dated 1724) on which Handel is said to have composed his Messiah.

[15] The three manual pneumatic console employs modern compass and playing dimensions yet has been squeezed into the space originally occupied by much narrower keyboards.

[citation needed] In front of the gallery is the Organ Trophy, a carved wooden piece which depicts 17 musical instruments and was installed in 1724.