Methodism first came to Ireland in 1747 when Rev. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, preached in Dublin. There’s no record of John or his brother Charles ever visiting Kerry. However, in 1790, Charles Graham, a powerful Irish-speaking Methodist preacher came to Kerry preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Charles Graham was born in Sligo in 1750 and converted in 1770. His first sermon was titled “Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel”. He wrote “My heart was filled with holy fire which was the anointing of the Holy Ghost”. Having been appointed as a missionary in Cork and Kerry, Charles Graham was so successful he became known as the “Apostle of Kerry”. Congregations were established in Tralee and Milltown, with a small society also meeting in Killarney. Milltown had 200 members and was the head of the circuit until Irish Methodism divided into two branches in 1816. Milltown aligned with the Primitive Wesleyan body while Tralee became head of the Wesleyan circuit. The church in Tralee built in 1810 was sold in 1978.

 

In 1796 when another influential preacher, Rev. Adam Averell, visited Killarney he commented that the town “is of considerable size, handsomely built and thickly inhabited. We have in it a small society. In the evening there assembled as many of the town’s people as made a large congregation, to whom, by divine aid, I unfolded the unsearchable riches of Christ”. In 1797 Rev. Averell preached at the crossroads in Kenmare where he was arrested by some soldiers and put in the gaol as a disturber of the peace, although released almost immediately. In 1808 Rev. Averell visited Kerry again. At the close of a service which he conducted in Killarney Courthouse, six people stood up and testified that they had come to a personal faith in Christ at that memorable open-air meeting at the Kenmare Crossroads.

 

The other centre of Methodist work on the Killarney circuit was Killorglin. A young man named Martin had introduced Methodism into Killorglin in 1830. Afterwards he opened his house to the itinerant Methodist preachers. His family and descendants became the mainstay of Methodism in the area. Two of his sons and two of his grandsons became Methodist ministers, and one served as a missionary in West Africa. A Methodist chapel was erected in Killorglin in 1869 but sold to the Church of Ireland in 1959.

 

In 1810/1820?? a Methodist chapel (called a preaching house) was built in High Street in Killarney. The Killarney chapel served well for many years but with increasing tourism it was felt that the location and appearance of the little church “hidden away in backyards in the poorest part of the town” were an unsuitable advertisement for Methodism for the many visitors to the world-famous tourist resort. In 1907 it was decided to erect a new church. A more central, prestigious location – the Ha Ha – was found, and the present stone-faced building designed by George Beckett (a Dublin architect) was opened in 1911 having cost around £1800. A minister’s house was also constructed, bringing the total cost to around £2500.

 

For many years there were two circuits in Kerry: Tralee and Killarney/Killorglin. By 1907 declining numbers made the union of the two circuits necessary. From a total of 200 members at the beginning of the twentieth century, numbers declined steadily, largely due to emigration, until there were only 10 members in 1965, so Tralee and Killarney were transferred to the Cork Circuit.

 

In the 1960s the last Methodist family left Killarney, and the Church was closed except for the months of June to September when it was open for the benefit of summer visitors. The church building was cared for faithfully by Cork Methodists with services provided by the Circuit Superintendent minister and Cork local preachers (lay preachers). A small number of Methodists had a vision to fulfil their purpose of ‘making disciples’ in response to the Great Commission of Christ in Matthew 28.19, so in 1998 as a venture of faith, services were once again held all year round. In 1999 a church house was bought, and a retired Cork couple were appointed as lay pastors to live and work in Killarney. In 2000 adapting to contemporary worship, the pews were replaced by chairs and the building was refurbished. As God answered prayers the enthusiastic congregation of local people, asylum-seekers, refugees and other newcomers grew, often joined by visitors. In 2004 an extension was built to cater for the Sunday school and small group meetings.

By Rev Alison Gallagher, July, 2026.