In 1983, Seán Byrne began a prayer group of about forty young people in the Rathfarnham area of Dublin in response to what God was doing in their lives. In 1985, John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard Churches, came to Ireland and held a conference in University College Dublin. Seán was impacted personally at the conference and began to feel like God was speaking to him about changing his career as an accountant to that of working full time to help people in Ireland know Jesus Christ in a real and meaningful way.

In 1986, Sean left his job and began theological studies in the US to get further training. He attended Fuller Theological Seminary and while attending met his wife, Debbie. After finishing their studies, they spent a year and a half in Chicago as interns in a Vineyard Church under the leadership of Steve and Cindy Nicholson. After the internship ended, Steve Nicholson commissioned Seán and Debbie to begin a Vineyard Church in Ireland. They returned to Dublin in 1993 to begin the Dublin Vineyard Church and reconnected with some  of the  people who had been part of the initial prayer group Seán had led, as well as other interested people. After sharing their vision and values of what the new church would be, a group of about 15 - 20 people joined Seán and Debbie to help the Vineyard church become established in Dublin.

The church began with two small groups that initially met in people’s homes. Eventually, the church met once a month in a venue in Templeogue on Sunday mornings until 2004. Dublin Vineyard then moved into the city centre and began to meet in the YMCA where God continued to grow the church. Dublin Vineyard continues to meet in the YMCA building.

Today, Dublin Vineyard is one of five Vineyard Churches in Ireland and belongs to the Association of Vineyard Churches in the UK and Ireland, which comprises over 100 churches who are linked relationally by common values and vision. There are Vineyard Churches in many countries around the world. We are also a member of the Evangelical Alliance, Ireland.

Useful Links:

Association of Vineyard Churches UK and Ireland

Evangelical Alliance Ireland