For many years, Raheny continued as a quiet constituent area, with local people mostly attending mass at Coolock chapel, and some at Clontarf. Then, in the 1850s, the parish priest secured land at the top of Main Street, and commenced collection of subscriptions for a new church there; contributions came from both Catholics and Protestants. A design was commissioned by the well-known architect Patrick Byrne, who also worked on a number of other churches, and the first stone of the newer St. Assam's Church was laid in 1859. The church was officially opened in 1864 by the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Cullen, and there are fuller details in the church article.