The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland undertook a mission to establish a church in Ireland in 1861. This was made possible by a donation of £1000 given in 1860 specifically to fund such a mission mainly aimed at the Scots living in Dublin. From 1863 the congregation met in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital. However there are indications that they may have met earlier in Aungier Street and then Whitefriar Street. A formal congregation was installed in 1866 and Rev. James Stevenson became the first minister. Mission work also began in the North Strand area aimed at the many Scots living in that area.

Initially in Albert Avenue, East Wall, then Seville Place and in 1877 a mission hall was built at 31 North Strand.  A site was acquired in 1866 in Abbey Street and a church was built at a cost of £6,000 which opened in 1869. Rev. Stevenson was succeeded by the Rev. William Proctor in 1884. 1900 saw the Union of the Free Church of Scotland and the United Presbyterian Church. The new name of the Congregation was the United Free Church of Scotland.  Rev. A. MacPherson was installed in 1921 and during his ministry the congregation joined the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and took the name “Scots Church”. Rev. Proctor retired due to ill health in 1938 and that year Ormond Quay congregation, together with their Minister, Rev. Thomas Byers, joined the congregation of Scots Church in Abbey Street. The congregation then took the name “Ormond Quay and Scots”.

Due to a variety of circumstances, the Congregation of Ormond Quay & Scots decided to close their church in Abbey Street and to amalgamate with the Congregation of Clontarf. This was achieved at the General Assembly in 2003 and the new congregation to be known as “Clontarf & Scots Presbyterian Church.