St Eugenius, Bovevagh

Bovevagh, "Mevagh's hut", is a parish eight kilometres to the north of Dungiven in County Derry. A monastery was founded in the area by St. Columba in 557. St Adamnan and St. Eugene are variously claimed as patron saint. The ancient ruins of a mediaeval church can be seen nearby.

Bovevagh church was ruinous in 1622, but was in good repair by 1786.

The present church was built in 1823. It is a hall and tower church to a design by John Bowden. The tower is louvered and topped by pointed finials. The porch at the base is entered through doors which were given in memory of Hamilton and Mary Connor and Nenian and Margaret Dunlop, 1973.

The window of coloured glass has a dove inst, and is in memory of the Kerr family, 1976. There are three windows in the south wall of the nave.

The first has coloured square glass panes with the Lamb of God inset. The second window has the crest of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and is in memory of Constable Robert John McPhearson, 1976, and the third window depicts the Empty Tomb, and it commemorates Canon John Howard Kingston, Rector, 1950-1970.

The east window was installed in 1914. It depicts the Ascension of our Lord, and is in memory of the Stevenson family. The baptistery is by the north wall, before the chancel. The font was presented by the McClelland families. The pulpit on the left of the chancel was the gift of the Quigley family, 1973. The prayer desk on the right commemorates Samuel Robinson, 1973, and the lectern was given in memory of James Stevenson Hunter, who died on board the ship, Bowfell off the Cape of Good Hope in 1867. The chancel contains the choir seating which is in memory of Mary Ferguson, 1976. The choir stall and the panelling in the sanctuary were made and presented by W. J. Quigley in 1986. The Holy Table commemorates George and Margaret Scott, 1955, and the credence table is in memory of Jackie McMullan, 1947. One of the three chairs in the sanctuary is in memory of Emily Fulton, 1922. The vestry room is to the left.