St. Ernan's, Donegal

John Hamilton, (1800-1884), a wealthy and philanthropic landlord, owned large estates at Brownhall in south Donegal. In 1824, Hamilton decided to build a small dwelling on St. Ernan's Island in Donegal Bay, and in due course, with the help of the local tenantry, and with great difficulty, he built a causeway over to the island. Hamilton was a good landlord, and was liked and  respected by all creeds and classes. He liked St. Ernan's so much, that he soon decided to build a much larger house there.

Over the years, this house was sold a number of times to different buyers, until it became into the procession of the Dane-Morgan family. In the early 1950s, they bequeathed St. Ernan's to the Church of Ireland. Thus, it became a holiday home for clergy families. It remained as such until closure in the mid-1970s. It is now a hotel.

The Volt House, Raphoe

The Volt House in the Diamond in Raphoe was built in 1738 by Bishop Nicholas Forster as a home for clergy widows. It was administered by the Bishop, the Archdeacon of Raphoe and the Dean of Raphoe. Now no longer a residence, the building has been tastefully restored in keeping with its 18th century style, and is used by several community organisations. Bishop Forster, a philanthropist, also built and endowed schools, including the then new premises of the Royal School, Raphoe, the Diocesan Library, and hospitals.

Rossnowlagh, St. John

Rossnowlagh, "the apple wood", is a parish and village on the south coast of Donegal, to the west of the Donegal to Ballyshannon road. The parish was created originally as a perpetual curacy out of its neighbour, Drumholm, in 1831. The church was consecrated on 21st September that year, and dedicated to St. John. The Church is entered through a small porch at the west end, over which is a bellcote. There are two windows, each of two lights in the side walls, as well as a window with two lights above the porch. There are three windows of two lights in each side wall of the nave. The east window, which has three lights, is of stained glass and depicts the Risen Lord at the empty tomb. It commemorates Francis Jennings, his wife and three of his daughters, and is dated 1951.

The sanctuary is separated from the nave by three-sided communion rails, set into which, on the right side, is a prayer desk. The vestry room is to the right of the sanctuary. The Holy Table is in memory of Robert Hannah, and is dated 1932. Outside, and to the left , is the pulpit, before which stands the font. The lectern on the right side of the nave commemorates Robert Gray. There is a one manual organ by Evans and Barr of Belfast in the south-east side of the nave.

A plaque records the dedication of the lighting and heating systems in 1955 in memory of William and Hannah Smyth. Another plaque records the dedication of the entrance gates in 1963 in memory of the Thompson family. Another plaque on the west wall records the re-hallowing of the church after extensive renovations in 1995.

Kilmacrennan, St. Finian and St. Mark

Kilmacrennan, "the church of the son of Nennain" is a village some eleven kilometers north-west of Letterkenny. Columba spent his childhood here, and was educated at Temple Douglas nearby. He is siad to have founded a monastery in the locality.

Kilmacreenan old church was built after 1622. In the 1729 survey, the church was in good repair. This was demolished in 1845, and was replaced with the present church which was completed in 1846. It is a hall church with a porch near the west end of the south side. To the west of that, almost on the south west corner is a square tower which is surmounted by a small conical spire. The vestry room is opposite the north wall. The baptistery occupies the whole length of the west wall, and it was arranged in its present form in 1979. It was at this time that the church was given its present dedication. The sanctuary was refurbished in 1939.

There are three diamond paned clear windows on both the north and the south walls and a diamond paned window of two lights in the west wall, and a large similar window of three lights in the east wall, which is decorated with fleur de lys and other patterns in colour.

There is one small window in each side of the sanctuary. Thus, the whole building is spacious, airy and brightly lit. The pulpit, which is on the right side of the nave, came from a Congregational chapel in Galway via a Jesuit church! It is finely carved with figures from the Reformation. The prayer desk was made and presented by Canon James Gerald Harvey, Rector, 1921-1957.

On the north wall is a monument to the Rev. William Allman, Rector 1873-1895. There is also a memorial to Hugh Kennedy and his parents, in whose memory the amplification system was installed. On the south wall is a brass plaque to George Allman, son of the Rev. W. Allman, who died in 1911, as well as a memorial to Alex Baxter who died in 1999, and to Jeannie Baxter who died in 1992. The chancel lights and other gifts were presented in their memory. The former Robertson school adjacent to the church, is now in use as a parish hall.

All Saints, Newtowncunningham

The Parish of All Saints, Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal, lies along the east shore of Lough Swilly, south of Inch Island. Newtowncunningham is half way between Letterkenny and Derry. At the time of the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century, the area was planted by the Cunningham family, hence the name of the villages of Manorcunningham and Newtowncunningham.

All Saints Church was built in 1722 as a private chapel for the Forward Family of Castleforward, and was consecrated on All Saints' Day, 1st November that year. On the 9th December 1728, it became a chapel of ease in the Parish of Taughboyne. At the Disestablishment of the Church of Ireland, 1870, All Saints district was separated from the Parish of Taughboyne, and it became a parish in its own right.

All Saints Church possesses one of the two lych gates in the Dioceses of Derry and Raphoe, the other being at Baronscourt Church, County Tyrone. It was erected in 1920 to commemorate the Rev. Alexander George Stuart and his wife, Christine Emma of Bogay House, Newtowncunningham. Sadly in recent times the gate has been subjected to an attack by ghastly individuals.

Bogay House was given to the Rev. Thomas Pemberton, Rector of Taughboyne for use as a rectory about 1800. Mrs Stuart was a sister of the Very Rev. Edward Bowen, Rector of All Saints, 1868-1886, and Dean of Raphoe, 1882 until his death in 1897.

There is a three storey tower at the west end of the church which is surmounted by corner finials. It was built in 1808. A stone in the interior west wall records the presentation of the clock in the tower by the Rev. Robert Blackmore Rankin, Rector of All Saints, 1885-1917. Also in the porch are two crosses which came from the grave of Lt. Col. A.G.Stuart who was killed at Westroute in Flanders in 1916 during the Great War.

The nave is lit by four windows in the south wall and three in the north wall. Each has two lights with clear lattice panes and Y tracery. There are five windows with coloured patterned glass in the sanctuary. The central window has two lights and cusped tracery.

The baptistery is in the south-west corner of the nave. It was erected in 1992 in memory of a nine-year old Audrey Christine West who was killed in a car accident in 1991. The vestry room is to the left of the nave.

The stone pulpit has marble columns, and inscribed upon it are the names of the four Evangelists. It is on the left side of the nave, outside the chancel. The wooden eagle lectern commemorates Dean Bowen. There is a two manual electronic organ with pedals.

The chancel was built in 1896. The two marble steps into it were erected in 1905 in memory of Isabella Kerr. The reredos commemorates those that fell in the Great War. The names of the former are inscribed on the left side of the altar, and those of the latter, on the right. The prayer desk in the sanctuary was given in thanksgiving for the survival of a serious illness in infancy of Stephen Devenny in 1991.

The three classical monuments on the north wall commemorate the Forward Family. The Rt. Hon. Ralph Howard of Shelton House, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, 1st Viscount Wicklow, M.P for the County of Wicklow, married Alicia, daughter of William Forward of Castleforward in 1755. William Forward, who built the church, is commemorated on a monument over the vestry door. He died in 1770. Alicia is commemorated in the middle monument  William, son of Ralph and Alicia Howard became the third Earl of Wicklow, and in 1780 he assumed the surname and arms of the Forward family. The other monument on the north wall commemorates his wife Eleanor, who died in 1807.

On the south wall is a memorial in the baptistery to Audrey West, John Gordon Bowen, brother of Dean Bowen, brother of Dean Bowen who died in 1891, and his wife Harriet who died in 1885 are commemorated on a brass plaque.

There is a memorial to Dean Bowen, and above it, his Father, the Rev. Edward Bowen, Rector of Taughboyne, 1819-1867, is commemorated. Another memorial commemorates the Rev. A.G.Stuart and his wife Christine and the family. Their son Lt. Col. Alexander Stuart who was killed in Flanders in 1916 is commemorated. There is also a memorial to the Rev. R. B. Rankin. William Forwards gravestone is set into the south wall.

Burt, Christ Church

Burt, "Druim Bearta" - the height of Bearta, is between Derry and Newtowncunningham. The ancient church belonged to the Abbey of Macosquin, and later became one of the five chapels of ease of Templemore Parish. There have been several churches on the different sites, built about 1620, 1737, and around 1805. The present church was built about 1860 to a design by John G. Ferguson . It is a rectangular hall with a porch and a tower in the north west corner, and a porch to the side of the sanctuary. The tower is surmounted by a cream brick turret and short spire.

There is a lattice window of three lights in the west wall, and a stained glass window of three lights in the east wall. There are four lattice windows in the south wall, and three in the north wall, the middle one of which is lattice.

The first window is in memory of the Rev. Cononolly Cheevers, perpetual curate 1820-1871,

and the other window is in memory of Frances Crookshank who died in 1880.

Burt Church was closed in 1973. It has since been sold and converted into a bar/restaurant. In the words of my friend The Rev. Canon David Crooks, " It is to be regretted that the restaurant within contains a pub, with the old church furniture and fittings, including the pulpit, adjacent to the bar, which to say the least, is in very bad taste".

Clonmany, St. Columbkille

Clonmany, "the meadow of Maine", is in the north of the Inishowen peninsula. St. Columba founded a church there in the sixth century.

The Earl-Bishop built the parish church in 1772. It was a simple two bay hall with a two storey tower at the west end. It was closed in 1927, and is now a ruin.

Desertegney

The Parish of Desertegney, "the desert of hermitage of Eagneach", is just north of Buncrana on the eash shore of Lough Swilly. It is said to have been founded by St. Columba. The Church was built in 1779. It was a three bay hall with a tower. It was closed in 1972, and is now a forlorn ruin.

Leck

The Parish of Leck, the name of which means, " a great stone" is four kilometers east of Letterkenny. In the eighteenth century, the church was in good order. The building was replaced in 1839 with a new building which was built by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. It was a simple rectangular three bay hall.

Leck and Aughanunshin parishes were amalgamated in 1872, and both were amalgamated with Conwall in 1900 to form Conwall Union. The church was closed in 1972. 

Kilcar

Kilcar, "The Church of Carthagh" is a small parish in the south-west of Donegal, between Killybegs and Glencolumbkille. St. Carthagh is thought to have presided over a monastery in the area about 540 A. D.

The present church was built in 1828. It was a plain building with two bays and a tower. It was closed in 1960 and is now a ruin.

Gleneely, All Saints

Gleneely Village is in the north of the Inishowen peninsula. The church nearby, which is by Joseph Welland, is supposed to have been built at the instigation of Miss Catherine Ball of Grousehall. It was consecrated on the 27th March 1856. It is a simple, rectangular church with a belfry. A chancel was to have been built, but never was - the arch can be seen outside behind. Gleneely church was closed in 1992.

Dunlewey

Dunlewey means, "Lewe's Fort". Dunlewey Church was Consecrated as a Chapel of Ease in Tullaghobegley Parish, Gortahork, on 1st September 1853. In 1872, the perpetual curacy was absorbed into neighboring parishes. The Church is a four bay hall with a tall tower at the west end which has prominent finals.

Dunlewey church was closed in 1955, and is now a ruin on the shores of Dunlewey Lough, at the foot of Mount Errigal.

The bell is now at Cashel Church near Creeslough, and on it is inscribed the date 11th October 1860, and the name of the Incumbent, Rev. J. H. Bor, who was Incumbent 1856-1872. James Henry Bor was the only man to hold the incumbency without any other parish.