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Churches
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Cloncha Church, Cloncha, Bocan,
Inishowen, Co Donegal In the graveyard at Cloncha there is an old church
ruin. It has an Irish inscription on the left outside corner which may
have come from an older building and gives the name of the builder.
Above the doorway there is a carved lintel which contained a Biblical
scene, one of many carved lintels in Donegal. The original church was
built of ordinary uncut stone but some dressed stonework can be seen.
Some stones came from older structures on the site. The building
resembles Planter-style Barn Churches and dates from the early
seventeenth century, when it was built to serve the needs of those who
were allocated land following the Chichester confiscation. Members of
the Chichester family ministered here. The windows are large and
round-headed and had wooden frames. There are many items of interest to
be seen inside. One of the most interesting is the decorated grave slab
which has very elaborate and attractive carvings. A number of
decorations are clearly visible; sword, foliage, cross, hurley and ball.
The stone is of local origin and the Scots-Gaelic inscription reads:
Fergus MacAllan made this stone. Manus MacOrristin under this. This is
one of the very rare examples of Scots-Gaelic to be seen on an Irish
monument and illustrates the close link that existed between the
peninsula and Scotland.
The Patron of the Church was St.Boden and the O'Duffy family were the
lay custodians of St. Bodens's Bell. It is now preserved in the Catholic
Church at Bocan. This is the only monastic bell remaining in the area
and one of a small number which has survived intact in Ireland. The
rectors in this church were also rectors in Moville. St. Boden was a
missionary who spent most of his life working in Scotland. A stone in
Culdaff river which can be seen below the bridge in the village on the
road to Bunagee is called St.Boden boat. A small stone cross stands out
clearly against the skyline on top of the gable. The roof of this church
was made of thatch and it was in use until 1828. The chalice that was
used in this building is now in the church of Ireland in Malin Town and
is in regular use for worship. It carries the inscription:This Communion
Cup Belongeth To The Parish Of Cloncha 1638. In the Middle Ages, the
church on this site was the centre of a row between the Diocese of
Raphoe and the Diocese of Derry. A letter in the Vatican library, dated
12th May 1492 states that there was a vacancy for a vicar in the church
at Cloncha but a Derry priest called Thomas Muneach had apparently
appointed himself to the post. The Deacon of Raphoe, David O'Moran
requested that a priest of his diocese should be appointed and he
submitted a petition to the Pope to intervene on his behalf. This
document was taken to Rome by a messenger.One of those who was buried in
the graveyard here was a Catholic Bishop, Sean Mac Colgan. He died in
1765 and because of the operation of the Penal Laws, he was buried in
secret and consequently no monument was erected over his grave.
Fahan Church, Fahan, Inishowen, Co. Donegal. Church was a
foundation of St. Colmcille in the 6th century, and St. Maura became its
patron saint. Doubtless there have been several buildings down the
centuries, replacing the first.
One somewhat patched up window suggests a possible early date, but a
distinct early feature is indicated by the two antae or projections
extending outward to the East from the East gable.
A small gate in the church yard wall leads straight to St. Maura`s
Cross. Built into the outside of the wall, at the right of the gate, is
a small, almost rectangular, stone on which a beautiful wheel cross has
been carved, the base of the shaft finishing with a step. In order to
throw the cross and surrounding frame into relief, the stone has been
deeply recessed behind the cross, including the wheel. There are, as
often, five bosses in the usual positions.
St. Maura`s Cross, dated by some authorities to the last quarter of the
century, is a few feet to the south of the east gable of the ruined
church and with a number of interesting 17th and 18th century recumbent
stones close by. This cross, some 7ft high with slightly pointed top is
well-known and well-illustrated.Various points have already been more
fully discussed in relation to the cross at Carndonagh,e.g. the
rudimentary arms of St. Maura`s Cross. the two birds with interlocking
curved beaks facing each other on the pediment of the East face being
akin to those on the East face of the Carndonagh Cross and single one on
the accompanying pillar. |
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