St. Patrick’s Church, Killinagh, Blacklion

The present Church, dedicated to St. Patrick, was built in 1846. It was a thatched structure at that time, a barn church, and would have been used for communal threshing during the week. It was not big enough to accommodate the congregation so it was decided to put in a gallery in 1889. It had to be raised. Money must have been very scarce at that time because second hand slates were bought to roof it and the timber used to construct the gallery was very poor quality.

A very high standard quality of renovation and improvement was carried out between 1930 and 1932. This was funded by Sir Patrick McGovern, a native of the area, who had been very successful as a contractor in America. A basement was built under a new sacristy and a coal-fired furnace was installed to provide central heating. This would have ranked it among the most modern in the country at that time. This lasted until the 1990’s when it needed major renovation. This was carried out in 1995 and the Church now has all modern facilities.

People in this parish have a long history of worshipping. The first Christian Community was established around 500A.D. The people had their own church down by Upper Lough McNean at Killinagh old Cemetery. The church at that time would have been a small thatched structure. They built a much more substantial structure around 1100A.D. It was extended on various occasions. Substantial wall-steads with window structures of this church stand beside the Old Killinagh Cemetery. They were still worshipping there in 1612, even though Termon lands had been confiscated before that.

Shortly after this they worshipped in a hidden valley up to the left above the present Church in Killycarney. The wall-steads of the church built around 1740 are still there. This church was well hidden from view of the Enniskillen to Sligo coach road which passed by. That church was used until Fr. Hugh de Lacy got land and built the present church in 1846.

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