Church in Doorath

Holahan (1883, 92-3) refers to, ‘a chapel formerly at the quarries near John Murphy’s house at Dowrath. The old road from Kilmanagh passed by this place, and thence on to Ballyhack. It is probable that after the Catholics had been driven from the ancient church of Ballycallan they built a chapel on the hillside at Dourath. There is not a stone upon a stone of this building now remaining. The site alone is pointed out. Nor was it used as a place of worship within the last one hundred and fifty years’. Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 447) also mentions this chapel, describing the location as being, ‘at Dowrath quarry, on the hillside, adjoining the wood of Knocknacorriga, now Ballykeeffe Hill’ and he states that it has been ‘entirely obliterated’. This was a 'Mass-house' or penal chapel dating to the late 17th/18th century. The precise location of the chapel within the townland is unknown. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 May 2021