Church in Drinaghan

This church is listed in the SMR (1991) in Drinaghan Td., exact location unknown; it is not listed in the RMP (1997). McHale (1985, 62) records it as follows: ‘Drinaghan. There was also an ancient church site in Drinaghan townland, close to the East of Beladoon bridge, where the remains are still discernible. The church had an endowment of land attached,… ”Drognechan” is listed among the endowments confirmed as belonging to the Bishop of Killala in Pope Innocent’s letter of 1198. It was still Bishop’s land in 1641. Drinaghan is mentioned in a Papal Letter of 1475 as an alias for Kilfian, and it appears to have formed part of an endowment called “the rectory of small churches”.’ According to local tradition, the church was located in a subrectangular field (ITM 513646 828372) on the N bank of the Rathroe River, which forms the S boundary of the townland, close to its junction with Rathroe and Cartronrathroe townlands. However, no remains of the church have been seen there within living memory (pers. comm. Mr. Sean Gilvarry, Rathroe, May 2016). The location is covered in impenetrable blackthorn scrub, and it is not possible to inspect it. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 November 2017