Church of the Sacred Heart — Carndonagh

Freestanding multiple-bay double-height Catholic church on cruciform-plan, built 1941-45 and dated 1942, having nine-bay nave to the north with single-storey side aisles to the east and west sides, three-bay chancel to the south, transepts to the east and west, drum (on canted square-plan) with copper dome over to tower over crossing, two-storey vestry attached to the south-west corner of chancel, and with four\five-stage campanile tower (on square-plan having clock faces to each side) attached to the north-west corner of the entrance front (north). Mono-pitched natural slate roofs to side aisles. Projecting gable-fronted single-bay single-storey confessionals to transept gable ends. Gable-fronted single-bay single-storey entrance porch to the entrance front (north) and single-storey entrance porches to the east and west elevations (to the north side of transepts). Pitched natural slate roofs having ashlar granite eaves courses, profiled cast-iron guttering, seamed copper sheathing to dome with copper cross finial over, and with four sculptural cut stone figures (depicting SS. Columcille, Patrick and Brigid, and the Sacred Heart) to the drum of the crossing tower. Metal cross finials to gable apexes to nave and chancel. Pyramidal natural slate roof to bell tower having ashlar granite corbel course to eaves, and cross finial over to roof apex. Tall granite chimneystack to vestry. Squared and snecked rock-faced granite walls with ashlar granite plinth course and with drafted margins to corners, coursed stepped rock-faced ashlar granite buttresses to south end of chancel. Round-headed window openings with flush ashlar granite block-and-start granite surrounds and sills, and having leaded coloured glass with weather glazing. Three-graded round-headed window openings to north gable end of nave, and to gable ends of transepts. Paired round-headed window openings to vestry. Round- and square-headed window openings to tower with three tall round-headed openings to each face of tower at belfry level having flanking ashlar granite pilasters\columns (on semi-circular plan) having capitals over. Round-headed door openings with ashlar granite surrounds incorporating colonnetted reveals, and with timber panelled double-doors with coloured glass fanlights over. Arcades of round-headed openings to side aisles to interior supported on polished granite columns, exposed timber roof trusses with arched braces having iron straps resting on stone corbels; plaster vaulted ceiling to chancel, saucer dome in plaster plain annular surround with coloured glass to central crossing tower. Choir gallery to north over entrance. Set back from road in elevated grounds to the south of the centre of Carndonagh. Grass lawned areas, tarmac paths and car-park to site. Graveyard to the south-west, modern pastoral buildings to the north-east and the east. Modern gateways to the north and to the north-west.