Saint Joseph's Catholic Church — The Rock

Detached Catholic hall-type church, built c. 1835, tower added c. 1886, and extended/altered c. 1909, comprising a five-bay hall, shallow chancel to the west, and three-stage tower on square-plan to the centre of the east gable end having corner pinnacles, stepped Irish-style crenellations and having slated spire over. Single-bay sacristy attached to the south side of chancel and single-storey addition to the south elevation of nave (family room). Modern single-storey flat-roofed sacristy attached to the north elevation of chancel. Pitched slate roofs to nave and chancel, having stone eaves course to nave and rendered eaves course to chancel. Raised cut stone verge to the east end of nave and the west end of chancel having kneeler stones at eaves level; moulded cut stone cross finials to gable apex of west end of nave and to the west gable end of chancel. Hipped slate roof to addition to the south side of nave having red clay tiles; pitched slate roof to (old) sacristy having decorative red clay ridge tiles, and with a render chimneystack raised verge to the south gable end. Some remaining sections of cast-iron rainwater goods; rainwater goods to side elevations of nave supported on corbels. Pyramidal natural slate spire to tower having decorative cast-iron cross finial over. Roughcast rendered walls over smooth rendered plinth course to nave, chancel, (old) sacristy and single-storey addition to the south side of nave; raised rendered block-and-start quoins to corners. Squared broken coursed rock-faced limestone construction to tower having flush dressed sandstone block-and-start quoins to the corners, chamfered cut sandstone plinth course and moulded sandstone stringcourses differentiating stages. Dressed limestone pinnacles (on square-plan) to tower having moulded finials over; cut stone coping to parapet. Moulded sandstone plaque to east face of tower at second stage level having recessed quatrefoil motif with date shield incised ‘AD 1886, Jas. Monaghan Builder’. Round-headed window openings to side elevations of nave having timber Y-tracery, modern stained glass windows, and stone sills. Three graded round-headed window openings to chancel gable (west) having figurative stained glass windows, rendered reveals with block-and-start detailing and having chamfered sills. Rounded triangular window openings to east gable end of nave, one to either side of tower, having modern stained glass windows. Exterior weather glazing to window openings to nave and chancel. Pointed-arch window openings to south and north faces of tower at first stage/ground floor level having splayed cut sandstone surrounds and leaded stained glass windows. Narrow square-headed window openings to south and north faces of tower at second stage level having splayed cut sandstone surrounds and leaded windows. Pointed-arch openings to tower at belfry/third stage level having splayed cut sandstone surrounds and timber louvers, and with cut stone hoodmoulding over. Square-headed window openings to sacristy and single-storey abutment to south having modern stained glass windows; two round-headed window openings to the south elevation of abutment to the south side of nave. Square-headed openings to abutment to the north having modern window fittings. Pointed-arch door opening to the east face of tower having carved splayed sandstone surround, carved hoodmoulding, modern timber sheeted double doors, and with overlight above with modern stained glass. Square-headed door openings to old sacristy and single-storey abutment to the south having modern timber sheeted doors and overlights. Interesting interior with moulded render chancel arch over engaged columns, coffered diagonally-sheeted timber ceiling, and timber gallery to the east (over main doorway) having simple open balustrade and supported on decorative cast-iron posts and brackets/spandrels. Early altar goods and altar railings now replaced. Church set back from road in prominent site to the south/south-west of Ballyshannon town centre. Graveyard to site with collection of mainly upstanding cut stone gravemarkers including a number of Celtic high cross-type memorials. Pathway to church perimeter. Enclosed to street-frontage to the east by rendered rubble stone plinth wall having decorative cast-iron railings over with cross finials at intervals. Rubble stone boundary wall to the west, enclosing graveyard. Main gateway to the east comprising a pair of decorative cast-iron gate posts with iron double gates. Single-storey former school/hall adjacent to the north.