St. Mary’s Catholic Church — Lough Derg

Detached four-bay single-storey Catholic church on rectangular or hall-type plan, built 1870, having shallow projecting single-bay gable-fronted entrance porch to the south gable and with shallow projecting chancel to the north. Altered in 2003, and now in use as museum with single-storey shop addition on octagonal-plan attached to the east elevation by short single-storey hall. Pitched natural slate roofs having raised cut stone coping to gable ends with kneeler stone detailing at eaves level, and with cut stone cross finials over gable apexes of main body of building, porch and chancel. Profiled cast-iron rainwater goods. Dressed ashlar construction having projecting chamfered ashlar sandstone plinth course, clasping cut stone buttresses with feathered coping to between bays to side elevations of nave, and with diagonally-set clasping cut stone buttresses with feathered coping over and gabled detail to heads to the corners of the nave and to the chancel. Pointed-arched window openings to side elevations of nave (east and west) having flush chamfered ashlar block-and-start surrounds and with cast-iron lattice windows. Three graded pointed-arched window openings to the chancel gable (north) having chamfered ashlar surrounds and with pictorial leaded stained glass windows. Pointed segmental-headed doorway to the south elevation of porch having flush chamfered ashlar block-and-start surround and replacement timber door with timber panel over. Pointed-arched statue niche over doorway having statue of the Virgin Mary. Cross-braced timber roof to interior with render moulding to chancel arch and pointed-arch render hoodmouldings over window openings. Gold plated saint’s reliquary and timber donation boxes to interior. Freestanding belfry to the west comprising a two-stage ashlar sandstone pillar (on square-plan) having metal fitting over with round-headed opening with metal bell and bell mechanism, and with cross finial over. Located to the south-east corner of Station Island, Lough Derg, adjacent to ruins of penitential stations with crosses.