OLD CLANVARAGHAN CHAPEL 1785 - 1825 - 1937

O'Laverty states:

In times of persecution Mass was celebrated on the sites of the chapels of Clanvaraghan and Aughlisnafin, at Ballywillwill demesne, and in the friary of Drumnaquoile.

Old Clanvaraghan chapel was originally erected in 1785, at a place where Mass had been celebrated during the times of persecution. During the building of old Clanvaraghan Chapel in 1784 the newly appointed parish priest of Kilmegan, Fr. Patrick McMullan, lived in a house on the edge of the Ballywillwill estate. Fr. Patrick McMullan then lived in Clanvaraghan House until he left the parish of Kilmegan on 28th May 1802.

Following the death of Fr. William McMullan parish priest of Kilmegan in 1824, his successor Fr. John Smith rebuilt Clanvaraghan old chapel, which was completed in 1825. Rev. Gerard Park in his book 'Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan, 1985', and Rev. James O'Laverty in his book 'An Historical Account of the Diocese of Down & Connor, Ancient and Modern, 1878,' both refer to the rebuilding of old Clanvaraghan chapel in 1825. However the year of 1825 being the actual year that old Clanvaraghan chapel was rebuilt seems to questionable as reference is made to old Clanvaraghan chapel being rebuilt in 1831 by Rev. John O'Neill, who was appointed parish priest of Kilmegan in the same year until 1843, when he resigned and took up the position of parish priest of Glenravel. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland book, Volume Three, Parishes of County Down I, 1834-6, described Clanvaraghan chapel as:

The Roman Catholic chapel of Clanvaraghan, situated in the townland of the same name on a by-road between Castlewellan and Dromara at the distance of 3 and three-quarter miles from the former, is a plain slated building in good repair of the following form and dimensions: [ground plan, main dimensions 66 by 24 and a half feet, "T" shape]. It was rebuilt in 1831, incumbent the Reverend John O'Neill.

The sacristy and an upstairs room of the old Clanvaraghan chapel also served as a school. Old Clanvaraghan chapel served as a place of worship up until 1937, when Rev. Denis Cahill PP of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan had finally completed the building of a magnificent new church St. Mary of the Angels in September 1937. Following the completion of the newly built St. Mary of Angels Church in Clanvaraghan, old Clanvaraghan chapel was eventually demolished following the last Mass, which was celebrated on Sunday 26th September 1937. The last mass was celebrated the same day as the official opening of the new Church in Clanvaraghan. Memories and stories still refer to Rev. Denis Cahill meticulously removing the stones from old Clanvaraghan chapel and building them into the new bell tower to the right hand side of St. Mary of the Angels Church.

References:

O'Laverty, Rev. James. Diocese of Down & Connor Ancient & Modern, Vol. 1, p79. London 1878
Park, Rev. Gerard. Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan, p59. Drumaroad 1985
Day, Angelique. & McWilliams, Patrick. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol. Three, Parishes of County Down I, 1834-6, South Down, p55. Belfast 2001