Drumaroad Parish

Drumaroad Parish was once part of the ancient civil parish of Drumcaw, which also belonged to the entire civil parishes of Ballykinler and Tyrella. In A. D. 1718 the townlands of Ardilea, Claragh, Clough, Drumanaghan or Drumulcaw, Drumcaw, Dunturk, Knocksticken, Scrib, and Drumaroad were made by Act of Council part and parcel of the civil parish of Loughinisland.

O'Laverty states:

The old chapel of Drumaroad, in the civil parish of Drumcaw is supposed to have been one of the five "Mass Houses" in the County of Down mentioned in the Protestant Bishop's report in 1731, to the House of Lords, which were built before the reign of Queen Anne. According to tradition, it owes its origin to Edmund Savage, Esq., of Drumaroad, who represented a branch of the Portaferry family, which was located in that townland. In 1838 a new chapel was commenced, but it was blown down before its completion in the great storm of the 6th of January 1839. The present chapel was commenced and finished in 1841.

J. W. Hanna states:

In 1718, by act of the Privy Council, in accordance with a petition dated 20th March, same year from Edward Smith, Bishop of Down & Connor. John Fletchers Precentor of Down, and Samuel Redmond, Vicar of Kilmore, the parish of Drumca was made part and parcel of Loughinisland parish; the four townlands of Teconnett, Magheralone, Rosconnor and Murvaelogher being disannexed from the latter parish, and annexed to Kilmore, but in the Roman Catholic economy Drumca is still a separate parish under the popular name of Drumaroad, and annexed to the parished of Ballykinlar and Tyrella."

In the Journals of the House of Lords Volume III, 1784, no specific reference is made to 'Drumaroad' being one of the five Mass Houses supposedly mentioned in the Protestant Bishop's report in 1731 as to the state of Popery in County Down.233 However, the Journal of the House of Lords Volume III is only an extract version of various reports, and is not a full and definitive version of all reports given in the House of Lords for that particular period.

A predecessor and relative of Father Patrick Curoe in Tyrella and Drumcaw (Drumaroad) was 'the old Priest', Father Richard Curoe, who was appointed to the parish of Ballykinlar on the 17th March 1778.234 When Dr. Hugh McMullan became Bishop a year later he decided that the parish was too extensive and informed Father Curoe of his intention to take away Drumaroad and annex it to Loughinisland.235 Father Curoe objected, claiming that he had been canonically appointed to the whole parish and that the Bishop could not deprive him of it.

He continued to celebrate Mass in Drumaroad, and finally the Bishop forbade him to minister here.236 On appeal to Rome through the Primate, Dr Blake of Armagh, the case was settled in favour of the parish priest.237The Pope decided that Drumaroad was part of the parish to which Father Curoe had been canonically inducted and the Bishop was prohibited from 'disturbing him in the enjoyment of his lawful rights.' 238In due course, the Bishop, at a conference of clergy promulgated the terms of the Papal rescript. Father Curoe then asked the bishop to transfer him to Kilmore Parish, to which he was appointed in 1780 and in which he remained and worked for 64 years, dying at the age of 102.

In 1807 because of the continuance of burials the graveyard in Drumaroad was consecrated by Bishop Patrick Mc Mullan when Fr. John McCartan was Parish Priest, and his brother, Hugh was curate.240 The oldest inscribed headstone in the graveyard is that of "Hugh McNamara of Creib (Scrib) who departed ye life March 15, 1789, aged 43 years and his wife Ros Smyth died November ye 1 1795 aged 52 years".

Even though Drumcaw Church was still in use until after 1780, as well as the Friary in Drumnaquoile townland (after 1760) and Clanvaraghan Church in the townland of Clanvaraghan being built in 1785, it seems that Drumaroad "Mass House" continued in existence.242 Today, there is still standing some remains of the old church of Drumcaw, (Druimcatha-the battle-ridge). 243 During penal times, Catholics were pushed out of this area, into the more mountainous ground of Drumaroad.244

To avoid the risk of an uprising in Ireland, the British Parliament passed the Roman Catholic Relief Act in 1829, which granted Catholic Emancipation.245Nine years after the Catholic Emancipation Bill had been passed, it was decided to construct a new church, and in 1838 it was decided to rebuild the Church at Drumaroad. Work commenced and the Church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland book, Volume Seventeen, Parishes of County Down IV, 1833-37, described Drumaroad Church as a -

Roman Catholic chapel of Drumaroad, in the townland of the same name; south east of the road between Castlewellan and Ballynahinch, at the distance of 5 and a half miles from the former, is a thatched old building in bad condition without seats and with a mud floor. It is of the following form and dimensions:
[Ground plan, main dimensions 58 by 38 and two-third feet, "T" shape]. Incumbent the Reverend Patrick Curoe, parish priest, Curate the Reverend Francis McKenny.

However, before the building was completed the 'Night of the Big Wind' occurred on January 6th 1839, and sweeping across the land, devastating acres of crops, forests, and houses, tumbling down hundreds of hay and corn stacks heavenwards. Alexander Knox states:

In the great storm of January the 6th 1839, no fewer than sixty thousand trees were blown down here and, on the same night, the neighbouring chapel of Drumaroad was also leveled with the ground, by the violence of the hurricane.

It was also stated in the Down Recorder on January 12th 1839 that

Drumaroad chapel within three miles of Clough has been completely leveled.

From these two statements, it is certain that sufficient damage was caused to the new Drumaroad church, which put the work back two years. The present church was finally completed in 1841.

The Milligan brothers who were well known and highly esteemed carpenters in Drumaroad recommenced the task of replacing the roof at Drumaroad Church in 1841.

O'Laverty states:

A reliquary which hung above the altar of the old chapel of Drumaroad belonged once to the friary. It is described as gilded, and closed with a double door. It was removed at the rebuilding of the chapel, and seems to be lost.

This may have been due to the renovations that were being carried on in the vicinity of the Reliquary and so it had to be moved and that therefore the 'new' chapel was being rebuilt on the site of the old chapel.

In the Parliamentary Gazette of Ireland, 1844-45, reference is made to Drumaroad Roman Catholic Church. The following article gives a very detailed and precise account of the various types of religious Churches, including Drumaroad. The article also makes reference to the numbers of population living in the various townlands, and their religion, as well the number of houses, and the description of the land.

It is interesting to note that Col. Forde, as landlord for many of the tenants in Drumaroad, was a large financial contributor towards the running of various Sunday schools throughout the Barony of Kinelarty.

LOUGHINISLAND, a parish in the barony of Kinelarty, 4 and three quarter miles, west-south-west of Downpatrick, Co. Down, Ulster. It contains the town of Clough, and the villages of Seaford and Anadoran: see these articles. Length southward, 5 miles, extreme breath four and a half; area, 12,485 acres, 3 roods, 14 perches, - of which 124 acres, 3 roods, 7 perches are water. Pop., in 1841, 6,551. Houses 1, 189. Pop., in 1841, exclusive of Clough and Seaford, 5,742. Houses, 1,048.
About one-half of the land is of first-rate quality; and the remainder is tolerably good. Loughinisland Lake, which gives name to the parish, is situated on the eastern border; and contains an islet on which stood the original parish-church.
A cromlech occurs at the north-end of the lake; and the ruins of a chapel near the west side. The seats are Mount-Pleasant, Draper hill, and Seaford, - the last beautiful residence of Mr. Forde. The road from Newry to Downpatrick traverses the interior. - This parish is a rectory, a separate benefice, and the corps of the precentorship of Downpatrick Cathedral, in the dio. Of Down. Tithe composition and gross income, 35550; nett, £501 6s 11 and three quarters pence. Patron, the diocesan. A curate has a salary of £64 12s. The church is situated at Seaford, and was built about the year 1720. Sittings 400; attendance 300. The Presbyterian meeting house, formerly of Synod of Ulster, is attended by 300; the Presbyterian meeting house, formerly of the Secession Synod, by from 100 to 200; and the Presbyterian meeting house connected with the Presbyterian of Antrim, by from 100 to 300. The Roman Catholic chapels of Loughinisland and Drumaroad have an attendance of respectively 900 and 600; and, in the Roman Catholic parochial agreement, are united to the chapel of Tyrella.
In 1834, the parishioners consisted of 960 Churchmen, 1,624 Presbyterians, and 4,132 Roman Catholics; 3 Sunday schools were usually attended by about 455 children; and 7 daily schools had on their books 305 boys and 276 girls. One of the daily schools was salaried with £6 from the London Hibernian Society; each of two, with £8 from the National Board; one with £30 from Erasmus Smith's fund; one with £8 from Col. Forde; one with £12 from Col. Forde; and one, with ££22 15s from Col. Forde, and £8 from the Association for Discountenancing Vice.

In October 1853 a charity sermon was preached at Drumaroad Church in an effort to desperately raise funds to complete and finish the interior of the Drumaroad Church and to also raise funds for a new schoolhouse, which was completed a year later. Below is a news article, which was published in the Down Recorder on 23rd October 1853, outlining the necessity to raise funds to complete the Church and a new schoolhouse.

Charity Sermon at Drumaroad Roman Catholic Church

The chapel at Drumaroad skirting the mountainous range of Sliabh-an-uisge, in the old parish of Drumcaw (episcopally united to the parish of Tyrella for the last two centuries and of which the Rev. Patrick Curoe is the present pastor), was one of the earliest built in the diocese of Down, subsequent to the revolution of 1688, under the auspices of that branch of the family of Savage, of The Ards, known as "Drumaroad Savage", who continued faithful to the religion of their ancestors. The old chapel having become ruinous, the parishioners, who are principally small farmers, from their own resources, built a new church about the year 1838, which was blown down and totally destroyed in the great storm, which took place on the 6th January 1839. Undeterred by this calamity, they again proceed without other aid than their own, to erect a new building, which has been for some time covered in, but as yet remains unfinished, owing to the want of funds, the interior requiring to be plastered etc and the side galleries to be erected. They are now desirous of also building a schoolhouse, for the purpose of imparting to the rising generation the blessing of a good elementary, moral and religious education; but without assistance they will be unable to achieve their laudable and noble objects. To assist in doing so, and for the purpose of paying off a pressing debt, their worthy pastor found it necessary to call on the generous benevolence of the public and on the 16th inst., a charity sermon was preached in Drumaroad, by the Rev George Maguire Parish Priest of Kilmore, on which occasion the house was densely crowded by parties from the surrounding neighbourhood, Clough, Downpatrick, Castlewellan etc.

>After the sermon which was most eloquent and happily delivered, a collection was made, the following gentlemen acting as collectors: - Edward Murphy, solicitor, Downpatrick; John Cromie, Scrib; Hugh Shaw, Drumaroad; W. Russell Graham, solicitor, Ballykinler, Clough: Andrew McCammon, Nutgrove; J.W. Hanna, Downpatrick; Mathew Blackwood, Drumakelly; P. Mooney, Castlewellan; Hugh Murray, Clough; and Patrick Cusack, Seaforde.

The collection amounted top upwards of 95 shillings, which it is hoped and expected, will be considerably increased by subscriptions from parties who were unable to attend and who take a deep and lively interest in the promotion of works of charity."

Fr. Patrick McMullan, P. P., had been appointed Parish Priest of Kilmegan in 1784, and lived in a house on the edge of the Ballywillwill Estate, while Clanvaraghan Chapel was being built in 1785.254 Following the death of Fr. William MacMullan, P. P., of Kilmegan, in 1824, Fr. John Smith, P. P., rebuilt Clanvaraghan chapel in 1825, and supposedly added at the same time, what is now known as 'old Clanvaraghan Graveyard' beside the chapel.255 Clanvaraghan chapel continued in existence until 1937, when the last Mass was said at 9.00am, on Sunday 26th September, 1937.

O'Laverty states: -

While these sheets were passing through the press, the Rev. James Mc'Aleenan, P. P., died on the 22nd of February, 1876, aged 88 years, and was interred within the Church of Aughisnafin. After his death, the parish of Kilmegan and a portion of the united parish of Drumcaw, Ballykinlar, Tyrella, and Rathmullan were re-arranged by the Bishop. The districts attached to the Churches of Clanvaraghan and Drumaroad were formed into a new parish, of which the Rev. John McCourt, P. P., Ballygalget was appointed, April 5th, 1877, the first parish priest. Since Father Mc Court's appointment, Col. W. B. Forde kindly granted to him the lowest legal rent a lease in perpetuity of the site of the church and the graveyard of Drumaroad, which had up to that time held by a sort of prescription; by the same lease he also granted additional ground for the site of a Parochial House.

Some form of rent was being paid to Col. W. B Forde, as a letter dated 11th September 1877 from James Murland & "On the other side I send you memorandum of the rent of the chapel at Drumaroad. Please let me know if my calculation is correct."

By kind permission of Public Records Office for Northern Ireland

In April 1877, the townlands of Drumaroad, Dunturk, Drumanaghan, Scribb, Claragh, Drumcaw, Clanvaraghan, Slieveniskey, Ballywillwill, and Drumnaquoile were annexed from the parishes of Ballykinlar and Tyrella, Parish and Kilmegan Parish, and formed the newly created parish of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan.259 Fr. John McCourt, P.P., of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan, served as the first Parish Priest between 1877 and 1884.

In 1880, a new parochial house was built in Drumaroad, as a permanent residence for the parish priests of the parish of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan.261 Fr. McCourt P.P., employed Tumilty Brothers of Ballykinlar to build the new parochial house at Chapel Lane, Drumaroad, and Fr John McAllister P.P., between 1895/98, built on the bathroom accommodation and kitchen to the parochial house.

In 1919 Fr. Dan O'Reilly carried out repairs to Drumaroad Church, which included erecting a side altar in honour of St. Patrick.

A statue of St. Patrick was also placed in Drumaroad Church, taken from St. Patrick's Church, Belfast, the statue was later transferred to St. Mary of the Angels Church, Clanvaraghan. Two stone crosses were also erected at the each gable end of the Church.

Between 1935 and 1937, Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan Parish under the leadership of Fr. Denis Cahill, P.P., undertook the mammoth task of completely renovating St. John the Baptist Church, Drumaroad, and also erecting a magnificent new Church in Clanvaraghan, dedicated to St. Mary of the Angels. The renovation and building of both these Churches within less than two years of each other undoubtedly reflected the tremendous dedication, generosity, and faith of the local people, and the vision of Rev. Denis Cahill. During Rev. Denis Cahill's term as Parish Priest of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan, he made a trip to Rome in 1950 to meet Pope Pius XII.265 1950 was a Holy Year in the Catholic Church, which occurs every twenty-five years. Many parishes across the Diocese of Down & Connor, including Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan, made the trip to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.

Pope Pius XII was Pope between 1939 and 1958. During Rev. Denis Cahill's visit to Rome, he presented a silver chalice to Pope Pius XII from the parishioners of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan.

In June 1951, a Memorial Cross was erected in Drumnaquoile, and an altar was also erected in September 1952, both by Fr. Denis Cahill, P.P., to honour the Franciscans, who left Downpatrick and settled in the townland of Drumnaquoile. In May 1954, Fr. Denis Cahill, P.P, erected a new Bell Tower beside St. John the Baptist Church Drumaroad. The new Bell Tower was erected through the generosity of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan parish, and the Bell was generously donated by Miss. Rose McKenna, who was a sister of Charles McKenna, P.P., of Castlewellan parish between 1929 and 1950. Fr. Denis Cahill, P.P., remained as Parish Priest of Drumaroad &amp Clanvaraghan for over twenty-three years.

Over those twenty three years the parish experienced major transformation with the renovation of Drumaroad Church, a new Church in Clanvaraghan, a Memorial Cross and Franciscan Altar in Drumnaquoile, and Bell Tower adjacent to Drumaroad Church. In 1967, Fr. Joseph Maguire, P.P., built a new parochial house in Drumaroad to replace the old parochial house, originally erected in 1880. In 1969 a magnificent new community and sports centre was also built in Drumaroad by Fr. Joseph Maguire, P.P., and was officially opened in November 1969. The new centre was described in the Mourne Observer as: -

"A magnificent new building which will cater for the recreational needs of the parishioners of Clanvaraghan and Drumaroad has just been completed."

"The new multi-purpose building accommodates 1,000 people seated for concerts and other functions and up to 1,700 for dances, and has car parking for 200 cars."

Fr. Joseph Maguire, P.P., left the parish of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan in March 1977. He established the parish on a financially sound basis, through the very successful community and sports centre, which was being used on a weekly basis bringing top showbands and cabaret acts to Drumaroad, making it one of the top dance hall venues in Northern Ireland.

In 1996, Fr. John Moley, P.P., undertook the task of renovating St. John the Baptist Church, Drumaroad. This was the first major restoration work carried out to the Church in over seventy years, since the first renovation in 1935 by Fr. Denis Cahill. Both the Church and adjacent Bell Tower were restored to their former states of excellence."

In 2005 Fr. John Moley, P.P., also undertook the renovation of St. Mary of the Angels Church and adjoining Bell Tower in Clanvaraghan. The completion of renovation works to the parish of Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan's second Church marked the first major restoration works to St. Mary of the Angels Church and Bell Tower since September 1937, when Rev. Denis Cahill P.P originally completed the builing of the new Church to serve the parishioners of Clanvaraghan. During Fr. John Moley's term as parish priest between 1989 to 2007, both churches in Drumaroad and Clanvaraghan were successfully renovated and modernised.

References:

O'Laverty, Rev. James, Diocese of Down & Connor Ancient & Modern, Vol. 1, pp 1xx76,89,133,136,138 London 1878
Down Recorder, p3, 12 January 1839: p2, 22 October 1853: p2, 11 August 1860
Journal of the House of Lords (Ireland) Vol.III, p169, 1784
Park, Rev. Gerard, Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan, pp59,69,70,75
Clarke, RSJ, Gravestone Inscriptions County Down, Vol. 9, p27, Belfast 1984
Day, Angelique & McW, Patrick, Ordanace Survey Memoires of Ireland, Vol. 17, Parishes of County Down -IV 1833-37 East Down 7 Lecale, p96, Belfast 1992
Knox, Alexander, A History of County Down p494 Dublin 1875
Parliamentary Gazette of Ireland, p695, 1844-45
Public Record Office Northern Ireland, D/566/E
Drumaroad and Clanvaraghan Parish Records
Mourne Observer, 30 November 1969