INVER OLD CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD
In the tiny village of Inver in south Donegal, 8km/12 miles west of Donegal Town, is the Old Inver Church and graveyard.
The Franciscan monks founded a monastery here in 1460 but the site dates back to the time of St. Colmcille (6th century). The Franciscans were here until the start of the 17th century.
The Franciscan monks founded a monastery here in 1460 but the site dates back to the time of St. Colmcille (6th century). The Franciscans were here until the start of the 17th century.
Inver Old Church
From Buildings of Ireland:
"Description: Remains of former Church of Ireland church, on rectangular-plan, built c. 1610, now ruinous and out of use (remained in use until 1807). Possibly containing fabric of earlier church or churches to site. Roof now collapsed, originally pitched thatch roof, later slated. Remains of chamfered cut stone eaves cornice, added c. 1750. Rubble stone construction with buttress to the north-west corner; walls now largely covered in ivy/vegetation. Cut stone plaque/memorial with carved coat of arms of Hume family and inscription reading ‘True to the End’ and dated 1751 to the north-west wall. Round-headed window openings to gable ends, now much denuded. Former openings to the north-west and south-east elevation now denuded and covered in vegetation. Round-headed doorway to the west end of the north wall, now blocked, having stone voussoirs to arch, remains of hoodmoulding, and with denuded carved stone head. Set back from road in an elevated site to the south-west of Inver and to the west of Mountcharles. Located on a bend at the mouth of the Eany Water River; site reached along causeway from the west. Graveyard to site having collection of recumbent, upstanding and table-type memorial monuments of mainly nineteenth-century date. Earliest legible memorial dated 1751. Graveyard surrounded by rubble stone boundary wall on irregular-plan, curving along with topography to the south-west, having rubble stone coping over. Gateway to the site comprising a pair of squared rubble stone gate piers (on square-plan) having capstones over, and having a pair of simple wrought-iron gates. Flight of cut stone steps from causeway adjacent to river up to gateway.
Appraisal: The fragmentary remains of this simple church are an important element of the built heritage and social history of the Inver area. This church probably dates to or was heavily modified c. 1610. It was described in 1622 as in ’reasonably good repair’ and having a thatched roof. The present church probably incorporates the remains or fabric an earlier church or churches to site, including a church of late twelfth of early thirteenth-century date. Although apparently originally thatched, this church was slated during the mid-eighteenth century when the eaves cornice was added. This church continued in use until the construction of the new Church of Ireland church at Inver, located a short distance to the north-east, in 1807. The church is surrounded by an elevated graveyard containing a fine collection of cut stone recumbent, upstanding and table-type memorial monuments of mainly nineteenth-century date, some of artistic merit. A number of eighteenth-century memorials also survive to site including one commemorating Thomas Hume, dated 1751, having the Hume family coat-of-arms in bas relief and the inscription ‘True to the End’. These add significantly to the context of this church site, while the simple rubble stone boundary walls and the gateway complete the setting of this interesting composition. This church forms part of a group of related sites with former Church of Ireland rectory (see 40909214) to the north, which was originally built to serve this church, and the Church of Ireland church to the north-east (see 40909203), which was built in 1807 to replace this earlier church. Stunningly set at a bend of the Eany Water River adjacent to Inver Bay, this building makes a strongly positive contribution to the built heritage and history of the local area."
"Description: Remains of former Church of Ireland church, on rectangular-plan, built c. 1610, now ruinous and out of use (remained in use until 1807). Possibly containing fabric of earlier church or churches to site. Roof now collapsed, originally pitched thatch roof, later slated. Remains of chamfered cut stone eaves cornice, added c. 1750. Rubble stone construction with buttress to the north-west corner; walls now largely covered in ivy/vegetation. Cut stone plaque/memorial with carved coat of arms of Hume family and inscription reading ‘True to the End’ and dated 1751 to the north-west wall. Round-headed window openings to gable ends, now much denuded. Former openings to the north-west and south-east elevation now denuded and covered in vegetation. Round-headed doorway to the west end of the north wall, now blocked, having stone voussoirs to arch, remains of hoodmoulding, and with denuded carved stone head. Set back from road in an elevated site to the south-west of Inver and to the west of Mountcharles. Located on a bend at the mouth of the Eany Water River; site reached along causeway from the west. Graveyard to site having collection of recumbent, upstanding and table-type memorial monuments of mainly nineteenth-century date. Earliest legible memorial dated 1751. Graveyard surrounded by rubble stone boundary wall on irregular-plan, curving along with topography to the south-west, having rubble stone coping over. Gateway to the site comprising a pair of squared rubble stone gate piers (on square-plan) having capstones over, and having a pair of simple wrought-iron gates. Flight of cut stone steps from causeway adjacent to river up to gateway.
Appraisal: The fragmentary remains of this simple church are an important element of the built heritage and social history of the Inver area. This church probably dates to or was heavily modified c. 1610. It was described in 1622 as in ’reasonably good repair’ and having a thatched roof. The present church probably incorporates the remains or fabric an earlier church or churches to site, including a church of late twelfth of early thirteenth-century date. Although apparently originally thatched, this church was slated during the mid-eighteenth century when the eaves cornice was added. This church continued in use until the construction of the new Church of Ireland church at Inver, located a short distance to the north-east, in 1807. The church is surrounded by an elevated graveyard containing a fine collection of cut stone recumbent, upstanding and table-type memorial monuments of mainly nineteenth-century date, some of artistic merit. A number of eighteenth-century memorials also survive to site including one commemorating Thomas Hume, dated 1751, having the Hume family coat-of-arms in bas relief and the inscription ‘True to the End’. These add significantly to the context of this church site, while the simple rubble stone boundary walls and the gateway complete the setting of this interesting composition. This church forms part of a group of related sites with former Church of Ireland rectory (see 40909214) to the north, which was originally built to serve this church, and the Church of Ireland church to the north-east (see 40909203), which was built in 1807 to replace this earlier church. Stunningly set at a bend of the Eany Water River adjacent to Inver Bay, this building makes a strongly positive contribution to the built heritage and history of the local area."
Inver Old Church and Graveyard on the Eany Water River (centre of this photograph)
From Duchas (the Schools Collection 1930's):
"St. Naail (Naomh Nathail) is the patron saint of Inver Naile. He was son of Aengus, king of Munster. St Patrick told Aengus when he gave him his seat, Cashel of Munster, that he would have a son who would be a very holy man. An angel told the priest who baptised him to name him Naail.
When the boy grew up an angel told him go to the Master Cleric of the Western World (Columbcille) and follow his council till death and to get land from Columbcille for a dwelling and a church in which to praise God.
When Naail came to Columbcille the latter was at Inver on the territory of Conal Gulban. Columbcille told his hearers that a holy man should come to them that day with angels of God in his company and that he (Columb) would give him this land and would bless it and from Naail it should have its name for ever. Inver Naile is the name of the district.
Columbcille had no food to feast the stranger. He put the sea under bonds to give fish and soon the strand was covered with them.
They gathered sand and blessed it and it was changed into flour. Naail asked for land for a dwelling and a church. Columbcille said he would get land "on this very spot".
Naail erected his monastery at Inver. The ruins and the surrounding graveyard are still there. Columbcille blessed the spot on the north side of the river and prayed that no plague might cross the Eany.
The monastery was suppressed in 1609 and the protestant rector held service in the old monastic chapel till the present protestant church was built at Inver in 1807.
From 1609 till present day mass has been celebrated at Ardaghy.
For a long time at first it was celebrated at different points on Ardaghey hill known as the "Alt". The particular point chosen depended on the direction of the wind. Afterwards mass was celebrated in a scalan up to the time of the building of the present church. Sad to relate not a stone of the scalan is left to mark the spot where it stood.
On one occasion when water was needed St Naail cast his staff at a stone and water flowed to quench his thirst.
St Naail died in 564. Feast of St Naail 27th June. The foregoing is taken from A History of the Diocese of Raphoe by the late Canon E. Maguire D.D P.P. Glencolumbcille.
Canon Maguire was a native of Inver parish and most of the folk love of the parish is contained in the book.
What follows re St Naail's Well I got from Mick Furey, Fanaghan, a man of over 75 years of age.
Francis Kennedy N. O., Keelogs N.S. Inver."
"St. Naail (Naomh Nathail) is the patron saint of Inver Naile. He was son of Aengus, king of Munster. St Patrick told Aengus when he gave him his seat, Cashel of Munster, that he would have a son who would be a very holy man. An angel told the priest who baptised him to name him Naail.
When the boy grew up an angel told him go to the Master Cleric of the Western World (Columbcille) and follow his council till death and to get land from Columbcille for a dwelling and a church in which to praise God.
When Naail came to Columbcille the latter was at Inver on the territory of Conal Gulban. Columbcille told his hearers that a holy man should come to them that day with angels of God in his company and that he (Columb) would give him this land and would bless it and from Naail it should have its name for ever. Inver Naile is the name of the district.
Columbcille had no food to feast the stranger. He put the sea under bonds to give fish and soon the strand was covered with them.
They gathered sand and blessed it and it was changed into flour. Naail asked for land for a dwelling and a church. Columbcille said he would get land "on this very spot".
Naail erected his monastery at Inver. The ruins and the surrounding graveyard are still there. Columbcille blessed the spot on the north side of the river and prayed that no plague might cross the Eany.
The monastery was suppressed in 1609 and the protestant rector held service in the old monastic chapel till the present protestant church was built at Inver in 1807.
From 1609 till present day mass has been celebrated at Ardaghy.
For a long time at first it was celebrated at different points on Ardaghey hill known as the "Alt". The particular point chosen depended on the direction of the wind. Afterwards mass was celebrated in a scalan up to the time of the building of the present church. Sad to relate not a stone of the scalan is left to mark the spot where it stood.
On one occasion when water was needed St Naail cast his staff at a stone and water flowed to quench his thirst.
St Naail died in 564. Feast of St Naail 27th June. The foregoing is taken from A History of the Diocese of Raphoe by the late Canon E. Maguire D.D P.P. Glencolumbcille.
Canon Maguire was a native of Inver parish and most of the folk love of the parish is contained in the book.
What follows re St Naail's Well I got from Mick Furey, Fanaghan, a man of over 75 years of age.
Francis Kennedy N. O., Keelogs N.S. Inver."
Click on any of the images below to enlarge.
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Inver is signposted on your left 12km/8 miles from Donegal Town on the Killybegs road.
PARKING: There is no official parking spots but you can park around the village but park with care and ask permisson if parking near a house. NOTE: The terrain inside the graveyard is uneven and has lots of rabbit holes so care must be taken as you could break or twist an ankle. |