UK – Northern Ireland

COUNTY FERMANAGH

LONDONDERRY

(NOT FREE) St Columba’s Long Tower Church, 6 Victoria Place, Derry, Londonderry, BT48 6TJ, N.I.
028 712 62301 – info@longtowerparish.com – www.longtowerparish.com
All year 8:00-21.00
Thought to have been built on the original site of St Columba’s first monastery which dated from the 6C.

Banagher Old Church, 2 miles SW of Dungiven, Off the B74, Dungiven, Londonderry, N.I.
Access at all times
Impressive ruins, the knave was built around 1100 and the chancel added around 1200 with a tomb in the shape of an Early Irish Church.

Bovevagh Church, 7 Connell Street, Limavady, Londonderry, N.I.
Access at all times
Established in the late Middle Ages by Colm Cille in 557. There is a mortuary house built to house the remains of a Saint, now in a ruined state with a slab stone roof.

St Eugene’s Cathedral, Fransic Street, Derry, Londonderry, BT48, N.I.
Summer 0900-2100; Winter 0900-2030
Completed in 1903 in Gothic Revival style this is one of the City’s most magnificent structures.

Saint Patrick’s Church, Church Street, Coleraine, Londonderry, BT52 1AR, N.I.
028 7034 4213 – admin@stpats.co.uk – www.stpats.co.uk
Tues-Sat 11.00-15.00
The present church dates from 1613 and contains many fine memorials. The church is on the original site of an early Christian Chirch founded by St Patrick in the 5C.

St Augustine’s Church, Off Bishop’s Street, Palace Lane, Derry, Londonderry, N.I.
st.augustine@btinternet.com - www.btinternet.com/~st.augustine
Open daily
The present building was erected in 1872 on the site of an ancient Augustian Abbey.

Dungiven Priory, Dungiven, Londonderry, BT47, N.I.
028 777 60307
Access at all times
This is an Augustinian Priory with a 15C tomb of Cooey-na-Gall an O’Cahan chief who died in 1385.

COUNTY DOWN

Downpatrick Cathedral, English Street, Downpatrick, County Down, N.I.
028 446 14922 – www.downcathedral.org
Mon-Sat 09.30-16.30 Sun 14.00-17.00
A 12C Cathedral on the historic hill of Down. Next to the Cathedral is where Saint Patrick is believed to be buried.

Movilla Abbey, Millisle Road, 1 mile E of Newtownards, Newtownards, County Down, N.I.
Access at all times
Refounded as an Augustinian Abbey in the 12C. The structure of this abbey includes one stone from the pre-Norman monastery, ruins from the 13C church and additions from the 15C.

Derry Churches, Off Cloghy Road, 1.5 miles NE of Portaferry, Portaferry, County Down, N.I.
Access at all times
These churches are associated with Saint Cumain and are pre-Norman in date. Features include a small cross and carved stones.

Nendrum Abbey and Monastic Site, Mahee Island in Strangford Lough, Strangford, Mahee Island, County Down, N.I.
028 905 43037
Access at all times
Created by Saint Mochaoi all that now remains is a Round Tower stump and the foundations of other buildings. There is also a sundial and cross slabs dating from the 12C that are still visable.

Raholp Church, 4 miles SW of Strangford, On the A25, Strangford, County Down, BT30, N.I.
Access at all times
This small church is associated with Saint Lassach who traditionally gave Saint Patrick the last sacrament. The church dates from early 10 or 11C with a west door and narrow east window.

The Church Of The Narrows, Centre of Kilkeel, Kilkeel, County Down, N.I.
Access at any reasonable time
The 14C ruined church pales in insignificance to the nearby graveyard. Where William Hare, murderer of 16 people in Edinburgh and of the infamous Burke and Hare. Hare ended up in the workhouse in Kilkeel after turning King’s evidence for his freedom.

COUNTY ARMAGH

St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Cathedral Road, Armagh, County Armagh, BT61 9DL, N.I.
028 375 22802 – www.armagharchdiocese.org
Open Daily dawn – dusk
This imposing cathederal was started in 1840 but the magnificent interior was not completed until the early 20C.

Church Of Ireland Cathedral Of St Patrick, Abbey Street, Armagh, Armagh, County Armagh, BT61 7DY, N.I.
028 375 23142 – armroblib@aol.com – www.stpatricks-cathedral.org
(daily) Apr-Oct 10.00-17.00, Nov-March 10.00-16.00 Tours Jun-Aug Mon-Sat 11.30-14.30
19C restoration of a 13C structure that enlarged upon the 5C original building. The Cathedral is the final resting place of the Irish King Brian Boru. There is also an Iron Age sculpture of a King with a false arm.

Armagh Friary, Access at the entrance to Palace Stables, Heritage Centre, Armagh, Armagh, County Armagh, BT61, N.I.
028 375 29629
Access at all times
Ruins of the longest Friary in Ireland (163 feet ). Founded by Founded by Arch Bishop Patrick O’Scanail in 1263.

Creggan Churchyard and Visitors Centre, Grounds of Creggan Parish Church, Glassdrumman Road, Crossmaglen, County Armagh, N.I.
0429 371921 – creggan@armagh.anglican.org – www.creggan.armagh.anglican.org
Access to the churchyard at all times. Guided tours given by the Visitors Centre June – Sept 15.00-17.30
Within this serene church yard are tablet memorials to a number of 18C poets including Art McCooney (1738-73) and the bandit port Seamus Mor MacMurphy (1720-1750).

Killevy Churches, Forkhill, 3.5 miles SW of Newry on the B113, Newry, County Armagh, N.I.
028 375 21800
Access at all times
These two churches date from medieval times, the west church from the 11C and the east church from the 15C and the site also includes O’hanlon cemetery. The site was previously the location of a nunnery that was founded by St Monnena in the 5C.

COUNTY ANTRIM

Ballymoney Parish Church, Top of Church Street, Opposite St Patrick’s Church Of Ireland, Ballymoney, County Antrim, N.I.
Access at all times
The ruins of the ancient Parish Church and the Old Church Graveyard is one of Ballymoney’s most beautiful and historic places.

Bonamargy Friary, On the A2, 0.5 miles E of Ballycastle, Ballycastle, County Antrim, N.I.
028 2076 2225
Access at all times
These are the remains of a Franciscan Friary founded circa 1500. The E range of the cloisters, gatehouse and church are virtually complete except for the roof, which was originally thatched.

Layde Old Church, 1 mile N of Cushendall, Via a footpath on coast road to Torr Head, Cushendall, County Antrim, N.I.
Access at all times
This Franciscan Friary was a Parish Church from 1306 to the end of the 18C. It is also the chief burial place of the MacDonnells after Bonamargy.

St Nicholas Church, Market Place, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, N.I.
www.saintnicholas.org.uk
Open mornings
This building was founded in the 12C by the Anglo-Norman John de Courcy. Over the centuries there have been many changes and additions to the building but it has managed to retain its ecclesiastical beauty and historical ambience.

COUNTY TYRONE

CITY OF BELFAST

Belfast Cathedral, Donegall Street, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 2HB, N.I.
028 903 28332 – assist@belfastcathedral.org – www.belfastcathedral.org
Mon-Sat 10.00-16.00, Sun before and after service
Belfast’s Cathedral stands as a Hiberno-Romanesque monument, open under partial completion in 1890 and finished almost a century later. Interesting features include the baptistry, angel head font and mosaics.

Sinclair Seamens Church, Corporation Square, Belfast, County Antrim, N.I.
028 907 15997
Open Wed 14.00-17.00 and during Sunday Services 11.30 and 19.00
This church dates from 1857 and has been refurbished using a maritime theme by the congregation in tribute to the seafaring traditions of the City. Notable features include the stained glass, the bell from HMS Hood and lifeboat shaped collection boxes.

Clonard Monastery, Clonard Gardens, Falls Road, Belfast, County Antrim, N.I.
028 904 45950
Mon – Sat 06.00-21.00 Sun 06.00-15.00
This monastery is home to the Redemptorists who were founded in Italy in 1732. The monastery was built in 1897 and is Early French Gothic in style.