Details of the wonderful Cathedrals, Churches & Cottages Tour for European Heritage Open Days organised by St Macartan’s the Forth chapel.
Join the tour on Saturday September 14th to uncover beautiful cathedrals, country churches full of art, history and literary connections and a quaint cottage resonating with stories of William Carleton and emigration from Aughadarragh on this one-off tour of the beautiful Clogher Valley.
The tour will leave from the carpark at St Patrick’s chaoel, Clogher and make it’s way through the village to Aghaintaine. You will follow the ancient road the monks at Devenish walked, to reach Clogher Cathedral.
At Aghaintaine you will meet members of the local community and learn so much about this lovely part of County Tyrone. You will find out about the prominent Irish writer William Carleton, born locally, widely known for his depiction of rural Irish life and get to visit the quaint historic church graveyard with a story stretching back to Titanic. You will learn about the history of Aghaintaine Castle and its links to The O’Neill’s and stop at the lovely country church, now the focal point of a community heritage project.
The group then travel into Clogher Village and stop off to visit the historic Clogher Cathedral graveyard and environs. Historian and President of the William Carleton Society Jack Johnston will take everyone on a short, guided tour of the site and pinpoint some of the truly historic features and stories of this special place. You will discover so much including the two Celtic crosses on site, hear about the burial place of St Macartan and St Ultan, see the fabled Clogh Oir and visit the war graves that tell such a sad story. Clogher Church of Ireland Cathedral is one of the most fascinating places in Ireland and this is a unique opportunity to enjoy a personal guided tour.
We break for lunch and then reconvene at St Macartan’s the Forth Chapel, Augher. This Church was awarded the Heritage Angel Award in 2022 and UK Church of The Year 2023. St Macartan’s sits amidst Ballinagurragh Fort on a wonderful site set in the heart of the Clogher Valley. As well as four Clarke Studio windows, you will learn about the young poet Rose Kavanagh buried in the Church graveyard, her links to WB Yeats and the Irish literary revival. We will pick up the story of local writer William Carleton and discover links through Archbishop John Hughes to the magnificent St Patricks Cathedral, New York. You will hear about how this church was built in famine times and learn how worship was carried out on this site down the generations.
The tour finishes at the quaint Joe’s Cottage in the townland of Aughadarragh where the owners have lovingly set about restoring this cottage. While it’s still a work in progress they are delighted to welcome you with some great hospitality and some traditional Irish music to round off the day.
Click on this link to book your place.
