Bells and history ring out at Forth Chapel

THE tranquility of the Clogher Valley countryside will be perfectly framed once again when the bells ring out at one of Tyrone’s most historic churches.

Clogher Parish has announced a package of lottery funding for St Macartan’s, The Forth Chapel in Augher. The total of £123,539 from National Lottery Heritage Fund will help complete essential repairs to the west wing and bellcote where the chapel bell will ring again.

The repairs are just part of an ambitious project which will also develop a marked heritage trail that will recount the history of the site from an early Irish Hill Fort to the church that stands there today.

The funding at the grade B+ listed chapel will support a centenary events programme to mark 100 years of their Clarke Studio Stained Glass windows.

A biodiversity programme in the Church grounds will allow a wild area along the graveyard walls to be planted to attract insects, water butts to be placed in the graveyard to collect rain water for watering and use of the graveyard as a biodiversity educational resource for school children.

Canon Noel McGahan who is the Parish Priest, welcomed the funding for St Macartan’s. He said, “Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and players for this funding, it will allow us to remember the people of our Parish who in times of hardship built this beautiful Church.

“We are seeking to preserve its structure, interpret its history and indeed unique literary associations and as custodians pass it on to future generations in the best condition.”

Dr Paul Mullan from The National Lottery Heritage Fund praised the initiative. “Thanks to National Lottery Players, we are delighted to award St Macartan’s, The Forth with a grant that will not only carry out essential repairs but also develop a marked heritage trail for everyone to enjoy.

“The trail will explore its fascinating history and welcome new visitors so that this important heritage resonates with the community and beyond for years to come.”

St Macartan’s is famed as the setting for William Carleton’s short story entitled ‘Midnight Mass’ (1834) which describes an open air Mass held at the site of the Forth Chapel.

During Penal times, the site at Ballinaguragh Fort was used as a regular meeting place for open air Masses. Another literary figure of note, writer and poet Rose Kavanagh (1860-1891) is commemorated in one of the Clarke Studio stained glass windows.

The planned centenary events programme will launch at St Macartan’s on Friday, June 3 at 5.30pm with a tour followed by a talk titled ‘Rose Kavanagh Reflections’ by Mary Gillen (Cassidy) on her ancestor local writer Rose Kavanagh.

On Saturday, June 4 at 5.30pm The Forth will host Paul Donnelly, Trinity College, Dublin who will look at ‘A Legacy in Glass’ and in particular the Clarke Studio windows and archive documents.

Free tickets for both events can be booked via Eventbrite or via St Macartan’s The Forth Facebook page.