Concerns raised over neglect at historic church in Dromore

RESIDENTS of Dromore have raised concerns about the lack of maintenance at the ruins of an old church.

Fences have been erected around the site on Church Brae and Church Street, which locals describe as an “eyesore.”

Briedge McGinn, a resident of Church Brae, lamented the unsightly overgrowth that now blocks sunlight from her garden.

“On Facebook, I got a memory from ten years ago of a photo I took of the ruins in good weather,” she said.

“Then I took a photo the other day of the same view and you can’t even see the ruins. The trees that have grown are about 15 feet tall.”

“The site needs to be tidied and opened for the public and tourists to walk around and visit,” Briedge added. “It just seems like the council have forgotten to keep up our church, especially with the Fleadh coming up, but they’re happy to keep raising our rates.”

“We just want that eyesore tidied up and we want our light back at Church Brae.”

A Dromore resident also wrote to the UH and said, “Whilst there may be valid health and safety concerns, there is no excuse for a complete fencing off for the whole site from Church Street to the Chapel Brae.”

They added, “There is no pedestrian access to the church and there is no maintenance currently being carried out by the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC). This has resulted in an abandoned overgrown mass of shrubs and trees, which is particularly unattractive to current residents on the overlooked Church Brae.”

Local councillor, Colette McNulty said she is seeking clarification on the ownership of the church ruins and the responsibilities of the local council.

Cllr McNulty added, “I am in agreement that unsightly barriers as a prolonged temporary measure is unsightly and an eyesore. The eye well and church ruins are our heritage and deserve to be maintained cherished and admired at its full potential by residents and visitors alike. Therefore I will discuss with the relevant departments on any heritage funding that can be made available.”

In response to the complaints, a spokesperson from the FODC said, “The council undertakes an annual programme of grass cutting and maintenance of the grounds of Dromore Ancient Cemetery, which includes four scheduled cuts during the growing season and general winter maintenance.

“Council staff regularly engage with local community groups to support a range of environmental improvement and biodiversity initiatives. Recent engagements have provided an opportunity to discuss events such as the Big Spring Clean, Ulster in Bloom and the Ulster Fleadh.”