All Saints' Doohamlet
The church of the Blessed Virgin & All Saints (known as "All Saints") at Doohamlet was built during the years 1857 to 1861.The church is a well-known landmark along the Castleblayney to Ballybay road in the townland of Doohamlet. All Saints serves a community of approximately 180 families in the southern part of Clontibret. This beautiful church, situated amongst the drumlin hills of mid-Monaghan, is simple in design, consisting of just a nave and chancel. The nave is lighted by twelve lancet gothic windows while the windows in the sanctuary are filled with stained glass. A further three windows, over the main door, together with a belfry and bell, are the central features of the northern or front side of the church. The three windows were donated by Most Rev. Eugene O’Callaghan, Bishop of Clogher (1943-1970) and bear his motto: Ad Jesum per Mariam – To Jesus through Mary. The Crucifix in the Sanctuary dates from the Special Holy Year of 1933/34 and was previously displayed in the old school at Annyalla. History A schoolhouse was also built in the Mass garden in 1847, much to the annoyance of the Commissioners for Education who disliked having schools located on the same site as a church. |
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The building of All Saints church experienced several delays due to the economic situation in the aftermath of the Great Famine of 1847-'49. It was not until the appointment of Fr John McKenna as Administrator of the parish in 1858 that the work got underway in earnest. In fact, the decision of the Bishop to take Clontibret as a "Mensal" parish and appoint an Administrator arose from the difficulties of having All Saints' completed. It is said that this came about as a result of both the building of two churches at the same time, (All Saints & St Mary's), and the loss of funds to a rogue contractor who absconded to America. The latter event led to a delegation of parishioners petitioning the Bishop to appoint an Administrator and to apply the Parish Priests' income to the completion of the two churches. This arrangement continued until November 1970.
All Saints' church, Doohamlet, was solemnly dedicated on Tuesday, 7 May 1861 by Most Rev Charles McNally, Bishop of Clogher. The Dedication Sermon was preached by Fr William Roynane SJ.
Further work was carried out on the church, including the addition of the bell tower, during the years 1878 to 1882. Seating was provided in All Saints during these years also at the behest of Bishop James Donnelly (1865-1893), who contributed £50 on the condition that no family or person would own a pew for own use. A special Mass and a Charity sermon, preached by Bishop Donnelly, on Trinity Sunday, 4 June 1882 marked the completion of the church.. A date stone under the belfry records the year of the church’s completion.
A new bell was erected in 1947. A programme of renovation works was commenced in 1950/51, including the re-roofing of the building, the erection of a new High Altar and Stained Glass Windows and the installation of electricity as part of the Rural Electrification Scheme. This programme of works was completed in 1967/68 when new windows were installed throughout the church, together with a new heating system. All of the windows were donated, including one from the Irish Railroad Workers in New York.
The sanctuary was re-ordered in 1988 in line with the requirements arising from Vatican II. As part of the re-alignment, a canopy was erected over the altar, hanging from the ceiling. This recalls the church’s past as a Mass hut where the priest said Mass under a simple hut cover.To mark the completion of the work the Sacrament of Confirmation was administered in Doohamlet for the first time ever, by Dr Joseph Duffy, Bishop of Clogher, on Saturday 15 April 1989.
Priests Canon Philip Connolly, who was a curate at Doohamlet during the years 1964-'66, retired as Parish Priest of Clontibret in September 2004 and since then resides in Doohamlet from where he continues his ministry as Pastor Emeritus of the parish. |
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Fr Patrick Scahill was born in Swords,Co Dublin in 1923. He was ordained in 1953 and spent some time afterwards ministering in the diocese of Paisley in Scotland. He was then appointed to Castleblayney (Parish of Muckno) where he remained for fourteen years prior to his appointment to Clontibret parish. Fr Scahill was a devoted member of the Marian Movement and he held many Cenacles of Prayer in All Saints church. He promoted devotion to Our Lady and the Holy Rosary and was a loving and caring priest. He died suddenly on Tuesday, January 24 1984 and his remains are interred in St Colmcille's Cemetery in Swords.
All Saints' Cemetery
A cemetery was opened at All Saints in 1921 following the purchase of land from the Keenan family, Dernaglug. Prior to that date the people of the Doohamlet area buried their dead in Annyalla or in the graveyard at Clontibret old parish church (at Gallagh). Some people from this area have burial space in Castleblayney or at Ballintra in the nearby parish of Tullycorbet.
Among those interred in All Saints' cemetery is Fr Peter Ward, who was a native of Aughnamullen East parish and who, following his Ordination to the Priesthood in Salamanca in 1920, was appointed as curate here in Clontibret parish, beng based at Lakelands. He was transferred to Tempo, Co Fermanagh in 1922 and in 1924 went to minister in the Archdiocese of Liverpool. He died on 4 October 1962.
A Sunday at All Saints in 1872 – from the Journal of Bishop James Donnelly (1865-'93).
Nov 3 1872: "Sunday, off to All Saints, Clontibret..preached a long sermon on festival of All Saints on account of the church. Fr Traynor, only, present; distributed premiums to best answerers …. Then teachers of Sunday school; gave praise to the four children of Charles Connolly as "teachers". Talked of building a sexton’s house and purchasing a harmonium."
