Ardagh
• Ardagh.
The parish of Ardagh is located partly in the barony of Morgallion, but chiefly in the barony of Lower Slane. Ardagh is one of the parishes where St. Patrick himself is said to have founded a church. It is the sort of site beloved of the Celtic peoples – all the Royal Seats were on hilltops and the parish down thecenturies was dedicated to our patron saint. The Protestant Church was probably built on the site of the Catholic Church.
Dean Cogan says “A church is said to have been erected here by St. Patrick, and a more imposing site
could scarcely have been selected. There is a magnificent view of the neighbouring counties of Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Down and Armagh. The old church has been uprooted, and a Protestant temple erected on the site. The parish is still dedicated to St. Patrick.” In the census of Ireland for the year 1871 there were 227 families in the parish, 1080 persons:- 998 were Roman Catholics and 82 were Non – Catholics. We know from the records that the Church of Ardagh was in use in 1625 because a silver chalice inscribed: “For the Church of Ardagh Anno 1625” was made. It was most likely abandoned some time before 1782 because we know from ‘Dr. Plunket’s Diaries’ that he visited Ballinavoran Church for Confirmation that year. The graveyard in Ardagh is the burial place of both Catholics and Protestants.
“Unbaptised children are buried in an consecrated part of Ardagh cemetery” (Patrick Carry VII. N.S.
Survey 1937 U.C.D.). In the poem “The Lake of Ballyhoe” from “The Rural Harp’ we get the following
“See Ardagh’s rocky summit as of olden time it
stood, Like a giant of the fabled days reclining o’er the
flood, While the little church that stands above is
In the blue and placid waters of the Lake of Ballyhoe”.
Researched and Compiled by Kathleen McArdle, “Brookville”, Drumconrath. Source: Faith History of Drumconrath – Meath Hill.