Parish History
Information about our Parish Faith History maintained by our parish office.
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Sunday’s Well (Tobar a’ Domhnaigh).
When Isaac Butler passed through Ardee in 1744, his interest in wells took him to a spa well in ‘amarshy meadow near the bog’. On his way to visit Inishmott he noted Sunday’s Well and TrinityWell to which they go on pilgrimage and penance’ (Deane 1922, 97-8).Is this the Sunday’s Well in the field a…
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St Colmcille’s Well (Tobar Colmcille)
According to Dean Cogan there is a holy well one mile from the village of Drumconrath to the rightof the Carrick road. Stations were formerly made from the well to the old church at Drumbride. Researched and Compiled by Kathleen McArdle, “Brookville”, Drumconrath. Source: Faith History of Drumconrath – Meath Hill.
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Balnavoran
A recent search in the ruins of Balnavoran revealed an old stone water font. As only the top rim of the font is showing above ground level it is not known if any writing exists on the stone. As it is now forbidden to interfere with such objects it will take some time for the…
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Holy Water Fonts
In Dean Cogan’s history of the diocese of Meath he states that the Baptismal Font has been removed from the Catholic Church (which was erected at a very early period on the site of the present Church of Ireland) to ornament a mound in the Rector’s demesne. Researched and Compiled by Kathleen McArdle, “Brookville”, Drumconrath.…
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Parochial Registers
A s will be seen from the next section the registers of Baptisms from at least 1764 were in existence in 1811. Fr. Hackett, who was translated from the parish on 21 September 1811, appears to have taken the registers with him and they are no longer in existence. New registers of Baptisms and Marriages…
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Meath Hill Church Bell
The bell originally stood to the left of the church on waste ground, which is now part of the car park. It stood on timber supports, but by the early 1940’s the timber had rotted and it became unsafe to ring the bell. This led to it being moved to the school grounds and mounted…
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The Grotto
Researched and Compiled by Kathleen McArdle, “Brookville”, Drumconrath. Source: Faith History of Drumconrath – Meath Hill.
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1932
On June 25th Rev. James Murphy died. His successor, Rev. P. Forde came to Drumconrath onJuly 14th “. Between this and Christmas the Parochial House underwent some repairs. The dining room, sitting room and three bedrooms were painted overhead and the walls were papered. This work was done by Patrick Farrelly Researched and Compiled by…
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Thomas Mulvanny — 6.4. ’32.
+ Thomas Mulvanny6.4. ’32.Confirmation was administered by the Most Rev. T. Mulvanny on the 6th April. From Drumconrath schools 22 girls and 17 boys were confirmed: From Meath Hill 22 boys and 14 girls.Mission: 10th to the 24 April. The mission was conducted by the two Vincentian Fathers, Gilmartin and Cullen. The mission was remarkably…
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1st Jan 1932
In February and March preparations were made for the bishops visitation on 6th April.The exteriors of both churches, parochial house and Meath Hill schools redashed; new carpets were laid down in the sanctuaries and various other decorations and improvements were effected.On 21″ March a farm of land was acquired from the Irish Land Commission in…
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1933
A new statue of the Sacred Heart was erected on the village green. The statue was presented byMiss Mary-Ann Fay, Drumconrath. On the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul, the Patron day of the parish the statue was unveiled. The ceremony on this occasion consisted of Rosary and sermon on the Sacred Heart, preached by…
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Drumconrath and Meath Hill
Drumconrath and Meath HillDr. Plunket found two schoos in the parish at his visitation in 1788. Thirty-six years later, there were four schools. At Ballinavoran, Edward Smith held school in the chapel and had 4 Protestant and 41 Catholic pupils. Years afterwards, one of his pupils — Patrick O’Reilly – himself a schoolmaster — in…
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