History
History of Aughrim Church
The Church of the Most Sacred Heart and Aughrim Parish were constituted in 1890 from Rathdrum Parish.
Our church in Aughrim replaced St. Brigid’s in Macreddin as the local place of worship. The church building foundation stone was laid by Archbishop Walsh at a ceremony on July 22nd 1890. The first Parish Priest of Aughrim was the Very. Rev. John O’Brien. He died on Christmas Day 1890. He bequeathed £1,000 towards the cost of building the church and £200 towards the cost of the marble altar.
The church was designed by architect William Hague, and was built by Michael Clarke Contractor, Wicklow. It is a detached six-bay church, constructed in Gothic arch style. The church is constructed in coursed rock-faced granite, sourced locally, quarried in Tinnakilly. The church has a a three-stage bell tower.
Inside, the church has a white Italian marble altar, with two side altars, one dedicated to Our Lord and one dedicated to Mary, Mother of God. At the rear of the church there is a second storey choir gallery.
History of Macreddin Church
St. Brigid’s Catholic church in Macreddin was dedicated to Saint Brigid, and was part of the parish of Rathdrum.
The church is now in ruins. Upper Macreddin Cemetery is in the churchyard, while the the larger Lower Macreddin Cemetery is further down the valley.
St. Brigid’s Church in Macreddin was the local place of worship for the Catholic faith, and was a curacy of Rathdrum parish before Aughrim parish was established in 1890. The eighteenth century thatched church was burnt down in the 1798 rebellion and was re-built in 1803 by Fr. Kavanagh to the structure it is today.
There is a dedication plaque marking the rebuilding of St. Brigid’s church now located in the porch in the Church of the Most Sacred Heart in Aughrim.
Cross to Commemorate the World meeting of Families 2018
To commemorate the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland in 2018 for the World Meeting of Families, the community in Aughrim erected a commemorative cross on “Jim’s Way” overlooking the town of Aughrim.
We would like to extend our thanks to the following: Michael Stapleton, Macreddin, for providing history and photos of St. Brigid’s Church, Miley Carroll Photography Aughrim, for providing photos of the Church of the Most Sacred Heart Sean Kenny, Killacloran, for assisting with the history of Aughrim Church.