St Oliver Plunkett’s Church

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

St Oliver Plunkett’s Church is located along the roadside to the Northeast of Roxborough Road and first appears on the 4th edition OS map of 1956-7, as part of a new settlement that has since grown into a small village centred on the church. The building has a rectangular footprint with the front, narrow gable facing Southwest, with extensive tarmacadam defining its curtilage.

Constructed in traditional form, the central arched and timber sheeted entrance doors on the front elevation are framed with a narrow, raised and elongated arched surround within which is located an elevated alcove containing a figure of St Oliver Plunkett. Either side of the entrance, elongated arched, plain stained-glass windows complete the visual composition. Raised plastered quoins define the outer edges of the façade culminating in projecting raised verges to gable and terminating a natural slate roof behind. Walls smooth render with masonry paint finish with raised quoins and plinths defined with contrasting colour.

Raised concrete verges to rear elevation with central, flat roof projection defining the location of Sanctuary enclosed within. Small, pitched extension to RHS defines sacristy and ancillary accommodation. Raised painted plaster quoins define outer corners of elevation. All external finishes as detailed above. Side elevations contain 5no. (each side), elongated arched stained-glass windows with slim concrete sills. Located between second and third arched window small flat roof extensions to either side define location of Confessional booths within. All rainwater goods metal.

Setting:
The Church is located, gable fronted on the roadside within the housing settlement with extensive tarmacadam around the building defining its curtilage. No curtilage enclosure to rear.

Roofing: Natural slate,
Walling: Painted smooth render with raised plaster quoins,
Windows: Timber
RWG: metal

Historical information

St Oliver Plunkett’s Church in the Parish of Lower Creggan was completed in 1956, the foundations having been commenced by eight local men on 12th July 1954.

The church, which was constructed in the traditional way, by the parishioners themselves without the aid of an architect, was built by the Murphys and Galbraiths from Newtownhamilton and plastered by McNulty of Cullyhanna. The church was built on a site that was given free by a local farmer, Felix Makin. Makin’s son did most of the joinery work free of cost and directed much of the voluntary labour on the site, parishioners often working in the evenings after their working day.

The construction of the church was the fulfilment of an aspiration that had been held for some years as infirm parishioners in the SE of the parish had difficulties in accessing the church at Cullyhanna. The construction costs were raised from the parishioners who paid an average of £30 towards the cost. The building was opened and dedicated to Blessed Oliver Plunkett (prior to his canonisation in 1975) on Sunday 11th November 1956, by Cardinal D’Alton, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. The church is situated close to the site of ‘Bleeke’s Inn’ where Oliver Plunkett was accustomed to gather in conference with his clergy during the period of suppression of Catholic worship under the Penal Laws.

The church is first shown, captioned ‘Dorsy RC Church’ on the 4th edition OS map of 1956-7, as part of a new settlement that has since grown into a small village centred on the church.

References
Primary Sources:

1. PRONI OS/6/2/28/4 Fourth Edition Six Inch OS map (1956-7)
2. Dundalk Democrat, 17th November 1956
3. Frontier Sentinel, 17th November 1956
4. Dundalk Democrat, 25th May 2002

Secondary Sources:

5. Parish of Lower Creggan, St Oliver’s (lowercregganparish.com)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Records indicate that there has not been any earlier ecclesiastical buildings on this site and as a consequence, the Church of St Oliver Plunkett, as a relatively recent construction (mid-20th century), fails to meet the legislative test for listing.