St Mary Star of the Sea Annagry County Donegal

St Mary Star of the Sea welcomes Christians and those who seek to connect to Christianity in the Annagry area.

We aim to make contact with and encourage others to join us in our life-changing Christian journey.

We are a friendly Christian community where we welcome others to join us in our worship and service to God.

Our vision is to make an impact for God, here in Annagry, County Donegal by helping people understand the enriching messages of eternal hope given to us by Jesus Christ through His words and deeds.

Everyone is welcome, no matter your age, beliefs, or background. Come just as you are - we'd love to get to know you better.

 

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A brief history

In the late 19th Century Annagry was part of the parish of Lower Templecrone. Fr Bernard Walker was PP in Kincasslagh at the time and Fr Daniel Sweeney (a native of Dungloe) was the CC. It was decided to build a church in Annagry and Fr Daniel Sweeney was responsible for the building of the new church. With the assistance of the architect EJ Toye, joinery work by Joseph Calhoun of Derry and voluntary labour from the area, the church was blessed and dedicated to Mary, Star of the Sea on the 14th October 1894 by the Bishop, Dr Patrick O’Donnell. The sermon was to be given by Monsignor McFadden, PP Donegal but he fell ill and Bishop O’Donnell gave the sermon.

A gallery was added in 1903 and the graveyard was built in 1914. The first person to be buried was Mary McGarvey from Ranafast on the 15th August 1914. The second person to be buried was also a Mary McGarvey from Loughanure who was buried in September 1914; she was only one day old. Prior to 1914 all burials took place in Kincasslagh. There was a rest stone in Calhame to allow the carriers to rest the coffin. No record of deaths in the parish was kept until 1964. Over the years four extensions were added to the existing graveyard until the new graveyard was opened in Meendernasloe in 1995.

Our church was built in a time of severe poverty and emigration, and on the 4th February 1946 at 8am it was struck by lightning. The lightning entered at the back of the chapel and left a hole on the wall above the altar on its way out. All the windows were broken. The painting on the wall above the altar was also damaged. Harry Clarke from Dublin installed new windows. Two stained glass windows were put in above the altar. Eva Hone (Evie), who was disabled, painted these. These windows are very valuable and at the time they were installed, the parish was advised to have them insured and to have them protected by an outer covering. Also destroyed by the lightning was a statue of the Sacred Heart, a matching statue of Our Lady wasn’t damaged. According to local information, although the east end of the chapel was hit, the outside statue of Mary, Star of the Sea wasn’t broken but turned to face the sea. The AOH Hall was used as a chapel when the church was being repaired. Marriages, baptisms and funerals were held here until the chapel was fixed. The Chapel reopened in November 1946 but the sacristy was not finished.

In the 1960’s Fr James McGinley had the original wooden altar replaced with the marble altar we have today. Fr McGinley had a bell installed with money donated by a lady from the parish. A new bell was installed at the end of December 1999. Our parish community celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the Dedication of St Mary’s Star of the Sea Church on the 14th October 2019.

Cúlra

Tá Teach Phobail Réalt na Mara suite i mbéal na mara i sráidbhaile Anagaire, le céad fiche cúig bliain anois le freastal a dhéanamh ar mhuintir ón Ghriall go Rann na Feirste agus ó Mhullach Dearg go Choillín Darach go dtí go mbeidh tú amuigh ag barr Chnoc Loch an Iúir.

Ní raibh Teach Pobail ar bith idir an Choieann i nDoirí Beaga agus Teach Phobail Ceann Caslach agus ní raibh reilig ar bith idir reiligeacha na Rosann ar an Chruit agus Béal na Cruite agus an ceann a bhí i Machaire Gathláin. Mar sin, bhí reilig úr riachtanach ag an am in Anagaire fosta ach ní dhearnadh sin go dtí 1914. Ba é an tAth. Dónal Mac Suibhne a thit ualach na h-oibre an Teach Phobail úr a thógáil.

Sa bhliain 1945 a rinneadh paróiste Theampall Chróine Íochtarach a roinnt ina dhá chuid – Paróiste Cheann Caslach agus Paróiste Anagaire. Ba é an tAth. Pádraig Mac Giolla Chearra an chéad Sagart Paróiste a bhí i bparóiste Anagaire. Tugadh Teach Phobail Naomh Muire Réalt na Mara ar mhórán fáthanna, uirthi. Ar an chéad dul síos, bhí ainm Mhuire luaite ar thús agus ar dheireadh achan phaidir dá raibh ag an t-seandream. Ansin bhí tábhacht ag baint léi ó tharla í go díreach a bheith ag amharc amach i dtreo na farraige agus bhí an Teach Pobail ansin mar réalt nó mar sholas coimhdeachta go h-áirithe dona h-iascairí a bhí ag saothrú a mbeatha amach ar an fharraige agus chomh maith le sin bhí sí mar réalt do na daoine a d’imigh ar imirce ag saothrú dóibh féin agus do na dteaghlaigh a bhí fágtha ina ndiaidh. Bhí an t-ainm Réalt na Mara deartha le doirlingí taobh amuigh de Theach phobail go dtí gur cuireadh dealbh na Maighdine Muire ina áit. Cuireadh Cros suas ar bhinn theach phobail i gcuimhne ar na h-imircigh – le daoine paidir a rá díofa nuair a rachadh siad thart leis an Teach Pobal agus chomh maith le sin le uchtach a thabhairt do na h-imircigh go raibh a muintir ag guí as a son.

B’é an dara Sagart Paróiste a tháinig go paróiste Anagaire ná an t-Athair MacFhionnlaoich. Ba altóir adhmaid a bhí ann san am ach d’athraigh seisean sin go dtí ceann marmair. Rinn an tAth. Mac Fhionnlaoich mórán athraithe ar leagan amach an Teach Pobail. Rinneadh an pasáistí aníos an taobh agus fosclaíodh an doras ar thaobh Teach Pobail.

Fosclaíodh an reilig sa bhliain 1914, cuireadh ceithre mhéadú leis an Teach Pobail ó shin. Tá na Sagairt agus daoine cáiliúla mar, Joe Fheilimí MacGrianna, chomh maith le daoine a cailleadh i dtubaistí farraige agus bóithre curtha intí. Is féidir a rá gur tháinig go leor athraithe ar shaol na ndaoine ó tógadh an Teach Pobail in Anagaire, ach mar sin féin tá na daoine go fóill ag tarraingt le guí mar a ghuíodh na glúnta a chuaigh rompu.