Restoration work on Dunshaughlin Church of Ireland celebrated

Service reflected on almost 1,600 years of Christian worship at site

Hidden on the heart of Dunshaughlin, surrounded by a small graveyard approached through stone piers, is the ancient site on which sits the local Church of Ireland building.

In late November, to mark the restoration of the roof on the church, and to celebrate 200 years of worship in the present building, the Bishop of Meath and Kildare, Pat Storey, presided at a Thanksgiving Service in St Seachnall’s Church. The service also reflected on almost 1,600 years of Christian worship at the location, and was attended by with parishioners and members of the local community.

Parishioner George Wilkinson from Belper, Tara, who was one of the eight people who worked on a restoration committee, outlined the history of the site, explaining that St Seachnall was a contemporary of St Patrick - a bishop, and possibly Patrick’s nephew. He came to Dunshaughlin from Tara around the year 439, when perhaps only 100 or 200 people lived in scattered settlements around the area.

St Seachnall was a hymn writer, and wrote one of the earliest Latin hymns in praise of St Patrick. He is also associated with the hymn, Sancti Venite, supposedly sung first in Dunshaughlin by angels during a disagreement between the two saints - about whether Patrick was doing enough to collect money from the rich for the poor. Thankfully, the hymn resolved it.

The earlier churches here were simple timber ones, and there were several of them. They suffered greatly: in the 800s the abbey was reportedly burned twice and an abbot murdered; by the 12th century the site had been burned three more times and fully plundered at least once. A stone church or monastery was built sometime between the 1200s and 1400s, at the end of the golden age of Irish Christianity, and it was found in ruins in 1622. The arch outside is from the ruin of medieval church.

Another church was built in the late 1600s, most likely with the stones of the abbey. By the late 1700s, the roof was in such poor condition that the parish employed a roofer full-time just to keep it standing.

In 1813, a loan of £700 was taken out under the building programme of Thomas Lewis O’Beirne. After a disagreement with the builder and a court case in 1818, the parish took “forcible” possession of the church, which was not considered complete until 1825. The church was refurbished and remodelled in 1907.

Among the ancient pieces on display in the current church are a medieval lintel with a crucifixion scene, about 800 years old; an octagonal font, with its four carvings, which has served at least three churches on the site over the last eight centuries; an Oran Stone, over 1,000 years old - possibly a prayer station or depicting a soul at prayer; and a stained-glass window of Jesus with children, made in Youghal around 1860, installed first in Ratoath, then in Ballymaglasson in the 1950s, and brought to Dunshaughlin in the 1970s.

In the ninth century, Dunshaughlin was a “see” with its own bishop. In those days there were several such small dioceses which were eventually merged into a diocese centred on Clonard and ultimately the Diocese of Meath.

In 2022, it was discovered that the rook was leaking, louvres were rotten, the tower was leaking under the render, and damage inside was already visible. During the last two years. The louvres in the tower were replaced. The water damage in the tower is repaired, and tower fully re-plastered with lime render. The main roof has been completely refurbished with some timber replacement, new slates, and insulation installed in roof. A new metal roof installed on small vestry. The rear of the site has been cleaned up and fencing installed.

Thanks were expressed to the Bishop and the Diocese of Meath and Kildare, and to the Dunboyne Union, for supporting the project to proceed; grant support from the RCB, Meath County Council, and the Benefact Trust; the dedicated work of the architect, Robert Kenny, and builder, SEM construction, and all those who who care for the grounds.

Mr Wilkinson said the members were humbled by the generosity and goodwill shown through fundraising. "Support came from parishioners, from local community, the local historical and drama societies, businesses, from the community of sister church of St Patrick and St Seachnall, and from individuals - some anonymous - ranging from the very small to the very considerable.

"To our donors, volunteers, committee members, and to everyone who joined us in this adventure: Every gift, every helping hand, every word of encouragement has made a difference, and we are deeply grateful.

“Our hope is that it will continue to be a peaceful place for future generations where anyone can come can come, Sunday by Sunday, as per St Seachnall's vision. We are merely the current custodians of this ancient site of more than 1,500, here for a short moment in its long life."

The Service of Thanksgiving was led by lay reader Keith Snowe, and a rendition of Sancti Venite was performed by Leanne Fitzgerald Kelly, accompanied by organist Ciarán Kelly.

This month saw Dunshaughlin Players drama group stage 'A Christmas Carol' in the church to sold-out audiences over two weekends.