The Early Years
Until 1974 Ardmore was
part of the Glendermott Parish that included Claudy,
Faughanvale, Strathfoyle and Waterside.
Focussing on the present parish of Ardmore,
tradition has it that the earliest mention of Christianity
in this area was when St. Patrick, along with a disciple,
St. Brecan, preached along the banks of the Faughan
river that flows through the parish on his way to
founding a Monastery at Clooney, the remains of which
are in St. Columb’s Park.
A few centuries later there came into
being a monastic settlement at Ardkill meaning ‘High
Church’ in the townland of Glenkeen, near Goshaden.
The settlement was bult in 987. Nearby is a narrow
stretch of road leading to it known as ‘the Togher’
(Pilgrim’s Way).
Penal Mass Rocks
The Mass Rock at ‘Birchwood’ dates back to 1720 and
is known locally as the ‘old altar’. It is in the
townland of Glenkeen near Nicholson Gardens. During
the Penal Years of the 17th Century Mass was celebrated
here. In the ordinance survey map of 1837 mention
is made of an altar in the ‘Birchwood’. The priests
associated with the Mass rock were Fr. O. Brolchan
(Bradley), Fr. O’Kane and Fr. Doherty. It is also
tradition that a priest there. A local Presybyterian
family provided a place of safety for the priests.
They hid the priest in the hole of their chimney brace.
A member of the same family carried the priest across
the Faughan river on his back and saved his life.
The cross at the Birchwood Mass Rock
site was erected after Mass was celebrated there in
March 1928. It was made by William Patrick Treacy
and paid for by Teddy Kearney. The Mass, held in 1928,
had to be delayed for several more days due to bad
weather and was celebrated by Fr. T. Nicholson at
6.30am for the Downside Wanderers Cricket Team. Many
people also walked from the Waterside to be present.
The early hour for the Mass was to allow people to
get to work. The cross was pulled down and thrown
into the Faughan in the 1950s. It was saved by the
workers in the Bleach Green and was then secured in
concrete. The Mass has been more regularly celebrated
there in recent years. The local postwoman Mary O’Connell
(nee Kearney) now deceased, spent much time decorating
the place and keeping it tidy. Another Mass rock is
located in the Fincairn Glen, its location at present
is unknown as is the position of the Mass Rock not
far from the present Birchwood Mass rock.
Ardmore Old Church
Fr. James McFeely Parish Priest born in 1742 in the
townland of Glenkeen, the same townland as the ‘Birchwood
Mass Rock’ , built the old church at Ardmore between
1784 and its opening in 1791 at a cost of £40. This
Church is no longer visible and was situated in the
old Ardmore graveyard. The old church was the Parish
Church of Glendermott Parish. Fr. McFeely died in
1794 and was succeeded by Fr. Dan Phillips from 1794-1815,
followed by Fr. Patrick Mullan from 1815-1826. These
three priests are buried in the old graveyard.
Present St. Mary’s Church
The present Church at Ardmore was dedicated by Bishop
O’Kane on the 2nd November 1930. At that time St.
Columb’s, Waterside, became the Parish Church. The
new church was built by Rev. William Boyle McFeely
PP VF who is buried in the middle graveyard at Ardmore
(uncle of the late Bishop McFeely of Raphoe). This
church was dedicated to Mary, Help of Christians,
as Fr. McFeely had a great devotion to St. Don Bosco
who was canonised at this time and who was founder
of the Salesians, who held Mary, Help of Christians,
as their patroness.
The first wedding in the new church
of St. Mary’s Ardmore was that of Donal Ward and Eileen
McDermott and the first baptism was Laurence McColgan,
son of Laurence and Violet McColgan (nee Gallagher).
Fr. McFeely did not allow the main door
of the church to be opened on Sundays, only the side
door was allowed open. He did not want people congregating
there as this might give offence to the faith of people
of other religious denominations. Fr. McFeely died
in 1937 and was succeed by Fr. McGettigan (founder
of the Derry Feis). When Fr. McGettigan became Parish
Priest he said ‘Go down there and open those doors.
Thank God we don’t live in the catacombs’
In 1947 Mgr, Joe O’Doherty became
Parish Priest. He carried out extensive renovations
and had electricity installed in the 1950s replacing
the tilly lamps which the sacristan at that time,
John Sharkey, used to have to pump and light before
the Masses. Bishop Neil Farren came to conduct the
ceremony to mark this occasion.
