1877 – Church of the Sacred Heart, Dunlewey, Co. Donegal

Completed in 1877, this remote church was designed by architect Timothy Hevey and built by James McAdorey from Belfast, in a ‘Hiberno-Romanesque’ style. It has a spectacular location, nestled between the majestic Mount Errigal and the waters of Lough Nacung Upper. One of the architect’s last works as he died at the young age of 32 a year later, in 1878.

“This church has been erected at Dunlewy, co. Donegal, in a romantic and picturesque district, forming portion of what is now known as the “Donegal Highlands.” Mr. Wm. Ausgustine Ross, of Curzon Street, Mayfair, having become owner of the Dunlewy property, determined to erect, solely at his own cost, a small church for his tenants and others in the neigbourhood, the nearest existing church being distant nine miles.

The site, as may be gathered from the illustration, is a rocky one, some fifty feet over the adjoining land, and has on the north side the mountains of Errigle, and on the south Dunlewy lake, celebrated for its fish.

In-designing a church for a mountain district, inhabited almost exclusively by Irish speaking people, the architect considered it appropriate to the locality and consonant with its traditions and associations to introduce a round tower, which, of course, forms the key note of the design, and although unrestricted as to expenditure he has avoided everything superfluous or costly, considering that extreme simplicity of detail would be more in accordance with the external surroundings. Internally, however, this is amply compensated for. Stained glass fills every window of the church — a fact somewhat unusual — and a rich stone and marble altar is in progress for the sanctuary.

The church, now almost finished in every respect, is built of a light blue limestone for the general walling, and the dressings are of a pure white marble, both quarried on the estate, quite close to the site of the church. The round tower rises to a height of 95 feet, and forms a prominent feature in the landscape for many miles around. Pitch pine has been used throughout for all woodwork, and the roof is open and sheeted. The passages are laid with encaustic tiles, and the sanctuary with parquetry.

The contractor for the work is W. James McAdorey, of Belfast, who has satisfactorily carried out the contract. The stained glass is from the studio of Messrs. Early & Powells. The architect who has designed and superintended the work is Mr. Timothy Hevery, of Alfred Street, Belfast.” The Architect, April 14 1877