The Holy Rosary Church of Doolin

Holy Rosary Church, established in the 19th century, supplanted an earlier chapel that had witnessed the passage of time. It was the tenacity and devotion of Doolin's Catholic community that spearheaded the establishment of this new sanctuary, embodying their shared dreams and faith.

This church of the Holy Rosary and originally called Tooclea stands here on the verge of the Atlantic Ocean. Its geographical location is at the Knockfin crossroads in the townland of Ballyvoe and is about 53 metres above sea level. The site contains a little over half an acre, enclosed by a stone wall on two sides, on the East by the land once owned by the McNamara Family, Anthony Kitson in the 1950's and now in the ownership of the Fitzgerald Family.

It is believed that a small thatched church was built on this site prior to 1821 which may have been also used as a school. But the dynamic Parish Priest of the time had the building enlarged and slated. The stone used was greenstone quarried at Trá Leathan and the slates were probably from the locality. That priest Fr. Thomas Healy who was a native of the parish lived in Fernhill. His ministry here lasted for one decade 1820 to 1830. He died at the young age of 48 and is buried here in the church. A stone slab inserted in the wall here to my left reads:

"Pray for the soul of the Rev. Thomas Healy, who after having governed this parish about ten years with paternal care and built this edifice at his own and the parishioners care and expense, died at the age of 48 years on the Eve before Ash Wednesday 1830."

Fr. Healy was dynamic, within one year of becoming PP of Killilagh & Kilmoon Parishes he had built a new church here. The old church at Killilagh a short distance north west of here had been abandoned since Cromwellian Times. The Penal Laws in force from 1695 and mostly against the Catholic population left the clergy and laity with little option but to practice their faith in secret using Mass Rocks in remote places. One such Mass Rock was in Knockacarn in Brod Petty's farm.

In 1704 shortly after the Penal Laws were enforced the parish priest of Kilmoon and Killeany was Rev. Murtagh Flanagan whose sureties were William Brock, Gleninagh and Nicholas Lynch, Ballyvanney (Crusheen).

Rev. Charles O Connor was P.P of Killilagh and Kilmacreehy (Liscannor). His sureties were Francis Sarsfield, Doolin and Turlough O Brien, Aughaglinny ( Gleninagh). The sureties were gentlemen who would report to the authorities on the bona fides of the priests. These harsh penal laws were almost abolished by 1791 and so the Catholic population was allowed practice their faith more freely.

What else is known of Fr. Healy? Firstly he was a parishioner, a priest and a farmer.

When a tax or Tithes was introduced in 1826 for the support of the Church of Ireland clergy, Fr. Healy himself having 20 acres in Fernhill and 37 acres in Gortaclob was billed for £2-05-

07. His curate, Rev. Laurence Campbell, living in Tiergonean (Roadford) had but half an acre with his house and was billed for 1s-4½d. The Tithe Commissioners for the parish were William Nugent McNamara (The Major) and Thomas Studdert. The tax was divided in the ratio of 2 to 1 between the Rector, Rev. Richard Studdert of Quin and the Vicar Rev. Archdeacon John Whitty of Ennistymon.

Fr. Healy wrote a letter to the Catholic Association in Dublin on December 10th 1828. With it he had enclosed £6-10 shillings being the Catholic Rent for October & November for the parishes of Kilmoon and Killilagh. In this letter Fr. Healy showed he had a flair for writing as he was defending two parishioners who were in jail wrongly accused of forcing someone to take a secret oath against a 'quasi aristocrat' who lived in nearby Knockaskeheen.He wrote that the amount he had enclosed was 'in no way trifling' as the rich lands in his union were occupied by absentee 'graziers and only the mountainous districts fell to the lot of his parishioners. Having that said he praised 3 landlords namely Major McNamara, Francis Gore and Andrew Stacpoole for their forbearance and tolerance with the 40 shilling freeholders who voted for O'Connell in the Clare Election eventhough there were large arrears of rent due to them.Fr. Healy was succeeded by Fr. Michael Nelly and in 1844 his successor as P.P. was Fr. Patrick Fallon. For the duration of the Famine Fr. Fallon along with his curate lived at Glasha/Ballyreen on the coast road to Ballinalacken. The house was later used as a Police Barracks and it is still standing. The setting up of 2 Famine Relief Committees in the parish with help from some of the landlords and influential people contributed in staving off hunger and death. The priest suffered greatly from the poverty of his flock as contributions were almost non-existent. However he persisted in getting relief works to support 5 to 7 thousand people in his parish. He was rewarded in 1853 by being appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora and went to live in Liscannor.This letter sought the help of Daniel O'Connell in having his parishioners, Patrick Devitt and Michael O Connor, released from jail. We don't know if the priest's efforts were successful.

Today, the Holy Rosary Church stands as a testament to the enduring faith, resilience, and unity of the Doolin community. It is a symbol of the sacrifices made, the challenges overcome, and the unwavering spirit of its people.

With thanks to John Hehir

For more information, click here.