Ballynascreen Church

The church, in Moneyconey townland, stands beside the river in the lovely Moyola valley. It is traditionally associated with St Columba (Colmcille) and there must have been an early church here. It is documented as the medieval parish church, but it was ruined by 1622. The long ruin is difficult to date and there are no dressed stones in place except for a niche in the east wall which has a delicate miniature ribbed vault. The present door is a ragged gap in the south wall with a draw-bar hole, but built into the wall near it are many pieces of a fine moulded door of the 13th century, reused as building material. This points to extensive rebuilding, perhaps in the 15th century. In the walls are many putlog holes for scaffolding poles.

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