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CEFF Project: Inishmacsaint Parish Church Heritage and Environment Project

This project will undertake a number of environmental and heritage tasks as part of this project to help preserve the graveyard at Inishmacsaint Parish Church.
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CEFF Project: Inishmacsaint Parish Church Heritage and Environment Project

Project Partner:
Theme:

Inishmacsaint graveyard has been the burial site for everyone of the Protestant tradition in the Derrygonnelly and Church Hill Area. It is well maintained in a neat condition by the Select Vestry and is used and visited by a wide section of the community. The graveyard’s natural boundary is a stream which carries water from a considerable area of
surrounding farmland and flows directly into Lough Erne.

A hedge protects the stream on the graveyard side and in recent years has become completely overgrown with mature bushes and trees some of which have fallen across and into the water causing blockage and unnecessary erosion.

Part 1 of this project will coppice this hedge, remove excess vegetation and dumped soil to benefit the environment.

Part 2 concerns the most significant historical features in the graveyard, the old burial vault and original headstones. It will involve research, reading inscriptions and removing excess vegetation from 15 graves and the erection of a headstone documenting those buried in the vault.

This work will be carried out by the Select Vestry from the church with help from the local community. It will preserve some of the local history in this area which is in danger of being lost.

For more information contact Elmarie Swanepoel call 0770 250 8777 or email elmarie.swanepoel@rspb.org.uk

Related Videos

History of Inishmacsaint

Project Updates

Inishmacsaint Church History – September 2021

Launched on 9th September 2021, check out the fabulous video below, telling the story of the Inishmacsaint Church

Unveiling of the headstone of the Ely family burial vault – September 2021

On Sunday, 12 September we were very honoured to have been invited to join the Inishmacsaint Parish Chuch community to attend the unveiling of the memorial stone erected in memory of the members of the Ely family buried in the church crypt. Bishop Ian Ellis unveiled the stone, joined by the Revd Stephanie Woods and members of the graveyard committee

Inishmacsaint Parish Church Open Day – September 2021

Inishmacsaint Parish Church welcomed members of the general public to learn more about the heritage of this unique building and surrounding area over two days in early September (Saturday 11th September 2021 – 10am to 6pm and Sunday 12th September 2021 – 2pm to 6pm) as part of Festival Lough Erne.

Over the two days, 176 people attended the Open Days. 30 volunteers supported throughout the weekend and contributed 120 volunteer hours to make the weekend a fantastic success.

Other activities over the weekend included:

  • Historical talks – on the Ely family by Fermanagh Genealogy Centre.
  • Tours of graveyard and tours of Church
  • The vault headstone was unveiled during the Sunday Service on 12th September 2021
  • Activities for children

Moreover, in preparation for the event, Revd Stephanie Woods compiled two fabulous booklets: one on the history of the church and the Ely family, and the second detailing the providence and meaning of the stained glass in the church. These were made available at the European Heritage Open Weekend, and copies are still available at the church.

There was also a feature on the event in The Clogher Diocesan Magazine cdm202109rs.pdf (anglican.org) and the Inishmacsaint Parish Church Heritage and Environment Project also received coverage in newspapers published in Fermanagh and beyond

 

Genealogy report – August 2021

The Fermanagh Genealogy Centre produced a very detailed and interesting report on the Lotus-Tottenham family, one of Fermanagh’s most influential Planter families, including information on the Ely family tree, the Ely Lodge estate and the surrounding townlands. The report also explains the connection between the Lotus-Tottenham family and Inishmacsaint lace.