Dunlewey Church abandoned

Dunlewey Church abandoned
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Dunlewey Church abandoned photo 1
Dunlewey Church abandoned photo 2
Dunlewey Church abandoned photo 3

About

A roofless 1853 Church of Ireland ruin, built by a heartbroken widow as a memorial to her husband and often called Donegal's Taj Mahal, standing at the foot of Mount Errigal above Lough Dunlewey in the Poisoned Glen.

Things to Do

Explore the roofless ruin

Walk freely in and around the church, which lost its roof in 1955 as a safety measure. Its walls are built of locally quarried white marble and blue quartzite, with pointed-arch windows and a three-stage entrance tower. James Russell, the memorial's subject, lies in a vault under the floor.

Explore the roofless ruin

Photograph the glen views

One of the most photographed corners of Donegal: the ruin framed against Errigal, Donegal's highest mountain, with Lough Dunlewey below. Mist rolling down the valley makes the view especially atmospheric, and the glen's name may be a mistranslation of 'Heavenly Glen' (Gleann Neamh).

Photograph the glen views

Read the on-site notice board

A notice board tells the full story: Jane Smith Russell built the church after her husband, landlord of the Dunlewey Estate, died on 2 September 1848; it was consecrated on 1 September 1853 as a Chapel of Ease to Tullaghbegley parish. The floor was restored by the local community in 1987 and conservation work followed in 2005.

Walk the surrounding graveyard

The small graveyard holds the communal grave of Dr Frazer Brady and his wife Fanny (a Russell daughter) and four of their children, plus Richard Lewis Crankshaw, a later estate owner. His Catholic wife Nellie chose burial across the valley; her grave at the Church of the Sacred Heart faces his.

Drive the Poisoned Glen road

Approach along the narrow lane off the main road; first carry on past the turn-off to the viewpoints over the lake before doubling back down to the ruins. Expect strong winds in the glen on any visit.

Plan Your Visit

  • Hours: Always open — a freely accessible ruin with no gates or ticketing. Daylight hours are recommended for safety and light.
  • Admission: Free — no admission fees
  • Parking: Free car park on site; the church sits down a narrow lane off the main road through the glen.
  • Food: None on site; nearest amenities in Gweedore and Dunfanaghy.

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