Saint John's the

Evangelist Aughrim

Diocese of Glendalough

The Origins a history on the Parishes

The Christian Examiner in 1836 described the location of Ballinatone Church Ballinaclash as "beautifully situated in a vale at the entrance of the romantic scenery of Glenmalure". The Parish was constituted as Perpetual Curacy within the Parish of Rathdrum on the 3rd of August 1832 and the Church at Ballinatone was consecrated on the 17th of June 1836. A Chapel of Ease was licensed at Macreddin on the 11th of May 1869. A Church in honour of Saint John the Evangelist was opened in Aughrim in 1913 thus completing Church building in the area. The Parish has been served by the following Clergy since 1836-

Perpetual Curates:

Revd William Saint George Sargent
Revd Thomas Jameson
Revd Benjamin Talbot
Revd William James Mulloy
Revd Augustus Frederick George Bluett
Revd Digby Samuel Cooke

Rectors:

Revd Henry William Gayer
Revd Charles James Hinkson
Revd William Jeffares
Revd Hugh Falkner Cole Baker
Revd John Edward Tomlinson
Revd Joseph Blackwell
Revd Henry Hughes
Revd Thomas Bradley

Revd Robert Grattan Love
Revd Ian William MacDougall
Revd Ian William Charles Phillips
Revd Harold Herbert Pierce
Revd James Albert Farrar
Revd (Canon) George Thorp Baynham
Revd (Canon) James Hartin
Revd (Canon) George William Butler

Following the re-alignment of Ecclesiastical Parishes in 1973 Castlemacadam ("Holy Trinity Church") was grouped with Aughrim Ballinatone & Macreddin. Conary Parish was transferred to Dunganstown union of Parishes.

The Following are some photos of the Clergy who have been

Rectors of this group of Parishes:

Revd. Thomas Bradley caught by the camera in Strahan's of Macreddin in 1945

Revd Robert Grattan Love

& his wife Grace Edith.

(From Succession Archives AD 2004)

Canon George Thorp Baynham

Remembering Macreddin Church

Article from the May 1991 Church Review.

On Wednesday April 3rd in the presence of the rector and a group of Churchwardens the Archbishop of Dublin (Donald Caird) closed the Church at Macreddin as a place of Public worship. This well appointed little Church in a lovely setting had been part of the history of this area since 1838. It seems likely that it succeeded the older thatched Church in Sheeana. Many people have happy memories of family associations of this little Church and we hope that they will not be forgotten. Some day more must be written about the story of Macreddin and its seventeenth century settled village. We hope that the deconsecrated building will be sold to someone who wants to convert it into a family home.

A Guide to

Castlemacadam Parish

The Orgins

THE OLD CHURCH

CASTLEMACADAM: HOLY TRINITY

RECTORS

Centenary Leaflet put together by Canon Baynham to mark 100 years since our Mother Church at

Castlemacadam was consecrated.

The present church was consecrated on Wednesday, 27th April, 1870, by the thenArchbishop of Dublin— the Most Reverend R. C. Trench, D.D. The site was given by Viscount Powerscourt and consists of two acres of land. A contemporary newspaper report describes the setting as follows : "The sacred edifice is an imposing, solid and elegant structure, built of granite, occupying an elevated and commanding position, overlooking the Ovoca River, and luxuriating in the midst of scenery, lovely and varied. The style is early pointed, rather French in character; in length the church is about 95 feet, the nave and aisle being each about 25 feet wide; the termination of the chancel is apsidal. The belfry tower is a handsome, graceful, and conspicuous object, rising to a height of 110 feet from its base, and is finished with a gabled and slated roof, such as is often met with in France, and is a very pleasing variation upon the ordinary and monotonous termination to like structures in this country. The interior of the church is lofty and expansive, producing the effect of grandeur and simplicity, without gallery of any sort. The open seats accommodate 450 people.
The new church has been built by a grant from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and the voluntary gifts of parishioners and other contributors. All classes of Protestants in the parish, landowners, farmers, shopkeepers, miners and labourers contributed their voluntary help in the shape of cars
and horses and manual labour, for five days previous to the consecration to prepare the site for planting and convenient approach. .......The architects are Messrs. Laynon, Lynn and Lanyon of Belfast; the contractors, Messrs Gahan, of Harcourt Street, Dublin." It is interesting to note that the Archbishop seemed to anticipate the modern ecumenical trend in his sermon. To quote this same newspaper report: "In his discourse he remarked that the presence of the Almighty is not confined to one spot; no one Church is authorized to exclaim ' the temple of the Lord are we', as did the Jews, of whom it was declared by the head of the Church ' the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you '. The removal of the candlesticks of many apostolically founded Churches evidences this truth.
Still Christ has a Church upon earth, a company of faithful people; He is in the midst of it, and will abide with it to the end of time." These remarkably prophetic words were uttered at a time when dogmatism rather than ecumenism seemed to pervade the theological climate. The sermon at the Evening Service on the same day was preached by a former curate assistant—the Rev. William Pakenham-Walsh, later Bishop of Ossory, and father of one of the founders of the Dublin University Mission to Chota Nagpur.

An item in "The Irish Builder" (1889) mentions that the then rector, the Reverend J. M. Robinson,was responsible for the repointing of the tower and the reflooring of the vestry. A letter in the same periodical, written by Mr. Robinson, explains that this was made necessary owing to subsidences.

The present good condition of the building is a tribute both to those responsible for the original structure and to the efforts of Mr. Robinson and his helpers.

It is interesting to read in the same periodical that the cost of building the church was £3,500. The same article mentions that the bell was presented by Lambert Bayly, Esq., and that it bears the inscription "A voice crying in the wilderness" - a description hardly capable of literal interpretation!

In 1964 Castlemacadam was united with Kilbride and Conary, Rev. G. T. Baynham being instituted to the new union on 23 Sept. 1964. In 1973 Castlemacadam was grouped with Ballinaclash & Aughrim Conary parish was transferred to Dunganstown union of Parishes.

Historical Notes