St Mary’s Church, Knockmoyle, in Cappagh Parish, Co. Tyrone, has held its last Sunday Mass, after the parish suspended Sunday morning Mass amid growing pressure on clergy and a shortage of priests. The decision has been met with sadness locally, with parishioners describing it as heartbreaking for those with a deep attachment to the church and its place in the life of the community.
Set in the picturesque rural townland of Knockmoyle, St Mary’s is a well-known local landmark, often photographed for its traditional architecture. It was the first church built in the parish of Cappagh. The church dates to the era of Fr Daniel O’Flaherty in the late 18th and early 19th century, and the earliest recorded reference to it appears in an 1802 document noting a £20 donation from the Cappagh Church of Ireland Select Vestry.
St Mary’s is a Grade B1 listed building, described as a double-height church with a cruciform layout and a three-sided stone entrance tower, with a vestry to the south and entrance porches to the west and north.
While Sunday Mass has been suspended, the parish has indicated that the church remains available to the community for personal prayer and for key occasions such as funerals, weddings and anniversary services.
