“If these walls could talk” is a popular saying in this part of the world, but for the case of the former Church of Ireland in Mulleek – now in ruins – if the walls could talk, they’d tell some great stories.
A dominating presence on the skyline of the townland of Oughterdrum, the building is now in ruins, yet still presents a fascinating landmark.
Built in the 1780s, this was not the site that was originally intended for worship by one of the most influential families of the area, the Cauldwell family, who wished for the church to be built in Belleek.
However, the Bishop at the time overruled them and had it built at the Oughterdrum site instead.
A local historian, Joe O’Loughlin, sat down with The Impartial Reporter to discuss some of the most peculiar tales from this former site of religious worship.
Mulleek, Church of Ireland Church.
Discussing the church, Joe said: “It was built so it could be seen and heard for miles away; there was very little [local] foliage in those days, and also the church bell could be heard across a vast area.”
The church stood on a most commanding position of the top of a hill in Oughterdrum. Built in 1780
The original bell from Oughterdrum church was later installed in the Church of Ireland in Belleek.
Explaining one of the features of the church and one of the more amusing parts of its history, Joe said: “The church had a unique heating system where there was a furnace in the floor and a [heating] channel up the centre.
“The heat from the fire went up that, and then on each side it went into the pews.
“There was a man who was the caretaker of the church; he and some of his comrades used to go up and make poitín in the church, but the thing got out of control one night and the seats were burned.
“The best story they could tell was that it was Republicans broke in and set fire to it!”
Mulleek, Church of Ireland Church.
One of the most iconic old Hollywood films set in Ireland, ‘The Quiet Man’ – starring John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara and directed by John Ford – took inspiration from the happenings of a rural area of Fermanagh and the friendship between two men who ministered in Mulleek, Fr. Neal Ryan and Rev. James B. Tuthill.
They were fast friends, due to both of them hailing from Pettigo, in Co. Donegal.
Rev. Tuthill, in addition to being the Church of Ireland rector, was also the local magistrate or Justice of Peace.
Mulleek, Church of Ireland Church.
Joe said: “If there was any problem with any of Fr. Ryan’s congregation, he would have had a word with Rev. Tuthill.
“That didn’t go down well with Rev. Tuthill’s congregation, and they stopped going to church and reported him to the Bishop.
“Rev. Tuthill went to Fr. Ryan in a bad way, and said: ‘The Bishop is making a visit on a certain Sunday to see the situation for himself’, and Fr. Ryan said, ‘Don’t you worry’.
“The Sunday before the Bishop was to come, at his mass in St. Michael’s, Mulleek, Fr. Ryan told his congregation: ‘Next Sunday we are going to have Mass early and I want you all to come with me to Oughterdrum Church, and when you arrive there, we need to give a great welcome to the Bishop’, and they all went and attended [Rev. Tuthill’s] service.
“When the Bishop went in [to a full and attentive congregation], he said he had never seen a more devout or attentive congregation of good, decent Protestants in his whole career!
“That story was used in the making of that film [The Quiet Man].
“There was an ordnance survey done in Ireland in 1835 and they came across a book called ‘The Greens Fields’, and in that book was the record of this true story which happened.”
This drawing by Jane O'Loughlin pays tribute to the amusing incident when a visiting Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher was greeted by Rev. James B. Tuthill and his friend, Fr. Neal Ryan - whose Catholic congegration had came along with him, and
Recounting these amusing tales, Joe added: “I have often heard it said that ‘humour is the safety valve of a nation’.”
The church was decommissioned and ceased being used in 1909, and while the building’s use for making poitín or playing tricks on Bishops are long gone, its commanding ruin continues to provide a quiet and calm focal point to this day.
Mulleek, Church of Ireland Church.
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