St. Fiachna’s Church

Just 11 kilometres (7 miles) south west of the beautiful, picturesque town of Kenmare, proudly stands St. Fiachna’s Church in the heart of the Bonane parish. Named after our patron saint St. Fiachna, this church was built in the 19th century at a total cost of one thousand three hundred and fifty pounds. This magnificent building was designed by the architect Daniel 0′ Connell, grandson of the Liberator, and heir to Derrynane Abbey and built by Mr. Daniel Foley from Sneem.

Having first recognised the need for a new church, Father John Mangan (native of Listowel), then parish priest, began his initial fund-raising efforts to ensure that parishioners and their descendants would have a fitting place in which to worship God. The new church was to replace an existing one, built on the same grounds some fifty years earlier, which had fallen into disrepair. A wall of the previous building still stands today, separating the church from the now privately-owned old presbytery.

The stones used for the building of the church were taken from the lands of local farmers, and brought to the site by horse and cart. Local lore has it that stone masons lined the road for a quarter of a mile, preparing the stones for building. The Reverend Fr. Mangan assisted by Fr. Jarlath O.S.F. blessed the church on the 18th May 1892. Fr. Mangan left Bonane later that year, and in 1904 he became Bishop of Kerry. Prior to 1839, the church of the parish was located half a mile away in the townland of Garrymore, at a site now known as Seanashéipéal. Parts of the north-facing and east-facing walls are still standing. The original door of this church was taken and used for the first church constructed in Milleens.

The church has remained practically unchanged since its construction in 1892. However, in the 1960s – post Vatican II, the sanctuary of the church was changed for the new liturgy. In celebration of the centenary in 1992, each family in the parish contributed to the installation of beautiful stained-glass windows, in memory of their dear departed loved ones and the church was re-roofed in 2012.

Two graves lie in the lawns of the church. One belongs to Rev. James Quill (native of Lixnaw in north Kerry), who served as Parish Priest from 1892 until his untimely death, at the age of forty, in 1898. The second grave is that of Rev. Eugene Daly, a parishioner, who was parish priest of St. Edwards, Wigan, England. He retired to his home in Killabonane, to live with his sister Mary until he passed away in January 2001. Fr. Daly had a great love for the Mass Rock at Inch an tSagairt’ (page 55) and its history. He was instrumental in negotiating with the forestry service to open it to the public. Fr. Daly returned home every summer and concelebrated mass there with the local community.