Dunfanaghy
St. Michael’s Church in Creeslough, just 10 kilometres from Dunfanaghy. This beautiful church was designed in 1971 by the renowned Irish architect Liam McCormick, who has designed numerous churches, both Catholic and Presbyterian, throughout the county of Donegal, an area he once described as Ulster’s princely county.
St. Michael’s church reflects both the white-washed walls, the rounded corners and small, irregular windows of the local vernacular architecture, as well as reflecting and respecting the local countryside, and in particular reflecting the outline of Muckish mountain behind it.
The large back windows of the church used to come all the way to the ground, providing a very tactile link with the open countryside behind. Unfortunately, they have been replaced by slightly raised flagstones and plastic window frames, with transoms and mullions, which, in the opinion of this author, do a disservice to the concept of McCormick’s original design, although, in fairness, it would be easy to imagine how maintenance of the original would have proved troublesome.
Directions: From Dunfanaghy, follow the N56 towards Creeslough. St. Michael’s church is on the right hand side of the road, halfway through the village.
