Carnmoney Parish Church

When St Patrick came to Ulster it is reputed that one of the early results was the building of 3 little churches on the banks of the streams in the wooded glens of southeast Antrim : Shankill, Ballynamanagh (Monkstown) and Coole (Carnmoney).

The churches of Shankill and Monkstown were destroyed in the 16th century and were never restored, but the present church at Coole can claim to stand on the only site between the Lagan and the Sixmilewater where devine service has been celebrated continuously since the early days of Christianity; a period of approximately 1,500 years. The present parish church, consecrated in 1856, is the latest of a long succession of churches that have stood near the north bank of the little river now known as the Glas-na-Bradden which has been translated as Little St Brigid’s River, and the name of the stream points to St Brigid, the pupil and disciple of St Patrick in Dalaradia as a possible founder saint. The ancient well at the rear of the church known as St Brigid’s Well would tend to reinforce this belief.

Nine beautiful stained glass windows a handsome pulpit, reading desk, lectern and font adorn the church. The tiling around the alter table is very interesting depicting the story of the crucifixion in symbols.

An ancient graveyard surrounds the church containing the final resting place of many notable families. Included is a fine memorial stone erected by Cliftonville Football Club for their player Tom Scott unfortunately Tom was buried in an adjacent plot. To save the expense of relocation a plaque was added showing a carved hand with a pointing finger saying Tom Scott interred there.

The Smythe Celtic Cross was erected in 1887 to mark the grave of General William J Smythe. The cross which has bibical inscriptions in both Latin and Irish and is considered a fine example of this type of memorial.