Fahan’s 1,500 years of history to be explored during National Heritage Week

Fahan’s history is to be explored during National Heritage Week with tours of the village’s historic graveyard and the surrounding area.

The tours, run by Fahan Heritage, take place on Wednesday, August 21 at 3pm and Sunday, August 25 at 3pm and will begin at the car park beside Saint Mura's Church of Ireland.

The village of Fahan on the west of the Inishowen Peninsula was the site of human habitation long before the advent of Christianity in the 5th century.

The early medieval monastery was founded by Saint Mura in the 7th century.
It received patronage from the O’Neill clan and was an important seat of learning until the demise of the Gaelic chieftains in the 17th century. Nothing remains of the original monastery except Saint Mura’s cross slab. This is an imposing cross slab erected in the 7th century.

It is the only medieval cross in Ireland with a Greek inscription. The Plantation of Ulster saw an influx of Protestant settlers, mainly from Scotland, who left their impression on the landscape. The ruins of Fahan Old Church, built 1622, is one of the oldest plantation churches. Fahan New Church (1822) and the Rectory are part of this history. The New Church contains a stained glass window designed by Evie Hone. The graveyard contains the burial place of Agnes Jones, a contemporary of Florence Nightingale and a nursing pioneer in her own right.

The safe anchorage in Lough Swilly led to settlement by officers from the British Fleet which endured until 1938.

The sinking of the Laurentic, the loss of the Saldanah and the presence of the British North Atlantic Fleet are all part of the village’s heritage. All of these events and much more are commemorated in a pleasant guided walking tour, suitable for all ages.
For more information go to the Fahan Heritage website.