Intro by Barry McKee
The McKee, Boyd, Devitt, Elliott, and Lockhart families were strong and early supporters of Methodism in Ardara. This is evident (for example) by the 1790 inscription on the gravestone of Andrew McKee.
In 2007, the 175th anniversary of the Methodist Church in Ardara, a booklet was printed describing its history; it has been copied here. Robert Boyd, the Methodist (1802 – 1874) is featured in this history, and we note that this Robert was a great-grandson of Jane McKee.
In September, 2016, Roberta Dobbyn found a very early photograph of Robert Boyd, standing in front of his house at Lackaduff, and I have inserted it in this page. Scroll down to read the full history, or Click Here to jump to his photo, taken before 1867 when he emigrated to Australia.
Ardara Methodist Church
175th Anniversary
1832 – 2007
Compiled by
Rev. Ian D. Henderson B.A., B.D.
Superintendent Minister
Beginnings in Co. Donegal
The credit for the introduction of Methodism to Ardara goes to Matthew Stewart and through him, indirectly to John Wesley. It was Wesley who wrote to Stewart in 1786, requesting him to go to the Ardara area of the county.
Methodism had already been introduced to Cloghore around Ballyshannon in 1774 by John Price where Methodism then spread to Carriknahorna while Thomas Barber introduced Methodism to Ballintra in 1786. Chapels were subsequently built in Ballintra (1790), Ballyshannon ( 1792) and Cloghore (1792). Wesley felt that because the Ardara area of Co. Donegal was more isolated, it had been sadly neglected by the Methodist preachers up to this point.
Wesley’s Letter
John Wesley wrote to Matthew Stewart and told him, “Go to that country and see what you can do. When you have spent the enclosed and stand in need of more, apply to your affectionate friend, J. Wesley”. The enclosed was five guineas.
Matthew Stewart
Matthew Stewart was a native of Cavandoragh on the Castlederg Circuit. He was converted through the influence of Methodist preaching while serving in the army. He was billeted in Athlone when he met John Wesley during the latter’s visit to the town and Wesley encouraged him to preach. It was shortly after their meeting that Stewart obtained his discharge from the army through Wesley’s influence and returned home to Cavandoragh.
Stewart considered offering for work overseas with Methodism and thought of accompanying Rev. Dr. Thomas Coke to the West Indies on his missionary expedition planned for 1786. Wesley wrote to Stewart about this on 16th November 1785. “It is very probable the desire you have of going to America comes from God. If it is, you may very possibly (if you are a single man) go over with Dr. Coke at the late end of next summer”. In the event, Stewart did not go to America but went instead to Co. Donegal in 1786 at Wesley’s request.
Pioneer in Ardara
With John Wesley‘s five guineas in his pocket, Matthew Stewart arrived in Ardara. Unable to find more suitable accommodation, he was obliged to take lodgings in the public house in Ardara. It so happened that on his arrival, both the parish priest and the Church of Ireland rector were in the establishment and made it their business to find out who this stranger was. On discovering that Stewart was neither a commercial traveller nor an excise officer, but a Methodist preacher, they told him that he was neither wanted nor needed in the area, because between them they had the spiritual needs of the people covered. Undeterred by this rebuff, Stewart announced his intention to preach at the town fair the following day, which he duly did.
There was some initial opposition, but two of the leading citizens in Ardara stood on either side of Stewart as he preached and he obtained a hearing. One was a Mr. James Pearson, who resided in Ardara and invited Stewart to his home afterwards. He was an officer in the local yeoman and his family were to become stalwarts of Methodism in Ardara. The other man who stood by Stewart was William Bates and he too opened his home to the Methodist preachers. Both subsequently became local preachers and class leaders and were the mainstay of the Methodist Society in its early days.
Stewart opened up several Methodist preaching places round Ardara. On one occasion, a man who threatened to kill Stewart on a planned journey across Binbane Mountain was found lying dead on the road the following day. This incident had a profound effect upon the people in the area and ensured Stewart’s ministry was not interfered with. As a result many attended his meetings in the neighbourhood and Societies were established in the Ardara and Glenties area.
Paradise Lost and Regained
Following Stewart’s initial pioneering ministry in Ardara in 1786, over the next twenty years much of the progress made by Methodism in the area was lost, mainly because the principal members emigrated. Societies were dissolved and the Methodist preachers forced to withdraw from many of their preaching places. While for some years the preachers on the Ballyshannon Circuit made attempts at different times to supply irregular services, nothing of lasting permanence was maintained.
However in 1806 some local preachers from Carricknahorna on the Ballyshannon Circuit visited Maas, eight kilometres north of Ardara. Their efforts were rewarded and among those who were converted was John McCullough. His home became a preaching appointment that the preachers visited once a quarter. A Methodist Society of over twenty-seven was formed and Methodist work re-established. It was as a result of this, that Matthew Stewart returned to the Donegal and Tyrone Mission in 1808 accompanied by James Olliffe.
James Olliffe was to spend the next three years in the region (1808-1811). Much of their travel involved abandoning their horses and setting out on foot across fields and mountains and over ditches and bogs to remote places where ignorance and wickedness were rife and where large numbers of people had never entered a place of worship in their lives or uttered a prayer for years. Drunkenness, gambling, lying and profanity were common. As a result thirty new preaching places were opened and in twenty-four other places, people’s lives were reformed. Children were taught to memorise portions of the Scriptures.
In l811 Edward Hazelton replaced James Olliffe and the Circuit became known as the Boylagh Mission. Hazelton served there for three years (1811-1814) and then the Circuit became the Donegal Mission on which Hazelton served a further two years (1814-1816). Among the many openings he obtained as a Methodist preaching appointment was one at Glencowell, between Ardara and Glenties in the home of a Mrs. Elliott who was a widow.
The Preacher’s Boy
Among the first converts to Methodism there was Mrs. Elliott’s son, Charles, whom Hazelton encouraged to take up preaching. Charles Elliott frequently accompanied Hazelton on his preaching appointments round the Mission and as a result Charles Elliott became known locally as “the preacher’s boy”. In 1816 he decided to emigrate to the United States of America with his mother and her eight other children. Charles Elliott went on to achieve a worldwide reputation both within Methodism and academic scholarship. After his arrival in America he was accepted as a Methodist preacher and pioneered Methodism in Ohio. He also became a college professor and author of note. He died on 3rd January 1869.
Revival in 1813
The ministry of Edward Hazelton on the Boylagh Mission led to a revival in southwest Donegal in 1813. Methodism spread from Maas westward to Narin, Portnoo, Rosbeg and Rutland Island in Gweebarra Bay where a Mrs. Finlay was converted and gave hospitality to the preachers. The spread of the work here may have been due to the presence of British coastguards stationed along the shore, many of whom came from Devon and Cornwall where there were Methodist strongholds.
Tullymore, between Ardara and Maas became a centre with a class meeting. Methodism spread northwards to Lettermacaward and The Rosses. The cause was helped by the fact that the rector of Lettermacaward was sympathetic to Methodism and gave hospitality to the preachers, while his daughter helped to gather up a congregation to hear their preaching. At Maas the society grew to fifty-two in number so that the houses in which meetings were held were not large enough to accommodate the numbers attending, though they were apparently large enough for dances and other forms of entertainment. As a result a chapel was erected in 1813, the first one to be built in northwest Donegal.
- Robert Boyd the Methodist, he preached both near and far,
- He preached to all along the road from Ardara to Ballintra.
- Robert Boyd the Methodist, he prayed both night and day,
- He prayed for all the ships that passed up and down the bay.
- He prayed for the “Aurora” the night that it got sunk,
- He got his prayer, I do declare, next morning with a thump.
It is believed that the timber from the wreck of the ship was salvaged and used to roof the Loughros Point School. Robert Boyd was born in 1802 at Laccaduff, Loughros Point. He married Catherine Boyd who was born in 1809. Robert Boyd organised a soup kitchen in his home during the famine.
He and his wife subsequently emigrated to New South Wales in Australia where he died on 27th August 1874 at the age of 72 while his wife Catherine died on 6th September 1876 at the age of 67. They are buried in Berry Cemetery in New South Wales. His old home in Loughros Point is known locally as Devitt’s Cottage although is currently occupied by the Boyd family.
The first preacher to visit Loughros Point set out to gather a congregation and went to the fields to encourage people to come and hear him. They promised to do so if he helped them rear their hay and build haystacks with them, which he did. His skill as a farmer proved so effective that the hay-workers turned out en masse to the service later on. That day saw the beginning of Methodist witness at Loughros Point as his preaching laid the foundation of a Society there and every fortnight the preacher visited the congregation for preaching without having to rear the hay beforehand.
Ardara Methodist Church
In I830 John Armstrong was appointed to the Donegal Mission. In I831 the Superintendent of the Irish Mission Schools, Rev. Jesse Hoole, a preacher from the British Methodist Church, was touring the Methodist schools in Ireland. When he visited Ardara School he accompanied John Armstrong on a visit to Major Nesbitt of Woodhill to seek a plot of ground on which to erect a Methodist Church. Hoole wrote of that visit, “The gentleman bearing testimony to the good effect of our society, most graciously assented to our request”. In 2007 the 175“ anniversary of that same church is being celebrated.
Changes
When Rev. Alexander Fullerton arrived in Ardara the first thing he did was tear out the pulpit. He thought it too high giving the impression that the preacher was looking down on the congregation. He had a new one installed within a week. It was presumably “Fullerton’s pulpit” that was removed during the ministry of Rev. William E. Cullen in Ardara (I953-I958). Among the major renovations undertaken at that time was the installation of the present pulpit and matching communion rail in 1959.
The gallery, which had been added after the original building had been completed, was removed in 1882. At the June Quarterly Meeting its removal was proposed by Richard Pearson, seconded by Patrick Elliott and agreed unanimously. The cost of the work was £30. This included repairs and decoration to the chapel and the installation of a new stove.
The church was originally heated with two open fireplaces either side of the pulpit and light provided by oil lamps. These were subsequently replaced by electricity. Oil fired central heating was installed for the 175th anniversary in 2007.
In 1965 during the ministry of Rev. John D. Knox a vestry, kitchen and toilet were added in a small extension. New windows were installed in I975 when Rev. W. Winston Graham was minister (1974-I977) at a cost of £647. At the insistence of the Property Board storm glazing was added at an extra cost of £200. The windows were donated by the Young, Richardson, Griffith, Adair and Lockhart families. The stained glass window in the porch was donated by the Porter family in 1989 and includes the old family home.
In 2007 as part of the 175th anniversary celebrations major renovations were undertaken. These included the installation of new pews, a reading desk, communion table, hymn board and organ stool as well as a wooden ceiling. floor, internal doors and wainscoting.
Circuit Boundaries
In 1864 Rev. Alexander Fullerton was stationed in Ardara just five years after the 1859 revival in Ulster. He saw the effects of that revival in Methodism in Ardara. He attributed it to the ministry of Edward Best (1856-1859) and John Hazelton (1859-1862) in Donegal, James Edwards (1856-1857) and John Wilson (1857-1860) in Dunkineely and William H. Quarry (1857-1859) in Ardara. At that time Donegal, Dunkineely and Ardara were all part of the Donegal Mission Circuit which had a membership of 435 in 1856, but virtually doubled to 800 in 1859.
It was undoubtedly due to the revival that this increase in membership grew. But it also led to the separation of Dunkineely and Ardara from the rest of the Donegal Mission Circuit in 1863 when the Dunkineely and Ardara Mission became a separate Circuit with two ministers, one in Dunkineely and one in Ardara.
The Class Membership Book for the Donegal Mission Circuit records the names of the members in each individual class on the Circuit from 1833. In 1862, the year before the separation, the membership in Dunkineely and Ardara was 608. Dunkineely had 361 members in 18 classes, while Ardara had 247 members in 14 classes. The Ardara classes were Ardara (39). Edrigold (13), Cronoughbuoy (11), Garrawort (8), Kennaughty (11), Kilcashel (14), Loughrospoint (37), Moagh (20), Mass and Kilkenny (16), Shanaghan (27), Tullyard I (14), Tullyard (10), Tullycleave (16), and Rosses (11).
Fullerton was sent to Ardara a year after this separation had taken place and his express opinion was that Donegal, Dunkineely and Ardara “should never have been separated and the sooner they are united and one again the better for the cause”. It is interesting that in the year that Ardara celebrates its 175’“ Anniversary in 2007, discussions are under way between the Donegal, Ballintra and lnver Circuit and the Dunkineely and Ardara Circuit to explore the possibility of amalgamating both Circuits. If this does happen, then Fullerlon’s vision for Methodism’s mission in southwest Donegal will be realised.
Fullerton describes some of his experiences travelling on the Circuit by horse and trap. “The drive to Dunkineely was sufficiently bracing for a giant — right across the ‘Nick of the Ballagh’, where I was told it was always raining, but this is not correct, for one night I drove over it when it resembled a huge mass of ice — indeed horse and trap slid as if by mechanical power. It was not unlike the motion of a switch-back railway and how I escaped is a providential mystery“.
A Separate Circuit
In 1875 Ardara became a separate Circuit. The membership of the new Circuit was 189 divided over I4 classes — Ardara, Loughros Point, Kilcashel, Cranaghbuoy, Kennaughty, Cashel, Moagh, Tullyard, Kilkenny, Tullycleave, Garrawort, Burtonport, Cranbuoy and Bunbeg.
In 1966 the Conference requested the Dunkineely and Ardara Circuits to enter into discussions with a view to amalgamation in 1967 with one minister. The District Synod was to decide where the minister should reside. That amalgamation took place on 1st July 1967 and Conference directed that the minister should live in Ardara until “the Dunkineely Manse would be put into suitable order“. The transfer of the minister from Ardara to Dunkineely took place in 1971.
Ardara’s Centenary 1932
A special centenary service was held on 6th September 1932 at 7pm, at which the preacher was Rev. John A. Duke, President of the Methodist Church. There was special music and a special offering for the centenary fund. Tea was provided after the service “for visitors from a distance”.
Ardara Manses
The first manse in Ardara was obtained in 1875 when Ardara became a separate Circuit. It was a gift to the Circuit from Mr. Richard W. Pearson, and was located at Hillhead on the comer of the Portnoo Road.
In 1896 Rev. James Lyons reported that this house was no longer suitable as a manse and in 1900 a field was purchased on which a new manse was built at a cost of £650. It was situated on the Glenties Road about 200 metres from the old one. When the minister was transferred to the Dunkineely manse in l97l, the Ardara manse was sold to Miss E. Gildea for £3700. The last minister to reside in Ardara was Rev. Peter A. Good.
Schools
There were two schools connected to the Circuit. The Ardara school was built in I813 on the Back Road and served a dual purpose as a day school and a place of worship. When Rev. Jesse Hoole visited the school in 1832 he says there were 141 pupils attending it. Following the building of the church it continued as a school and was rebuilt in 1884. In 1915 the Methodists and Church of Ireland pupils were amalgamated in the Church of Ireland school and the Methodist school was converted into a cottage and rented out by the Church. It was sold in 1965.
The other school was at Loughros Point. According to the stone on the building it was erected in 1860. But Circuit records indicate that it was built in 1857 with a teacher’s residence. The school also doubled as a place of worship.
In 1922 the teacher’s residence was let to Mrs. Lockhart for one shilling a year. When she moved to Belfast the house was left vacant. In 1924 it was used for storing potatoes and preparing the tea for the Tea Meeting in the school building. In 1950 the Circuit Property Report stated that the school was not Trust Property.
Ardara Church Hall
On Saturday 7th October 1995 during the ministry of Rev. Andrew Kingston, the new hall was opened behind the Church. The opening ceremony was performed by the Chairman of the District, Rev. Peter A. Good, the last minister to reside in Ardara and the premises dedicated by the President, Rev. Christopher G. Walpole.
Presidents
Two of the ministers stationed in Ardara went on to become President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Charles H. Bain (1971-1972) and W. Winston Graham (2002-2003). Mr. Bain‘s son, Desmond, who was just three and half months old when his father was stationed in Ardara, also became President of the Church (2005-2006). Mr. Graham was subsequently appointed Secretary of Conference (2004-2007) until his retirement.
Ministers from Ardara
The following ministers were born in Ardara: Charles Elliott (1792-1869), Hugh Boyd (1854-1938), James Burns (1855-1930), Charles Burns (1860-1924) and Thomas Gallagher (l875- ) all of whom served in the United Methodist Church USA and Victor Buchanan (1909-2006) who served in the United Church of Canada. Richard Pearson from Hillhead was said to have accidentally drowned while swimming at Long Point shortly after receiving his 1st appointment in the Methodist ministry in Ireland in the early 1880‘s. But there is no record of that appointment in the Minutes of Conference.
Ardara Church Council
In 2005 the Conference introduced new structures replacing the Leaders’ Meeting and Quarterly Meeting with Church Councils and Circuit Executives respectively. Ardara established its Church Council in 2006 and its first members were Alan Given (Society Steward), Helen Young (Treasurer), Desmond Young (Property Steward), Sylvia Given (Secretary). The elected representatives were Tommy Porter, Ron Adair, Betty Young, Alice Boyd, Donna Dunleavy and William Young. In 2007 Joanne Dunleavy became Treasurer while Joseph Dunleavy and Christina Boyd were elected as Congregational Representatives in place of Donna Dunleavy and William Young. The Ardara members of the Circuit Executive were Desmond Young (Circuit Steward), Alan Given (Society Steward) and Tommy Porter (Council Representative).
The witness of Ardara Methodism after 175 years continues to find expression through family worship every Sunday morning, Sunday school and weekly youth work. There is also local outreach through the annual open-air service at Loughros Point on the 1st Sunday of August. The annual concert in the Church hall around Easter has become an important event in the local community calendar. Its programme successfully combines the sacred and the secular and encourages local talent, and people come from far and near to it.
So Methodism in Ardara moves forward towards its second century, praising God for all that is past and trusting him for all that is to come.
Ministers since 1832
The Donegal Mission
- 1832 William Cornwall, John Armstrong, Robert Bamford
- 1833 William Cornwall, James Knowlan, Francis Stephens
- 1834 William Cornwall, Francs Stephens. John Feely
- 1835 Francis Stephens, John F eely
- 1836 Samuel McDowell, John Feely
- 1837 Samuel McDowell, James Donald
- 1839 Benjamin Bayley, Robert Hewitt
- 1840 Benjamin Bayley, Robert Bell
- 1841 Benjamin Bayley, Anketell M. Henderson
- 1842 Arthur Noble, Henry Geddes
- 1844 Jeremiah Wilson, William Butler
- 1845 Jeremiah Wilson, John Walker
- 1847 William Guard, John Walker
- 1848 William Guard, Thomas Foster
- 1849 William Guard, William B Lebert
- 1850 William B. Lebert, Robert H. Campbell (Dunkineely)
- 1851 Francis Stephens, Robert H. Campbell (Dunkineely)
- 1852 Hugh Moore. Robert H. Campbell, William Keys (Retired)
- 1853 Hugh Moore, William Burnside, William Keys (Retired), Francis Stephens (Retired)
- 1854 John Feely, William Burnside, Francis Stephens (Retired)
- 1856 Edward Best, James Edwards, Francis Stephens (Retired)
- 1857 William H. Quarry
- 1859 Andrew Armstrong
- 1860 John Carson
- 1861 Robert Fitzhenry
- 1862 James Lang
Dunkineely and Ardara Mission
- 1863 James Lang
- 1864 Alexander Fullerton
- 1865 Robert M. Morrison
Dunkineely Mission
- 1866 Francis Douglas
- 1867 James B. Atkins
- 1869 Robert Knowles
- 1872 George Donaldson
- 1873 James Nixon
Ardara Circuit
- 1875 James Nixon
- 1876 Alexander English
- 1879 Thomas Wiley
- 1880 George Kirkpatrick
- 1883 William R. Carson
- 1885 John Wright
- 1888 John Coulson
- 1890 Daniel B. Hewitt
- 1893 James Dickson
- 1895 James Lyons
- 1898 John Gilcriest 2nd
- 1901 John J. Hutchinson
- 1904 Thomas Walmsley
- 1907 William Bryans
- 1910 Robert Knox
- 1913 James W. Parkhill
- 1914 William J. Rooney
- 1917 John Coulter
- 1922 John J. Hutchinson
- 1924 Reginald Maguire
- 1927 William J. Ewan
- 1930 Henry G. Martin
- 1932 Reginald Maguire
- 1935 D. Wesley Morrow
- 1938 George James
- 1943 G. Walter Farley
- 1948 John J. Beacom
- 1949 Charles H. Bain
- 1952 Robert A. Knowles
- 1953 William E. Cullen
- 1958 George D. W. Sleath
- 1963 John D. Knox
- 1967 Herbert Kelso
- 1969 Peter A. Good
- 1972 Frederick J. Harte
- 1974 W. Winston Graham
- 1977 Patrick M. McConnell
- 1981 David A. Range and Cheryl J. Walter
- 1982 A. Desmond Gilliland
- 1987 Andrew N. Boucher
- 1990 Andrew G. Kingston
- 1997 Stewart R. Morris
- 1999 Colin M. Weir
- 2003 Dennis E. Lawton
- 2007 William D. Kennedy