Dunlewey Church abandoned — Attraction in County Donegal

The Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the world and this is a symbol of love, devotion and loss. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, it was a memorial to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal which was completed in 1653. Two  hundred years later, another monument to love and loss would be completed by a grieving spouse, this time in Ireland and in County Donegal, that of the old church of Dunlewey. It lies silently at the foot of Mount Errigal, the tallest of the Derryveagh mountain range, and the largest in Donegal. A beautiful building, it is a lasting memorial to a great love affair. That of James Russell, once the landlord of the Dunlewey estate in Donegal, and his wife Jane. James Russell married Jane Smith in 1825, and they set up married life in London. James would go on to make a fortune as a hop merchant. They would be blessed with five daughters Fannie, Henrietta, Emma, Louisa Sarah, and Josephine. Using the wealth they had acquired in London, the couple decided to leave England and purchase the Dunlewey estate, an area of sheep, lakes and outstanding natural beauty with the wild Atlantic to the west, and the Derryveagh mountains to the east. The estate is recorded as consisting of a house, outbuildings, gate lodges and 3,825 acres of land, a large holding by the standards of the day. Little is written of their time in Dunlewey, but James died on the 2nd of September, 1848. Heartbroken, his widow decided to build the church as a lasting monument for...

Lying silently at the foot of Mount Errigal, the tallest of the Derryveagh Mountain range and the largest in Donegal, is the stunning ruin of the Old Church of Dunlewey. A beautiful building which is a lasting memorial to a great love affair between James Russell, the landlord of the Dunlewey estate, and his wife Jane. James Russell married Jane Smith in 1825 and they set up married life in London. James would go on to make a fortune as a hop merchant. The couple were blessed with five daughters: Fannie, Henrietta, Emma, Louisa Sarah, and Josephine. Using the wealth they had acquired in London, the couple decided to leave England and purchase the Dunlewey estate, an area of sheep, lakes and outstanding natural beauty with the wild Atlantic to the west and the Derryveagh Mountains...

Here is a great old, abandoned church in a wonderful location in this beautiful valley. You can walk in and all around this abandoned church. There are some graves around it, that are new and have fresh flowers. Just to drive up this valley and the amazing view of the lake below is worth the drive. On the way to this church you must drive off the main road down a small road to the church. But first you should drive on the main road, past the road to the church to some beautiful viewpoints of the lake below then go see the church below. If you look closely at two of my pictures of the valley, you can see the church in the centre of one picture and it’s at the end of the lake...