Parish Details

The Parish of Machaire Rois (or Magheross) in the Barony of Farney, South Monaghan, consists of the town of Carrickmacross and the rural areas of Corduff and Raferagh along the border with Co Cavan. The parish was referred to as Ros Cluain in the 14th century, when it possibly also incorporated Magheracloone parish. By the early 16th century it was called Machaire Rois and by 1577 there are references to Karreg Mack Rosse as one of the main towns in south Ulster. By 1630 the Earl of Essex had built a castle there and the development of the modern town took shape.

The ancient seat of the parish is at Magheross. The church was destroyed during the 1641 rebellion and some forty years later it was in the possession of the Church of Ireland. Following the relaxation of the penal laws in the mid-1700s, Catholics began to practice their faith more openly. In 1759, on the death of the then Parish Priest Fr Patrick Gaynor, Bishop Daniel O'Reilly (Bishop of Clogher 1747-78) moved his episcopal see to Carrickmacross and became also the pastor of this parish. His nephew Bishop Hugh O'Reilly succeeded him both as bishop and as pastor here and in 1783 he built St Mary's Church in Carrickmacross, quite close to the site of the present church. He also built a church at Corduff. He, in turn, was succeeded as Parish Priest by his nephew, Dr Hugh O'Reilly, who resided in the townland of Tiragarvan, at a place known today as "Reilly's Cross". The last bishop to have his espiscopal seat in Carrickmacross was Bishop Edward Kernan (1824-44). He was a native of Enniskillen.

St Joseph's Church, Carrickmacross, replaced the old church of St Mary's during the 1860s. It was built to the designs of the renowned Gothic architect J.J.McCarthy. The foundation stone was laid by Bishop Charles McNally on 3 July 1861 and the church was dedicated by Bishop James Donnelly on 22 April 1866.St Church of St John the Evangelist at Raferagh was completed and dedicated in 1861 while St Michael's church at Corduff was replaced by the present structure in 1866. St Michael's was effectively rebuilt during the early decades of the twentieth-century, being re-dedicated in October 1914.

The Sisters of St Louis opened a Convent, a Primary School and a Boarding School in Carrickmacross in 1888 on the site of what had been Essex Castle and the former local seat of the Marquis of Bath. The St Louis order has had a very proud connection with Carrickmacross and has left a rich legacy for future generations. Similarly, the Presentation Brothers provided education for boys of the parish and surrounding areas during the twentieth-century.

Today, the Parish of Marchaire Rois, is a vibrant and welcoming community of faith, continuing a rich tradition that spans the centuries.