Dromagh Church,

Co. Cork.

Documenting our Heritage

Dromagh Protestant Church was built in 1822 after a gift of £300 and a further loan of £300 from the Board of First Fruits.

The Board of First Fruits was established in 1711 to fund the building of ecclesiastical buildings of the Church of Ireland. The intention was that every person in Ireland would be within walking distance of a church. In 1777 the Irish parliament agreed an annual grant of £6,000 to The Board of First Fruits. Between 1791 and 1803 this grant was increased, resulting in grants totalling £55,600 towards the building of 88 new churches and 116 glebe houses. After the Act of Union the British parliament maintained the grants and in 1808 increased its contribution to £10,000 annually. The following year the grant was increased to £60,000. In the twenty years following the Act of Union The Board of First Fruits enabled the building, rebuilding, and enlargement of 697 churches and the building of 550 glebe houses. Board of First Fruit Churches are normally of a similar design, many are now derelict.

The old Dromagh Church had been destroyed by Lord Broghill's troops, in 1652.

Lord Broghill, 1st Earl of Orrery had a command in County Cork under Cromwell.

St. John's Catholic Church in Dromagh is still in operation with Sunday mass at 11.00am.