The spirit of one Bundoran fisherman inspires the conservation of Finner Church

The late Sean Meehan of Bundoran set up the Finner Conservation Group in the months before he passed, to conserve Bundoran’s oldest historic building

Thanks to the late Sean Meehan of No.7 The Cottages, Magheracar, Bundoran, Phase 1 of the Finner Church conservation was completed this month. Located outside the seaside town, on the coastal road to Ballyshannon, Finner Church is Bundoran and Magh Ene’s oldest historic building.

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Bundoran’s beloved fishing legend and West End seanachaí, Sean Meehan, set up the Finner Conservation Group in the months before his spirit set sail beyond Réalt na Mara’s horizon line on June 19, 2024.

Sean Meehan and Seanie Carty

His good friend, local Bundoran historian, Seanie Carty, said that: “He pulled us all together before he died and asked us to try and work on the protection, maintenance and renovation of Finner and a few other things. He single-handedly cut the grass and kept the place tidy for years for neither money nor thanks. A truly wonderful man.”

Donegal County Council’s Community Monuments Fund provided the opportunity for the Finner Conservation Group to begin their conservation work. Seanie said that “Val O’Kelly made contact and got the relevant forms” and then “with the help of Danielle Carty in Bundoran Community Centre secured the funding.”

Overlooking Tullan Strand's sand dunes, the early Christian site at Finner Church was founded by St Ninnidh in the sixth century. The church was built in an ancient Celtic landscape. It is topographically aligned with the pre-Christian Flaherty’s standing stone on top of Finner Rath to its west and celestially connected with the rising and setting of the sun.

Seanie provided conservation updates and photos on Where Erne, Drowes and Duff meet the sea, a public space encouraging people to share old photos, history and stories freely without any historical bias.

His first update outlined that Phase 1 of the conservation was supervised by archaeologist Kate Robb, and Donegal Heritage Officer Joe Gallagher. The work of removing the ivy from the church was stripped away by the Gallagher brothers and their team/men.

Seanie's second update shared historical insight from archaeologist Kate Robb: “She feels that the church is possibly a lot older than was previously thought. It was certainly in its heyday around the 14th century, but the original building could be as old as the sixth century. She said it is in remarkably good condition considering its age. We also looked at its alignment regarding Flaherty’s stone and other bits around the graveyard.”

Seanie’s final update proudly spoke for all the old, native Magh Ene families: “It is great to be able now to have a better look at the ancient sixth-century structure. Please God, it won’t be too long now until more funding is sourced to get Phase 2 underway.”

He also expressed a heartfelt word of thanks to everyone who played a part in getting this project underway.

He said: “To name a few, the Finner Conservation Group who with the help of Val O'Kelly and Danielle Carty in Bundoran Community Centre secured the funding, the Gallagher brothers and their men, Heritage Officer, Joe Gallagher, archaeologist Kate Robb, and of course, the man who started it all and inspired us all to get involved, our very much missed friend Sean Meehan RIP."

Inspired by the service of one Bundoran fisherman’s mighty hands, many Donegal hands answered the spirit of Sean Meehan’s visionary call, beginning the work to serve and conserve Finner.