About Us

Who we are.

Who We Are – Our History

550 Monastic Foundation by St Columbkille in what is now the Village of Carrickmore.

1172 Synod of Cahsell. Ireland gets Diocese and Parishes.

1291 Termoncomyn mentioned in list of the valuation of the Benefices of the diocese of Armagh. (Pope Nicholas’ taxation)

1662 A new Church was built in Carrickmore, on a site which is now occupied by the Roman Catholic churchyard. (The chancel of this new church was destroyed in the war between William and James.) In 1662 the incumbent was Rev Roger Blythe, who received sixty pounds per year. He was non-resident and paid a curate, Danyell Hickes, who received ten pounds per year to run the parish. A good deal for Mr Blythe, though it seems the parish did not do so well from the arrangement, nor did the curate. This sort of arrangement was widespread throughout Ireland and did great damage to the reputation of the Church.

1733 A petition was made to build a new church for the parish in Sixmilecross. The petition was successful, the new church was built and the building in Carrickmore was allowed to fall into decay. (This move was due to the majority of protestant people in the area living in Sixmilecross)

1786 A request was made by various people for a rebuilding of the church in Carrickmore. A grant of five hundred pounds was received for this work from the board of First Fruits.

1792 The present Church of Ireland building in Carrickmore is opened.

1837 The present Church of St Michael, Sixmilecross is build and Rev Andrew Christie is installed as Rector.

1843 Church of the Holy Trinity at Drumnakilly is built as a chapel of ease for Termonmaguirke.

1861 The tower of Termonmaguirke Church is restored and a spire erected, in memory of the late Rector Rev C.C Beresford.

1969 Termonmaguirke and Sixmilecross are amalgamated into one parish, on the resignation of Rev J.H.M McCandless. Rev R.E.M Benson who was Rector in Sixmilecross became Rector of both Parishes.
Carrickmore Rectory was sold to the Royal Ulster Constabulary when the parishes were joined. It was later destroyed in an I.R.A bomb attack.

2021 Today the two churches remain united with Rev Alan Barr serving as Rector of both. Rev Barr continues to live in Sixmilecross.


Meet the Rector

Rev Alan Barr was born in County down. After some years working in the Laboratories in the Belfast City Hospital he followed his heart to the Church Army, where, in 1989, he was commissioned as an Evangelist. In 2007 Alan was Ordained as a minister in the Church of Ireland and in 2009 he became Rector of Sixmilecross and Termonmaguirke.

Alan is Married to Liz and they have two grown up daughters.

Thank you for taking the time to visit.