St. Mary's Church has been used by the Church of Ireland congregation in Doneraile since it was built in 1633. A stone slab set in the western side of the tower - over what was originally the entrance to the Church reads : " This Church was first built by the Rt. Hon. Sir William St. Leger, the Lord President of Munster, anno domini 1633 and afterwards rebuilt by his grandson, the Right Honourable Arthur Viscount Doneraile, anno domini 1726".
The spire or steeple of the church enjoys some fame for the fact that it gave its name to the horse-racing term 'Steeplechasing'. The first account of any race where natural fences were jumped, dates from 1752. An old Ms. in the possession of the O'Briens of Dromoland, records a match decided that year between a Mr. O'Callaghan and a Mr. Edmund Blake, the course being from the Church steeple in Buttevant to the steeple of the St. Leger's Church in Doneraile
Another horse racing event, The St. Leger was founded by a Col. St. Leger - a scion of the house of Viscount Doneraile, as long ago as 1776. ( Pall Mall Gazette 11-9-1903).
This famous steeple was blown down in 1825 and was replaced by the tower which now houses a peal of six bells. The bell which originally called people to worship as far back as 1636 still sits in the porch of Doneraile Church and bears the following inscription:- (Translation from the Latin) " The honourable William St. Leger, Baronet, President of North and South Munster and the Lady Gertrude de Viries, his wife, caused me to be made in the year 1636, and Arthur St. Leger, their grandson, repaired me, having been broken, and did the work in May in the year 1700".
A peal of six bells was presented by Lady Castletown of Upper Ossory in 1890 in memory of her father, the 4th Viscount Doneraile, and the parish still enjoys the privelege of being one of the very few country churches which can boast a peal of bells. Recently there has been a most encouraging revival of interest in the bells and a resident team has commenced practice. The bells were cast by John Taylor & Co., Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, who were also founders of the bells of St. Pauls Cathedral, London.
ITEMS OF INTEREST IN THE CHURCH
An Old Baptismal Font which stands in the porch of St. Mary's came from the Charleville Church when it was closed about 1960. On the margin of this small basin like font, there is an inscription to the memory of Rev. Christopher Vowell, - the first Rector of Charleville Church.
This stands on a Medieval Stone about which little is known, other than it was discovered on the farmland of a family named Weldon in Cooline, Charleville.
The Baptismal Font currently in use is considered to be nearly four hundred years old. It is a large oval basin of red local marble, standing on an oval shaped oedestal of the same.
The Memorial To Lord Doneraile 1759 (below) on the north wall of the Church was executed by Sir Henry Cheere at a total cost of £325.00 and Cheere's original receipt which shows that the memorial was erected by a local man Samuel Daly, still survives and is on view on the wall of the Church. Lord Doneraile had died in his carriage in 1727 and the memorial was erected by his son Hayes St. Leger.
Four Stained Glass Windows in the Church are of interest:- The east window to the memory of Robert Crone (1878) depicts the four different acts of mercy referred to in the closing portion of the 25th. chapter of St. Mathew's Gospel "I was hungry and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, naked and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye visited me". The second window depicts the Saviour as " The Light of the World"- a memorial to Godfrey Levinge (1898). The third window-" The Good Shepherd" is to the memory of Warren Tulloch, son of the Rector Rev. W.H. Perrott,(1898) while the fourth window, an abstract design, is to the memory of Arundel Hill and his wife Thomasina (1873).
This short history of Doneraile's Churh of Ireland shows that this small congregation are proud of their heritage and consider it worth preserving. This is why they are making a particular effort to carry out and fund the restoration work that is needed.
Jesus said " I sent you to reap that for which you have not laboured, others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour"
A bell came into the possession of the Church that had been cast in 1633. It had lain unused for years but it was rung last in 1947.