placenamesKincon
Cionn Con
Kincon's parish history includes a nineteenth-century dispute at its earlier chapel and the construction of a new church in 1928–29.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- Cionn Con · Irish · main form · validated name
- Kincon · English · main form
Place & story
The Kilfian investigation of 1837
Kincon chapel became a setting for conflict within Killala diocese in 1837. Brendan Hoban's history describes an announcement there on 16 April that Bishop O'Finan would investigate the parish priest, Conway, over pastoral conduct and fees. Conway appealed to Archbishop Crolly and challenged the process. The ensuing inquiry ended in suspension. Hoban's account treats the episode within the wider divisions between the bishop and supporters of John MacHale. [2]
The church built in 1928–29
The present Church of the Sacred Heart was built in 1928–29. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage attributes its design to Dublin architect Ralph Henry Byrne. Its rectangular, single-cell plan is lit by narrow pointed windows, with a grouped Trinity Window marking the eastern sanctuary. Celtic crosses rise above the gables. The building represents a later phase of parish construction, separate from the chapel involved in the nineteenth-century dispute. [3]
Timber fittings and the 1985 renovation
Inside the church, an arcaded gallery stands at the western end beneath stained glass. The exposed roof uses collared timber framing and a boarded ceiling, while the pews carry trefoil decoration. A renovation in 1985 reordered the sanctuary and introduced stained-glass windows recorded by the architectural survey. The resulting interior combines surviving timber craftsmanship with alterations reflecting the liturgical changes that followed the Second Vatican Council. [3]
Geographic information
- Place type
- Population centre
- County
- Mayo
- Barony
- Tirawley
- Civil parish
- Kilfian
- Within
- Kilfian East
- Coordinates
- 54.20263, -9.31803 (approximate)
- Logainm ID
- 1417294 ↗
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Kincon. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Turbulent Diocese: The Killala Troubles, 1798–1848, chapter 18 · Brendan Hoban, published extract on Diocese of Killala website
- Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, Kincon, 31302105 · National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2025-01-10. How this page was prepared.