Tyrone's Ditches Presbyterian Church

Image: © P Flannagan Taken: 7 Jun 2008

The congregation was first known as Drumbanagher and was an anti-Burgher establishment in the Presbyterian church. It was first heard of before September 1762 for a call was given to a Mr John Anderson at that time. Whether he accepted it or not is not clear, but the name Tyrone's Ditches as a ministerial charge is first found when Mr. Samuel King was ordained on 24th July 1765. He became Moderator of the Anti-Burgher Synod in 1794-5 and remained here until old age compelled his retirement in 1818. He died on 18th December 1824. The present church was built in 1797. Mr. Robert McMahon (lic. Down) was ordained as Mr. King's assistant and successor on 26 Dec. 1821, and was one of those Seceders who disapproved of the Union of the Synods in 1840 and refused to enter the General Assembly. He died in 1849 and was succeeded by his son, Rev. William John McMahon, who after two years resigned on 15 Aug. 1851 from his charge and was received by the General Assembly. In the following year on 12 Oct. 1852 he was designated to mission work in Australia. TYRONE'S DITCHES remained an Original Secession congregation; nevertheless it then called a licentiate of the General Assembly, Mr. Alexander Ferguson (lic. Belfast) who was ordained on 23 May 1853. He returned to the jurisdiction of the General Assembly on 14 Aug. 1860 and went later to Corboy, to Creggs and Roscommon, and to Kilkinamurry. After Mr. Ferguson's resignation from TYRONE'S DITCHES supply was given by Rev. Robert Hawthorne of Clare from 1860-1869, until on 20 Sept. 1870 Mr. George Laverty (lic. Markethill 1870) was ordained. Another long ministry ensued until he died on 24 Feb. 1919, after which TYRONE'S DITCHES was united with Cremore and so became part of the General Assembly. See http://www.presbyterianhistoryireland.com/index.php?id=28

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