St Aiden

The present church, built in 1826, stands quietly in the shadow of ancient ruins, offering a serene connection to centuries of faith and folklore.

Legend says that the bones of St Aidan, the first bishop of Lindisfarne, were taken from Lindisfarne to Iona. When the Columban Federation left Iona, it is claimed they brought St Aidan’s bones to this sacred place. 

The remains of the medieval church, built from rugged basalt, show traces of ancient gabled ends. Within the ruins, fragments of plaster and an incised sketch of a mitred bishop on horseback hint at the site’s rich spiritual past. The tall, pointed window in the eastern wall, though weathered, would have once framed an impressive view of the mountain behind. 

Tradition says that St Aidan’s grave lies beneath this window, marked by a cairn of stones. Nearby, a Holy Well dedicated to the saint holds a revered place in local lore. It is said that by mixing dust from the cairn with water from the well, ailments could be healed, a tradition passed down through generations. 

The churchyard is also renowned as the burial place of Denis O’Hampsey, one of Ireland’s most famous harpers. Blind since the age of three, O’Hampsey lived an extraordinary life, reaching the age of 112. He was one of ten performers at the Belfast Harp Festival in 1792, known for playing the mournful air ‘O'Cahan’s Lament’. The O’Cahan clan stronghold was nearby, close to the town of Limavady. This melody would later inspire the famous tune "Danny Boy". 

The slopes of Binevenagh are steeped in history, the name derived from the Irish 'mountain of Fiobhne', a legendary son of an ancient chieftain. Nestled against these timeless, wooded hills, St Aidan's is more than just a historical site—it’s a living connection to legends and enduring traditions.