About Newtowncunningham & Killea Parish 

Our parish, consisting of approximately 800 families, covers the villages of Newtowncunningham and Killea and surrounding area. The Church of All Saints, Newtowncunningham, was built in 1999 and the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Killea, was built in 1954.

Church of All Saints, Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal

by Ireland’s Churches, Cathedrals and Abbeys
Church of All Saints is a Roman Catholic Church located in the village of Newtowncunningham in County Donegal. It was built between 1997 and 1999. It replaced on older church on the site which was built in 1810. The design of this church is based on St. Peter’s fishing boat. It is one of two churches in Newtowncunningham and Killea Parish in the Diocese of Raphoe.

The Mystery of the Cross on the Hill

Liam Emery’s Celtic Cross, Killea, Co. Donegal

In 2016 passengers on an aircraft approaching City of Derry Airport noticed an unusal sight on the Donegal hillside as they approach to land. A 100m tall cross on the hill was visible in the fields near Killea, and nobody knew how they appeared. Was it a miracle?

A few days later the mystery was solved. The giant Celtic cross was the work of local forester, Liam Emery. Liam was a hard working, quiet man who secretly planted Japanese larch trees amongst surrounding evergreens. The larch trees are similar in colour to the others for much of the year, but their leaves turn a beautiful shade of gold in autumn, making it an exciting landmark for the county.

The funny thing is, Liam told very few people about his work, they were his little secret. Sadly he died in 2011 aged just 51, before his work came to fruition. His wife, Norma, said she partially forgot about the trees, but that he would have been delighted at how they came out. His great legacy is expected to last at least 70 years.