St John the Baptist

History

The parish's account of Granaghan Old Chapel gives no firm date for its building: sources range from 1766 to 1770, and it appears to have been in existence by 1770. Its construction is credited to Fr Matthew McKenna, a native of Maghera. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs, written down in the mid-1830s, describe a long low thatched building with a clay floor and without seats, 107 and a half feet long and 17 feet wide on the inside, with side walls 8 feet high. The altar survives halfway along one side. The Memoirs also record that Granaghan Private, Classical and English School was established in 1835 and held in the chapel, where six pupils were taught by Bernard McEldowney.

The old chapel remained in use until its roof was blown off in the storm of 6 January 1839 known as the Big Wind. The parish's account records that the Mass Rock behind the chapel was apparently brought back into use, and on 24 June 1839 the foundation stone of the present St John's Church in Granaghan was laid by Fr John McKenna, another priest from Maghera, who is buried inside Glen Chapel.

Granaghan became an independent parish in 1977, having previously been part of Maghera parish.