St. Brigid's RC Church, 84 Tullyah Road, Belleek, Co. Armagh, BT35 7QP

St Brigid's Roman Catholic Church is a modest, simply designed rural church situated on the west side of Tullyah Road, in the townland of Carrickananny, Loughgilly parish, immediately south of Carrickananny Bridge. The building predates the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1834–5 and is thought to have been originally constructed around 1815, though it does not appear on Rocque's map of 1760 or Taylor and Skinner's map of 1777. Its absence from those earlier maps is not considered conclusive evidence that it did not exist, given the nature of those surveys. A newspaper article of 1914 stated that the church had stood on the site for approximately a century, and local sources suggest that prior to its construction, mass was celebrated in the house of a sympathetic Protestant close to the present site — a practice consistent with the gradual relaxation of the Penal Laws, which had effectively fallen into disuse by the early 19th century, though they were not formally repealed until 1829.

The church appears on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1834–5 captioned as "R.C. Chapel", lying alongside the main route between Dundalk and Markethill. The Townland Valuation of around 1837 records it as a slated Roman Catholic chapel measuring 66 feet long by 23 feet wide and 10 feet in height, with a quality mark of "C+" indicating it was old but in repair. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of around 1838 record a congregation of 700, with the priest at that time being Reverend O'Toole.

The original church was rebuilt around 1850. The building shown on the second edition Ordnance Survey map of 1860 is wider than the original structure, a fact confirmed by dimensions recorded in the General Revaluation of the 1930s. The rebuilt church is also double height compared to the original single-storey building. A vestry extension to the south-west was added between the second edition map of 1860 and the third edition of 1906. The church and its yard were valued at £50 in Griffith's Valuation, with no changes recorded until the general revaluation of the 1930s.

The church was originally situated to the north of a corn mill, which had become a flax mill by 1860. The mill and church coexisted without apparent difficulty until the mill converted to steam power in 1913, when a chimney and engine were erected in close proximity to the chapel. Dirt and smoke from the chimney settled on the church roof and grounds and entered through the windows. Despite the chimney being extended and fitted with a cap, the problem persisted. The priest, Reverend Patrick Vallely, brought a legal action against the mill owner and successfully obtained an injunction restraining the defendant from allowing dirt and smoke to issue from the mill to the detriment of the church. The case attracted legal interest, with some dispute as to whether a priest had standing to bring such an action.

In July 1932 the church was reopened after having been closed for structural improvements, repairs and renovations carried out under the direction of the priest, Reverend John Lavelle. It was at this time that the Stations of the Cross and a Carrara marble altar, moulded from reconstituted marble, were installed. The reopening ceremony featured a sermon by the Right Reverend Dr McSherry, Bishop of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, who had been baptised at the church in 1849. A valuer's notebook of 1935 records a plan and dimensions for the building, noting accommodation for approximately 230 people. A separate caretaker's house and stable to the south-east, added in the late 19th century, was demolished at some point between 1955 and 1979 and has not survived.

The building has a rectangular footprint, with the narrow front gable facing north. The front elevation features a central arched entrance with timber-sheeted doors, framed by a narrow, raised, elongated projecting arch surround. Within this surround, at an elevated position, is an alcove containing a figure of St Brigid. The façade terminates in projecting raised verges to the gable, behind which sits a natural slate roof. The walls are finished in smooth render with a masonry paint finish, with plinths defined by a contrasting colour. The east-facing side elevation contains five elongated arched clear-glass windows with contrasting narrow painted surrounds and slim concrete cills, several of which have internal acid-etched depictions. The west-facing elevation has two elongated arched clear-glass windows, with a central projecting bay flanked by smaller arched windows on splays, which represents the location of the former confessional booth. The rear elevation has raised concrete verges and a small pitched-roof extension to the west, with a contemporary flush rooflight, indicating the location of the sacristy and ancillary accommodation. Behind this extension is a high boundary wall and gable affording narrow access along the rear of the property. All fascia boards and rainwater goods are black PVC.

The forecourt to the north is extensively surfaced in tarmacadam and is bounded by a low plaster-finished wall and railing separating the curtilage from Tullyah Road. There is no curtilage enclosure to the rear.

The church is recorded on the heritage register for record purposes only. Although it predates the first edition Ordnance Survey map and has a history stretching back to at least the early 19th century, recent refurbishment works — including the extensive insertion of new windows, the fitting of uPVC fascia and guttering, and the replacement of internal historic fabric including floor tiles — have resulted in the loss of sufficient historic fabric to meet the legislative test for listing.