LAST UPDATE | 21 Apr

A CHURCH IN Donegal has been destroyed following an early morning blaze. 

St Mary’s Church in Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore) caught fire in the early hours of the morning, with emergency services responding to the scene at roughly 4am. 

A cordon was established and local diversions remain in place, with no reports of any injuries, gardaí said.

The scene is being preserved for technical examination and enquiries are ongoing.

Local TD Pearse Doherty of Sinn Féin told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that it was “absolutely devastating” for the community to have lost the structure. 

His own father’s anniversary mass was due to take place at the church during the week, he said. He added that the church had been there since 1972, and that it was “just heartbreaking”. 

Gardaí have not found the cause of the fire as of yet, Doherty said. He told the programme that they would be carrying out their own inquiries shortly. 

The previous St Mary’s Church in Derrybeg was destroyed in 1880 during a flood. Five parishioners died during the disaster. It was rebuilt and in 1972, the new church was built on higher ground.