St. John's Church of Ireland
in Clare townland on the east side of town

This parish was formed in 1722 out of Magheralin parish.

The church was built 1725 by Arthur Hill & Sir John Rawdon when Rev. Hugh Hill was rector. Adam Stothard & Nathaniel Trueman were the churchwardens.A copy of the Indenture of 1725 is available. The rector 1728 until his death in 1833 was Rev. John Gifford; It was described in 1836 as a plain, whinstone, rectangular building corniced with cutstone and a doorway ornamented with cutstone. It has a tower with a low, shingled spire and held 400 people with an average attendance in 1836 of 250. The inside was plain with rectangular windows, occupies an acre of land and stands on a hill.

The rector for 34 years up til his death in 1777 was Rev. Thomas Waring . Rev. Andrew Greenfield was rector 1783 until his death May 1788. Rev. William Henry Wynne was rector for 37 years until his death in 1873 . A gravestone says Rev. James Robert Ffolliott was rector of Moira until his death 1 Apr 1874. In 1877 the rector was Rev. G.B. Sayers & in 1899 was Rev. T. W. Harper M.A. & in 1910 was Rev. W.E. Hurst.

records available are some from 1725 then baptisms 1784- 1860, marriages 1784- 1845, burials 1784- 1856, graveyard nearby, PRONI has some records after 1830; gravestone inscriptions UHF Vol 18, oldest stone 1742; email me for a gravestone look-up

Moira Presbyterian Church
Meeting St, Moira- east side of town, in Carnalbanagh East townland

A church was built in 1680 . The minister from 1693- 1703 was Rev. Samuel Ferguson. It was vacant for a while then Rev. James Blair was minister 1709 -1713. He was suceeded by Rev. Samuel Harpur 1717- 1726 With falling numbers they joined with the Seceders & built another meeting house in 1730 & rebuilt the congregation again in 1738. The minister was Rev. Thomas Creighton 1734-1741. In 1748 the Seceders took over the church but later split into Subscribers & Non Subscribers groups. The minister was Rev. Joseph Mitchell 1751- 1774. He was suceeded by Rev. William Stitt 1775 -1777 then Rev. Andrew Craig 1778 -1783 then Rev. David Trotter 1783- 1792 then Rev. George Dobbin 1792- 1796 then Rev. Joseph Cochrane Wightman 1798-1800 then Rev. Hamilton Dobbin 1801- 1802 then Rev. John Mulligan 1802 then he joined the Non Subscribers but continued to stay at the church so that the congregation followed his ideas.

.A new church was built beside the first church in 1829 with both groups (see below) worshipping side by side. It was rebuilt 1829 at a cost of £550. In 1836 it was described as a stone building corniced with granite & capable of holding 400 people, with an average attendance then of 200. The salary of the minister in 1836, Rev William Moffat, was £50 (Irish) & £40 (British) per year. Rev. William Moffat was installed in 1813 but became infirm & needed an assistant by 1843, this was Rev. Robert Moorhead until 1844. He was replaced by Rev. Robert Scott Erwin 1845- 1850 then Rev. Samuel Graham. The minister in 1910 was Rev. R.G. McFarland & the sexton was John Weir.

Baptismal records from 1866, marriage records from 1845; no old burial register; graveyard nearby, gravestone inscriptions UHF Vol 18; oldest stone 1856, burials before this were in the parish graveyard; email me for a gravestone look-up

Moira Non Subscribing Presbyterian Church
Meeting St, Moira- in Carnalbanagh East townland, just E of Moira near the Presbyterian Church
sometimes called Unitarian

The congregation was formed in 1693 with the Presbyterians (above). This church was built in 1738 on the site of old Presbyterian church .It was capable of holding 300 people. Rev. James Hume was minister until his death in 1782. Rev. John Mulligan was the minister 1803- 1836 then his son, Rev. James Mulligan 1836- 1869. The minister in 1910 was Rev. William Wetherall. The minister in 2010 is Rev. Ian Gilpin.

graveyard nearby, gravestone inscriptions UHF Vol 18, oldest stone 1819; email me for a gravestone look-up

The photo was kindly sent to me by Sandra Gilpin.

Moira Methodist Church

in the town

In 1836 this church was described as a neat, stone building which held 300 people and had an average attendance of 150. The minister in 1888 was N. Doonan & 1910 was Rev. John Cullen.

records from 1827; no graveyard