Though no physical trace remains of the building or its graveyard today, historical records suggest the site dates back to at least the 12th or 13th century. The church continued to function until the early 1600s, when it was abandoned in favour of a new church built in the nearby town of Ramelton.

The island location, known as Aughnish Isle, would have been accessible at low tide, allowing parishioners to make their way across for services and burials. Such tidal islands were not uncommon sites for early churches in Ireland, offering a degree of isolation whilst remaining connected to the mainland community. The move to Ramelton in the 17th century likely reflected changing settlement patterns and the practical challenges of maintaining a church on a tidal island.

Whilst the original church has vanished, one fragment did survive the centuries; a small carved window head was reportedly removed from the island and taken to the replacement church in Ramelton, as noted by antiquarian George Henry Kinahan in the 1880s. This architectural detail, catalogued as DG037-021002, serves as the sole physical link to what was once an important religious site for the people of this part of Donegal.