Archaeological evidence suggests this site has been a place of worship since at least the 17th century, when an earlier parish church occupied the spot. The original church, catalogued as DG053-043001 in archaeological records, came with its own graveyard that still contains remarkable examples of early modern burial markers.

The graveyard holds particular interest for those tracing the area’s social history through its stone monuments. The earliest surviving graveslab dates to around 1620, offering a tangible connection to Letterkenny’s early Protestant community. These carved stones serve as both memorial markers and historical documents, recording names, dates, and occasionally glimpses into the lives of those who shaped the town during the plantation period.

Four metres south of the church’s southeast corner lies another notable 17th century graveslab, this one measuring 1.72 metres long by 0.80 metres wide. It marks the burial place of Isabel Smith, who married into the Boyd family of Letterkenny and died in 1671. The Boyd graveslab represents the kind of memorial favoured by prosperous planter families; substantial stone monuments that proclaimed both their social status and their permanent stake in Irish soil. These gravestones, compiled and documented by archaeologist Caimin O’Brien in 2010, provide invaluable insights into the settlement patterns and family networks that established Letterkenny as an important Ulster town.