Local tradition tells that the town’s first church was established by Sir Henry Foliot in Market Yard, right beside the River Erne. This original building served the community until 1691, when the church was relocated to its current hilltop position at Mullaghnashee, offering commanding views over the surrounding townlands.

The present Church of Ireland building dates from 1841, though it’s not entirely Victorian; careful examination reveals an eighteenth century core incorporated into the later structure. This architectural layering reflects Ballyshannon’s evolving religious landscape, with each generation of worshippers leaving their mark on the sacred site. The move from the riverside to higher ground likely offered both practical advantages and symbolic significance, elevating the church above the bustle of the market area.

The graveyard surrounding the church contains generations of Ballyshannon families, with weathered headstones marking the resting places of merchants, fishermen, and farmers who shaped the town’s development. As one of Donegal’s oldest settlements, positioned strategically where the River Erne meets the sea, Ballyshannon’s churchyard serves as a tangible link to Ireland’s complex religious and social history, from the Plantation era through to the present day.