Tapping the potential of St. Mogue's Island

If you are one of the lucky people to visit the tranquil Mogue's Island in the middle of Templeport lake near Bawnboy and collect a lump of clay from the wall of the ruins of the old church, it is said that you can fly around the world without ever having a fear of a place crash. Talking about planes, the island is famous all over the world as a result of an RAF fighter plane crashing into the lake next to the island on St. Patrick's night 1943. The crash might have been minor in the greater scheme of things during the Second World War, but it aroused excitement locally and was a talking point in the community for years. Locals are now keen to ensure that the proper infrastructure is put in place to tap the tourism potential of this historic area. Back in the mid-90s Peace and Reconciliation funding provided for a boathouse and jetty, though a tree later fell on the boathouse and it had to be removed. Now according to Cllr. Sean Smith Cavan County Council has issued funding of €25,000 for a new boathouse and jetty at St Mogue's Island; work is expected to start shortly. There is a need for an additional slipway to facilitate tourists and families visiting graves on the island. Cllr. Smith is confident that additional funding will also be forthcoming for this valuable piece of tourism infrastructure. Templeport Development Association (TDA) envisages that an attractive picnic area will also be developed when the new boathouse and slipway are in place. A large window board will give a brief history of the island. TDA is a diverse group of people working to promote and develop their community, enhance the quality of life, protect the environment and promote and safeguard the unique heritage and culture of the area. Visitors to Templeport Lake and Mogue's Island never fail to comment on the beauty and tranquillity of the area and St. Peter's Church in the distance. Salvage Oliver Brady told the Anglo-Celt that after the 1943 crash numerous divers went down into the lake in an effort to salvage souvenirs from the plane. They removed the canons, and aluminium, which creative locals used to make fishing baits. The tail of the aircraft was visible in the lake and people turned up in huge numbers the following day to see. Initially LDF Forces, and then Army personnel took charge of the scene and over the following days and weeks the remains of the aircraft were salvaged as far as possible. It appears that they were transferred across the Border on RAF vehicles. On the fateful night, the crew of the Beaufighter JL710 took off from Port Ellen in Scotland. Assigned to 304 Ferry Training Unit, the aircraft, piloted by Richard Kutura with navigator Tommy Hulme, was on a fuel consumption test during as the crew were preparing for a ferry flight to the Mediterranean. But in a combination of bad weather, a damaged radio and diminishing fuel, the crew found themselves lost over Ireland. They took to their parachutes and, landing separately in the Corlough and Swanlinbar areas, they were assisted to cross the Border. The aircraft carried on unmanned in increasingly smaller circles until it finally crashed into Templeport lake at the edge of St. Mogue's Island. There was a dance in the Bawnboy workhouse that night and after hearing the noise of the plane making the circles between Corlough and Templeport, many revellers realised it had crashed and went off in search. Some were nearly lost in Gowlagh bog, where they thought the aircraft had come down. Minutes after the crash Michael McGovern and Rector Armstrong rowed out to the crash site and established that there was no one alive. There was a strong smell of petrol and they did not delay. Burial place Numerous families are buried on St. Mogue's Island, named, says Oliver Brady, for an early Irish saint, who it is reputed was born on the island around 555 AD. Apart from the clay in the wall that keeps people safe, there was a magic floating stone used to cross the water between the island and the mainland. On one occasion a young couple were floating together on the stone whose amorous activity created scandal in the parish. It appears there was divine intervention,, the stone split in two halves and the couple were consigned to the depths of the lake. One part later floated ashore and was used as a water font in an old church, was later moved to Kildoagh Church, and was later again to the new church in Bawnboy. St. Mogue trained to be a monk in Drumlane Abbey and then moved to Fenagh and later to Portmaddock in Wales to do missionary work. He became Bishop of Ferns in the late sixth century and the cathedral there is named after him. A church on St. Mogue's Island dated from the seventh century and there is evidence that the island was a place of learning too. There is reputed to have been copies of a certain type of Latin and Greek grammar made there. If you are ever in the Bawnboy/Templeport area, you should see the island for yourself and experience its special peace and beauty.