St. Aidan’s church was built in 1831 or 1832 to replace “an old decayed chapel” which had fallen in on the congregation during Mass in the winter of 1829. Difficulties were experienced in acquiring the site from the local landlord, Owen Wynne of Hazelwood. The church was a single cell barn type with a door in each gable and the altar in the centre of the back side wall. Unlike many of the barn style churches of the 1830s in Kilmore which were extended and made cruciform by the addition of a nave and chancel, St. Aidan’s has retained its original shape. Its proximity to the river prevented any alteration in layout.

In 1894, Fr. John McManus PP had the church re-roofed, a pitch pine ceiling fitted and a marble altar installed at the gable end. The contractor was a Mr Mulligan from Kiltyclogher. The present seats were made by the Dorrian Brothers in 1905 while Fr. Peter Brady was PP and a new wooden floor and tiled isle were also fitted.

In the early 1960s Fr. Michael Costello PP replaced the plain glass in the windows to stained glass and had the entrance door changed to the Garrison gable. The ceiling was lowered and the access to the gallery changed. During Fr. James Carroll’s tenure a new roof was fitted by local contractor Sean Connolly.

Between April 1996 and December 1997 major restoration work was carried out by Fr. Michael Quinn PP. Local man Pat Fox was the contractor and David Cullivan of Cavan was the architect.

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