St. Mary’s Church, Newtownmanor was built in 1825 when Rev. Thomas Ford was parish priest and it served as the parish church of Drumlease until St. Patrick’s church in Dromahair was dedicated in March 1890.

The site for St. Mary’s Church was given by the local landlord family, the Whytes of Fivemilebourne. This family continued to support the church during the 19th century. They had the privilege of having their own special room in St. Mary’s for mass and when Gertrude Mary, eldest daughter of Colonel J.J. Whyte was married in the church, the chief celebrant was the Most Rev. Dr. McGettigan, Catholic Primate of All-Ireland.

The church that Fr. Ford had built in 1825 was designed to accommodate a much larger congregation than it has today. The altar was where the main entrance is now and the building had two side galleries as well as the ground-floor space.

Fr. Patsy Young PP had the church re-designed and renovated in 1990. The architect, Eugene O’Neill, developed the site with imagination and taste. He gave the church itself a new and pleasing exterior and within the ancient walls he created a simple, modern and harmonious space.

The building was re-dedicated as the Church of Mary, the Mother of God, by Bishop Francis J. MacKiernan on Sunday, 24th June 1990.