The first Marmion Church
Mourne is divided into two catholic parishes, Upper Mourne and Lower Mourne. We are dealing only with Upper Mourne as the Marmions belonged to this parish. The main Catholic church in the parish is St. Colman's also known as Massforth. This church has two outlaying chapels, Our Lady of Lourdes in the townland of Grange - it is usually referred to as Grange Chapel - and was built on a site where Mass was believed to be celebrated in the open air during the penal days. Mrs. Marmion, Sir John's mother gave this site - (see photo below: this is the original field where Mass was held when the Marmions first came to County Down)
The other outlaying chapel is in the townland of Atticall and is usually referred to as Attical Chapel. The pre-reformation Catholic Church which was taken over by the Protestant Church of Ireland is now a ruin. It is situated in Kilkeel  and was the first church in Mourne dedicated to St. Colman, who was believed to have lived in the 6th/7th century, in the Co. Down area. There are lots of headstones in this old graveyard but none with the name Marmion. This old church was replaced about 1818 by a new Church of Ireland at Newry Street, Kilkeel. It was in this church that Margaret, Jane and Charity Marmion were married.
Grange Marmions  are not descendants of Arthur but they are certainly descendants of his grand or great grand father. I am convinced that the oral tradition is correct - all Mourne Marmions were related!
location of picture above
Grange Chapel
this is the original field where Mass was first held, the Grange Church was built next to it.
The painting of the Madonna and Child was presented to Massforth by the Earl and Countess of Kilmorey in 1896. About thirty years ago it was taken down and forgotten about. Various people including myself asked what had become of it. It was found by a new parish priest in a garage but needed restoration. Victor Cerefice who now owns the mill house restored it and it is back hanging in the church,
the brass plaque inside the church thanking Sir John and other Mourne folk in L'pool for their financial help with the building of the church. This is the third church on the site and was opened in 1879 although not fully completed. The internal furnishing carried on through the '80s and into the '90s,
Two stained glass windows is from inside Grange Church. They comprise the east window behind the altar. They were commissioned from the famous Clarke Stained Glass workshops in North Frederick Street, Dublin, and donated by Sir John's brother Peter.