When emancipation was conceded Catholics came out into the light and began building up the system of churches and schools we know today. At the beginning of the nineteenth century a much smaller proportion of the population went to Mass every Sunday. There was only one Mass each Sunday so that a couple with children could only attend on alternate Sundays. The poverty meant that some people had not enough decent clothing to attend and the lack of schooling must have meant a lower level of knowledge of their faith. Nonetheless this was the generation which built most of the cathedrals of Ireland and many of the churches which lasted to our own day in spite of recurrent famines. There were bad seasons in 1800, 1801, 1812, 1816, famine in 1817, good seasons in 1802, 1813 and 1820. Provision for bad seasons is difficult in a subsistence economy. There are various estimates of population:

Banagher: church returns 4086; civil returns 6186 (1831)

Banagher: 30 townlands 932 houses 4922 inhabitants (c.1834)

Foreglen: 4 townlands 136 houses 743 inhabitants

Banagher: 1086 houses 5810 inhabitants (1841)

John McCloskey in 1821 records a decrease in his time due to famine and subsequent emigration to America: 942 houses with a population of 5131, 2213 (1081 male, 1132 female) in the barony of Keenaught (Fincarn) area, 2918 in the barony of Tirkeeran (altinure) area. The proportion looks odd. By 1834 there were schools at Altinure, Derrychrier, Fincarn (2), Templemoyle, Terrydreen, Munreery, ballymonie.

In 1839 Moneyhaughan old school was built on land owned by the Conways, who, in the same year, built Oldfield, later called Fairmount House and now generally known as Moneyhaughan Castle. The family had substantial land holdings but has died out. Still widely remembered is Fr Frederic Conway, and Sagart Bán or White Priest, who died aged 60 on 24 November 1873 of, according to the death certificate, “Melancholia ½ year: Abstinence form food 11 days”. He knew five or six languages. Ordained in 1843 he served in seven parishes in the diocese, and when he retired for health reasons from Dungiven in 1870 he devoted himself to preparing students who resided at Moneyhaughan for the priesthood, one of whom, Francis McCullagh, from Cranagh, was to be subsequently a curate in Altinure. For this reason a local tradition recalls him as having organised a seminary in competition with All Hallows. It is said that he was tall and very strong, and could boast of being able to throw a brick right over the castle. In his retirement he said Sunday Mass at Moneyhaughan and had quite a congregation. He is buried at Altinure and the local conference of the St Vincent de Paul Society subsequently erected a Latin cross of Co. Down granite at a cost of £35 over his grave. There is a suggestion that, for at least some of his time in Dungiven, he lived at Moneyhaughan, probably looked after by his sister Catherine, and travelled to and from Dungiven by horse.

In 1871 Fr Edward Loughrey built the present church at Altinure and the former adjoining parochial house in wooded land given by J B Beresford of Learmount but only yards from the old church. The architects were O’Neill and Byrne. McClay of Strabane was the builder and Hunter of Derry and Farren of Oville cut the free-stone. The foundation stone was laid n 22 March 1871 and the sermon preached by Fr Bannon S.J. raised £371 10s. The stone used came from Micky (Shéimi) Mullan’s quarry in Upper Dreen, from Billy’s Glen and from Altmover. Local tradition relates that of the money (it cost nearly £4000) to help build it, some came from America, some was collected by Fr Loughrey at factories in Belfast, and at local fairs from Catholic and Protestant. It is related that when one farmer jokingly said “ I’d liefer give you money to pull a chapel down”, Fr Loughrey riposted “But I am going to pull one down. The old one”. Captain Lyle gave a “liberal subscription”. Fr Loughrey was of landlord stock in Clonmany, and it is said that his mother contributed to the stained glass east window, (3 lancets surmounted by 3 quatre foils) by William McGinnis, with its suitably Marian theme. There is a plate-tracery wheel window in the gable, and a gothic bellcote. The church was dedicated on 22 October 1871 to St Mary Refuge of Sinners. £500 was raised at a charity sermon.

The granite Celtic cross in front of the church, in memory of the first Passionist Mission was blessed by Fr Sebastian at 12 noon Mass on Sunday 29 June 1873. Fr Loughrey built the house, a large barrack-like erection with huge rooms, and penetratingly cold in winter. It is told that he intended the house for the parish priest of a new parish made up of Altinure and Craigbane, logical enough, but that Bishop Kelly disagreed forcibly. One account states that the first priest to furnish and live in the house was Rev. Daniel O’Doherty, and tradition relates that Fr Loughrey worked what was then the parochial farm across the road, and continued to live there (and that he gave the benefit of his advice to litigious parishioners while.......