Dennis Cahill was an Irish missionary priest working in western

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

, USA, in the late 1700s, where he founded several Catholic parishes in the

Potomac River The Potomac River () is in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography D ...

valley area.

History

Cahill was involved in the founding of several Catholic parishes in the Potomac River region. He was probably initially based at the Conewago Chapel. In 1786, he served Catholics in the area of

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania Chambersburg is a borough in and the county seat of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Franklin County, in the South Central Pennsylvania, South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Gre ...

, where, in 1792, a log structure was built called "Christ's Church". Cahill was an acquaintance of another missionary,

Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin (, December 22, 1770 – May 6, 1840) was an emigre Russian aristocrat and Catholic priest known as "The Apostle of the Alleghenies" and also in the United States as Prince Gallitzin. He was a member of the House of ...

. In 1790, he attended Catholics settled in and around

Cumberland, Maryland Cumberland is a city in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,075. Located on the Potomac River, Cumberland is a regional business and comm ...

, and celebrated the first Catholic mass in Allegany County. In the following year, a log chapel was constructed dedicated to Mary, the mother of God. This was later replaced by a larger church dedicated to St. Patrick. Cahill had charge of the mission at St. Mary's in Elizabethtown (later known as

Hagerstown Hagerstown is a city in Washington County, Maryland, United States, and its county seat. The population was 43,527 at the 2020 census. Hagerstown ranks as Maryland's sixth-most populous incorporated city and is the most populous city in the ...

) from 1790 to 1806. St. Patrick's in Little Orleans was a station of the Hagerstown mission. In 1806, Cahill returned to Ireland, where he died in 1817. Cahill is known for his role in the legend of the

Wizard Clip The legend of the Wizard Clip is a popular ghost story about an incident said to have occurred in Middleway, West Virginia in the 1820's. The story of the Wizard Clip is part of the oral history of the area, and was called by Rev. Alfred E. Smith ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cahill, Dennis 18th-century Irish Roman Catholic priests 18th-century American Roman Catholic priests Irish emigrants to the United States 1817 deaths Year of birth missing Place of birth missing