Take a Pilgrimage to England, Scotland and Ireland
“The Old Country”
“Ireland is the only country where workers weren’t imported, but rather exported.”
(Sydney Holt’s Letter, June 27, 1985)
William Irvine and Edward Cooney
They took Ireland by storm. Their magnetic personalities and stirring messages drew thousands during the early 1900s. People around the world were impacted by their lives and ministries.
Find out exactly how old the Two by Two Church really is, where it started and by whom.
Visit the places where your spiritual heritage began.
See where workers walked and preached in the “Early Days.”
ENGLAND
Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, London, is where Ed Cooney spoke to large crowds and allegedly, Princess Victoria listened to him from her carriage in 1917. Hyde Park (630 acres) was London’s first public park. Speakers’ Corner has been used for public open-air speeches and debates since the mid-1800s. A single light post stands in the center of a large, bare, ground-level area; no raised platform or loudspeaker system is present. Speakers usually stand on a small ladder or wooden box, often a soapbox, literally getting on/off their soapbox..
Address: NE edge of Hyde park nearest Marble Arch and Oxford Street
See Photos: Search for “Hyde Park” at https://tellingthetruth.info/photogallery/
The British Library in London: https://www.bl.uk. Home of the national archive collection of newspapers. Since 1840, a copy of all UK newspapers has been deposited here. Available for public research. Address: 96 Euston Road, London.
Staffordshire, Dimsdale Hall: a suburb of Newcastle-under-Lyme, where the first large-scale convention in England was held on Heath’s property. The famous 1921 workers’ picture was taken there. Pictured are 208 workers including William Irvine, George Walker, Willie Gill, Jack Carroll and Eddie Cooney.
Photos: Search “Staffordshire” at https://tellingthetruth.info/photogallery/
In 1932, the convention moved to Heath’s property at Stocks Farm, Staffordshire.
Some Workers were buried in the Church of St. Lawrence graveyard in nearby Bramshall.
When the Heath brothers died in the 1960s, Paul & Sarah Davies became the owners.
In 2022, the annual convention was held there on May 7-10.
Address: Stocks Farm, Church Lane, Bramshall, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England
Keswick: Convention in Keswick, Cumbria, England. The original convention which William Irvine used for his pattern. Held every year during the last two weeks of July. Other Keswick Conventions are held in England, Wales, Scotland, Canada, Japan, Australia and other places around the world.
Address of office: Rawnsley Centre, Main Street, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5NP (NOT the event location).
Website: https://keswickministries.org/
SCOTLAND
Kilsyth, Stirlingshire: Birthplace of William Irvine on January 7, 1863; third child of eleven born to John and & Elizabeth (Gressam) Irvine. (address unknown)
Burns and Old Parish Church: William Irvine was raised in the Burns Free Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) at Kilsyth. It was built in 1816 and demolished in 2002. In 1975, the congregations of The Burns Free Church and Old Parish Church united and became The Kilsyth Burns and Old Parish Church of Scotland, now located at 11 Church Street. In 2002, when the Burns Church was being demolished, a marble plaque in memory of Rev. William Jeffrey, along with the bell was relocated. The bell is on the ground at the right wing corner of the current church entry. Irvine’s sisters Jane, Helen and Janet were married by Rev. Jeffrey.
Church history: https://www.boldchurch.org.uk/our-story
Edinburgh is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Plan to spend some time sightseeing there.
Edinburgh, Faith Mission: founded in 1886 by John Govan. William Irvine trained here to become a pilgrim (worker) in 1885. Currently FM headquarters. https://www.faithmission.org
Address: Govan House, 548 Gilmerton Road, Gilmerton, Edinburgh.
Glasgow, Motherwell Town Hall: Place where William Irvine, founder of the fellowship, responded to the gospel message on Jan. 7 1893, preached by Rev. John McNeil, Presbyterian minister. Built in 1886, it is currently undergoing a transformation into 20 modern council homes (2025). In a 1934 letter he wrote: “Seventy-two years ago, I was born into a Presbyterian family; forty-two years ago, I was born into the family of which Jesus is the head, as Adam is of the human family. A Presbyterian preacher was the means.”
NORTHERN IRELAND
Enniskillen: No trip would be complete without visiting beautiful, historic Enniskillen. See the Medieval Enniskillen Castle of Gaelic chieftans, now the site of two museums. Other 17th century castles include Monea, Tully, Crevenish and Castle Caldwell. Enniskillen is a popular cruising and fishing center, with good accommodations and shopping facilities. Belleek is the home of the famous pottery and basket weave dishes in creamy white porcelain. A perfect place to pick up some valuable souvenirs.
City of Enniskillen is an island situated on Erne River between two bridges across the River/Lough Erne: The West Bridge (also called the Erne Bridge) on the North and the East Bridge on the South (also called Queen Elizabeth Bridge). The street going from bridge to bridge changes names SIX times. Going NW one way from East Bridge (NW to SE), the street is called: Bridge, Townhall, High, Church, Darling, Anne Streets.
Enniskillen is where Edward Cooney was born and raised. The Cooney family home is no longer standing. His father operated a business on High Street and Cooney worked for him as a traveling salesman. Cooney left his father’s business in 1901, gave up his inheritance and joined Irvine’s band of workers.
In 1850, Ed Cooney’s father, W.R. Cooney, moved his clothing emporium business to No. 4 High Street in Enniskillen. The name was: “W. R. Cooney, Woollen & Linen Draper, Silk Mercer Haberdasher &c., Military & Merchant Tailor and General Outfitter.”
The original building was destroyed by a bomb in the 1970s. When it was rebuilt in 2014, the street address changed from No. 4 to No. 14. The store site is now Graham at 14 High Street located between the Crowes Nest Restaurant and Specsavers (2025).
Enniskillen Diamond & Town Hall: In the early 1900s, Edward Cooney preached in the open air to large crowds on the town’s central square, “The Diamond,” located across from the Town Hall on High Street between BM Bargains and Pats Bar. Note: The Diamond has been paved over (2025). Photos in TTT Photo Gallery show where it was.
Impartial Reporter Newspaper They produced more articles than any other newspaper about the “New Sect”, “Go-Preachers”, “Tramps”, “Dippers”, “Cooneyites” and their conventions. This was largely due to their location being the native hometown of Edward Cooney, and also to being near the site of the large-scale 2×2 Convention at Crocknacrieve in 1904 and thereafter.
Address: 8 & 10 East Bridge St.
View at: https://tellingthetruth.info/newspapers/newsprold.php
St. Macartin’s Cathedral–Church of Ireland: The Cooneys were members of the Church of Ireland (Episcopal), where Edward and his siblings were baptized when infants. They attended Sunday school at the Enniskillen Parish Church, now St. Macartin’s Cathedral.
Address: Cathedral Hall, 2 Halls Lane.
Portora Royal School. Ed Cooney and his brothers received their higher education here. It is known as “the Eton of Ireland.” Address: 1 Lough Shore Road, Enniskillen
Rossorry Parish Church Cemetery. Several Cooney family graves are located around this church built in the 1840s, located on the outskirts of Enniskillen.
Directions: Heading west out of Enniskillen, turn left on to Rossorry Church Road before Portora Royal School. The road twists and turns for about a mile into the countryside and the Rossory Church is on a hill on the left.
The tombstone inscription for Edward Cooney’s immediate family shows:
COONEY
In affectionate remembrance of
William McEffer Cooney died 29th May 1887 aged 22 years [son]
James Ernest Cooney died 11th June 1898 aged 24 years [son]
Alfred Carson Cooney died 29th August 1909 aged 38 years [son]
Emily Maria Cooney died 16th December 1917 aged 78 years [mother]
William Rutherford Cooney died 12th September 1924 aged 88 years [father]
Ballinamallard Village, County Fermanagh is located about 4 miles Northeast of Enniskillen. Here is where the noted Crocknacrieve Convention was held for nearly 20 years. The first large scale conventions, some lasting for 30 days, were held 1904 thru 1920 on the property of John and Sara West. Reportedly, the first Sunday morning meeting may have been held in the Gate Lodge, located at the turn off from the main road to Crocknacrieve. (Most reports say the first meeting was held over the store owned by William Weir on Baggot Street, Dublin.) Crocknacrieve House cannot be seen from Enniskillen Road.
Address: The private drive at 145 Enniskillen Rd (B6) services more than one home. The first home on the right is NOT Crocknacrieve. The current property owner is not receptive to visitors.
“Cooney’s Hole” as it was known locally, in the Ballinamallard River is where many of the first baptisms took place. The first ones took place under the bridge next to the Soldiers of the Cross Hall, but this place was abandoned in favor of the nearby mill race where the water was deeper. A place was found further downstream behind what was then the creamery, now the Masonic Hall No. 315, which has existed since 1903 until the present.
Directions: On Baragh Road a little East of Chestnut Grove on the opposite side of the road.
Popular Drink. While Guinness, brewed in Dublin remains a popular stout (aka beer) in the area, the most prominent local spirit is gin from Tulley Bay, which is an award-winning craft distillery known for its premium gin and vodka, including Boatyard Double Gin.
The Gortaloughan, Co. Fermanagh Convention began in 1940 and is currently held the third weekend in June on Greggs’ property in Enniskillen. Locals refer to the 2x2s as “Reidites.”
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
DUBLIN, CAPITAL OF IRELAND:
Mc Birney’s Store, Aston Quay, “forty paces from O’Connell’s Bridge” is where George Walker worked before professing. Store went out of business in 1984. The building still has the McBirney & Co. name engraved on it.
Broadstone Railway Train Station: It was on this railway station platform that George Walker stood by himself and made his decision to become a worker. Here it was that he surrendered his life and told God, “If this is what it takes, I’m willing for it.” G.W. often told this story.
Address: Now (2025) the Bus Éireann headquarters in Broadstone.
Weirs of Baggot Street: The first home fellowship meeting was held in the Weir’s home situated above their store. The last business at this site was Weirs Home Gift & DIY. It closed in 2025 and the building was placed on the market to sell.
Address: 21 Upper Baggot Street, Dublin
RATHMOLYON, COUNTY MEATH is a village in the southern portion of Co. Meath, Ireland, situated at the junction of the R156 and R159 regional roads. It is about 25 miles NW from Dublin (1 hour/44.3 km). Locals refer to the 2x2s as the “White Mice.”
Willie Gill’s Farm – Ashmount. The Inaugural Workers Convention was held at Ashmount in 1903 on Willie Gill’s farm. 70 workers under the leadership of William Irvine and Edward Cooney made vows of poverty, celibacy, chastity, and abstinence to follow the example and words of Jesus in Matthew 10 and “Go-Preach.” The ministry united and became a cohesive group.
Owners & Address: John & Joyce Swanton, Ashmount House, Kill, Rathmolyon, Co. Meath, Ireland
Directions: From Rath at R156/R159 intersection:
Head southwest toward R159 go 450m/.3 miles. Turn left on to R156/L80142 Tromman. Continue on to L80142 Kilballyporter 900m/.5 miles
Destination/driveway is on the left, fronted by white wall with entry posts.
High hedge behind wall; the 2-story white stone house is not visible from street.
St. Michael and All Angels Church of Ireland: In just three weeks’ time, (October 10–31, 1797), Irvine successfully recruited 40 members of this church: the Gills, Carrolls, Hastings, Winters, Hughes and others. Some entire families. They had been baptized, actively participated and held positions of esteem. The church was devastated.
Originally built in 1797, their last service was held Nov. 26, 2023 and deconsecration on April 2025. The surrounding graveyard contains numerous headstones of 2x2s (Hastings, Winters, Gills, Hendy, Hughes, etc.). There were no independent cemeteries not affiliated with a specific church in the village. It is lawful to bury several family members in the same grave and add their names to the tombstone. https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2491956/st.-michaels-and-all-angels-church-of-ireland.
Address: On R156 at Intersection of R159, Co. Meath.
Rathmolyon National School est. 1873 was the building where Irvine held one of his first missions in 1897.
Address: On R159 behind the church above.
NENAGH, COUNTY TIPPERARY: Where William Irvine held his first independent revival mission in the Nenagh Methodist Church building in August 1897. Fourteen workers went out to preach from this Mission. (Church since demolished-no address)
KILRUSH, COUNTY CLARE: In 1897, Dora Holland was working as a Methodist governess for Mary Peacock in Kilrush. She was the FIRST person to profess through William Irvine after he came to the South of Ireland with the Faith Mission (no address).
Photographs of many of the above places may be viewed in the Telling The Truth Photo Gallery at:
https://tellingthetruth.info/photogallery/index.php?/category/210
Compiled by Cherie Kropp, 10/7/25