Dear Parishioners of Derriaghy,
Our Parish today is a very diverse one, made-up
of two modern suburbs, a deep rural area in between and a large area of mountain stretching above and beyond Lisburn. The Parish includes many new-comers and some families whose presence goes back perhaps
for centuries. Within our Parish are two Churches, St. Colmans and the oldest
existing Church in the diocese of Down and Connor, St. Patricks, off the Barnfield Road, which can be rightly described as
the “Mother Church” of the wider Belfast area.
Build as a “Cabin Church”,
thatch roofed, in, or before, 1733, only 24 years after our first-known Parish Priest, Fr. Phelomy O’Hamill, died in
the jail of Belfast, then only a village on the River Farset. At this time there were 6 catholics in Belfast
Village, the other Catholics living around St. Patricks in the glens
of Derriaghy. St. Patricks was rebuilt after attacks in 1745 and 1802. It has survived until our own day despite all the odds, and remains Iconic of the troubled history of the
faith in the area now taken-in by wider Belfast. At the time St. Patricks was built the Parish of Derriaghy stretched from the border of Lisburn as far
as Whiteabbey.
Fr. O’Hamill was Parish Priest of Derriaghy,
Belfast and Drum.
St. Patricks remains the responsibility of
Derriaghy Parish and along with the adjacent Cottage is listed. Though small
in size it retains a very loyal congregation. Various temporary repairs of the
Church have been made over the years, but today St. Patricks is in a poor state of repair.
As Parish Priest for nearly five years, I am conscious that some of you will have been concerned that nothing had been
done to remedy this situation. I was unwilling to commit Parish monies until
I knew for sure that a proper and lasting restoration could be achieved. Was
this “doable or not?” Could St. Patricks be saved? I had always hoped it could be, knowing the diocese would back such a move.
During our recent Parish Mission I genuinely
asked for guidance from above, and without being over-dramatic, I felt a sign to move ahead on this project was given me in
no uncertain terms! For some time I had already consulted with our Parish Finance
Council who were always supportive, and on approaching the Diocese and Bishop Treanor I found the same encouragement.
And so I’m particularly pleased to
announce to you first of all, here is St. Patricks, (and afterwards in the wider Parish), the good news that a full restoration
and renewal programme will now proceed on St. Patricks, including the adjacent cottage, once used as a Sacristy. The two form a unity. There are no foundations and so the
Church must be underpinned, the Porch must be demolished and rebuilt, the two upper gable walls removed and rebuilt, the roof
replaced, walls interior and exterior stripped and replastered, the floor replaced.
The Cottage reclaimed and restored, water and toilet facilities installed.
The cost of the Church restoration and cottage
(excluding interior furnishings) will be approximately £158,391.50, a much lower sum than originally expected.
The work will be carried out by Mr. Jim Ferguson
of Bow Homes Ltd., who was one of a family of seven born and brought-up in the Cottage beside the Church. I thank him for his personal interest in this restoration.
The approximate six months duration of this
project will necessarily entail the dispersal of the congregation during that time.
This not easy for any of us and I encourage you all to continue to worship with the Parish Community until our return. This was the case in the past when St. Patrick’s was attacked and damaged. So why delay! Indeed due to a sudden
change in circumstances, we hope it may now be possible to return to St. Patrick’s by Christmas. Therefore, the work will begin immediately – next Sunday will be our last Sunday Mass together until
we return in or around Christmas.
Thank you for your patience.
This is another important moment in the long
and venerable history of our Parish.
May Derriaghy flourish.
Fr. Feargal.
