St Patrick's Church, Belfast

Saint Patrick's Church
Saint Patrick's Church, Belfast
Saint Patrick's Church Location within Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54°35′57″N 5°56′40″W / 54.599038°N 5.944408°W / 54.599038; -5.944408
Location	Belfast, County Antrim
Country	Northern Ireland
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	St Patrick's Church
History
Consecrated	12 August 1877
Architecture
Architect(s)	Timothy Hevey
Style	Gothic Revival
Years built	1875–1877
Specifications
Length	125 ft
Nave width	32 ft 6 inches
Width across transepts	95 ft x 25 ft
Number of spires	1
Spire height	180 feet high (54 metre)
Administration
Diocese	Down and Connor
Province	Armagh
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Noel Treanor
Priest in charge	Very Rev. Eugene O'Neill, Adm.
Priest(s)	Rev. Manelito Milo

St. Patrick's Church, Belfast (Irish: Eaglais Naomh Padraig) is a Roman Catholic church located in Donegall Street area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first church was opened on the site in 1815 while the current building dates from 1877.

History

Belfast's first Catholic church was St Mary's, Chapel Lane but with the growth of the catholic population in the early nineteenth century Bishop William Crolly then a priest in residence in the small Georgian town decided to construct a new church in Donegall St. This church was opened in 1815.

In the post-famine era Belfast's Catholic population swelled considerably and while other churches and new parishes were developed, by the early 1870s it was clear St. Patrick's needed an entirely new and larger church. This new church was designed by the architect Timothy Hevey who was Belfast's leading Catholic architect.^{[1] [2]}It was built by Collen Brothers of Portadown and Dublin who constructed the new church around the old one which was then demolished.^[3]

The entire fabric of the new church, designed to seat 2000 people, was completed for blessing on 12th of August 1877 by the Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Daniel McGettigan of Armagh.

The splendour and scale of the church meant it was the chosen venue for the episcopal consecrations of Bishops Henry Henry in 1895, of John Tohill in 1908 and later in 1929 of Bishop Daniel Mageean.

One notable feature is the indomitable 7ft tall statue of St Patrick above the door which (like the altar) was carved by the English-born James Pearse, father of Padraig Pearse.^[4] The church also houses a triptych by a native of the parish who was baptised in the older, smaller church Sir John Lavery. He presented 'The Madonna Of The Lakes' using his wife Hazel Lavery and step-daughter as models.

A two-ton bell, cast by Thomas Sheridan of Dublin,^[5] had already been placed into the 180 feet high (54 metre) spire.^[6]

It is a Grade B+ listed building.^[7] In the summer of 2017 it was reported that the church needed millions of pounds to complete restoration.^[8]

Parish Clergy

As of July 2018 the parish is served by three resident clergy - Reverend Eugene O'Neill Adm VF (administrator), Reverend Manuelito Milo (curate) and Right Reverend (Dean) Brendan McGee (retired priest in residence).

Parish Mass Times

Sundays at 5.30pm Vigil; 8.00am, 10.00am, 12.00pm and 7.00pm. Holyday of Obligation at 7.00pm Vigil; 1.00pm. Mondays to Saturdays at 1.00pm.

Parish Confession Times

Saturdays from 12.00pm-1.00pm and from 4.30pm-5.20pm.^[9]

St. Patrick's School

Adjacent to the church on Donegall St is the refurbished St. Patrick's School, constructed in 1828 by the Belfast builder Timothy Hevey, father of the architect of the same name who designed the church next door.^[1] This was the first Catholic school to be built in Belfast on land was donated by the Marquess of Donegall.

For much of its history the school was operated by the Christian Brothers and was a functioning primary school until 1982. After it closed it served briefly as a parish community centre and at one stage the parish clergy wanted to demolish the school for a large car park.^[10]

References