St Patrick’s Church

History

The date on which the Catholic community in Lisburn was founded is not recorded. The parish's own history holds that it was in existence as early as 500 AD, and that by about 1750 the central place of worship was a Mass House in Bow Street. In 1786 the parish priest, Father Magee, built a church in Chapel Hill, and a later parish priest, Father Dorrian, a brother of the future bishop of the diocese, enlarged and almost rebuilt it in 1841. By the end of that century it was no longer adequate for the congregation.

The first priest's house was built in Longstone Street, at the entrance to Holy Trinity Cemetery, in 1830, on land donated by the Marquis of Hertford, who also gave a subscription of £20. St Joseph's Hall was built in 1889. A new Parochial House on Chapel Hill replaced the Longstone Street house in 1920, and was itself later demolished and replaced with a new residence. A Pastoral Centre was built on the site of the former St Joseph's Hall.

The present church, in the gothic style, was erected on the site of the earlier church on Chapel Hill at a cost of £13,000 and was dedicated on 10 June 1900. The tower remained incomplete from 1900 until 1932. The church was renovated in 2000.

Notable features

A memorial in the entrance commemorates The Very Rev Mark McCashin, who initiated the construction of the church. The first burials in the graveyard behind the church date from 1850.