Breathtaking eighteenth century County Derry chapel restored to perfection

A new state of the art place of worship has been opened to parishioners in the small County Derry village of Glenullin.

The newly renovated Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church was unveiled with a special Deadication of the Altar Mass on Sunday, November 17.

The mass was celebrated by Bishop Donal McKeown who spoke to parishioners saying:
“For the last 140 years, people from this distinct community have worshipped in the current St. Joseph’s Church. They have gathered there to celebrate births and say farewell to loved ones. For many, the Sunday Mass was important both spiritually and socially.

“The last years have seen a huge and generous commitment to renewing the fabric of the church, inside and outside. The community rightly wanted to have a beautiful building where they could give worship of God, and of which they could be proud.

“The current renovations reflect a strong and talented community and a people who want the best they can have. Huge credit is due to many people who have worked with Fr. Crowley on the various twists and turns that have brought us to today.

“I hope and pray that the work in St Joseph’s will continue to support those who worship here to be blessed and to be a blessing on the wider world. May St Joseph who looked after Jesus, continue to bless and inspire you as you journey together with hope and trust.”

ABOVE: A tree planted by the bishop at the official opening.

Father Brendan Crowley, who has been parish priest since 2016, welcomed parishioners and guests to the event saying: “The endeavour of the renovation of this church has been on-going for almost 18 years, and it is with the effort and determination of many Glenullin parishioners that this dream has been realised this weekend.

“It is with great appreciation that I acknowledge those who have associated with the on-going development of the restoration and renovation over the years, particularly acknowledging the work of the committees both past and present.

“I thank those who have contributed individual donations towards the building fund, also those who contribute weekly via the white envelopes and standing orders. In addition, I wish to express our gratitude to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the significant £600,000 investment in this project.

“Finally, I extend thanks and appreciation to those who have prepared and participated in the Liturgy of Rededication, especially those who enhance the Liturgy with music. A special note of appreciation also goes to Glenullin GAC and the Glenullin Community Centre for the use of the hall over the past fourteen months, while the work to the Church
was carried out.

“St.Joseph’s Church was originally dedicated in 1885 and has served our community since then. WE hope that this extensive renovation provides a building that is not only fit for purpose for our present community, but one that will serve future generations who follow in the renewal of their faith in the years to come.”

ABOVE: Some members who attended the opening ceremony. Photos: Danny O'Kane

For the past few years the community has worked hard to restore their stunning eighteenth century chapel. The first foundation stone of the chapel was laid in 1879 and was officially opened in 1885. In 1936 the chapel celebrated its Golden Jubilee with a warm welcome for native Bishop O’Kane. In 1979 they celebrated the Centenary with Bishop Daly in
attendance.

The Renovation Committee was formed in 2019 and after much discussion the chapel closed for renovations in September 2023. To start off with, the committee and community built a new clergy house. This project was carried out with voluntary labour by the local community in 2010. It was demolished in April and the Priest was back in it by the end of September.

Gerard O'Kane, a local man and committee member of the restoration team, showed the County Derry Post around the brand new state of the art place of worship.
The chapel has been renovated to a high standard any parishioner would be thankful for. From start to finish the project took a total of five years to complete. During this time the parishioners held mass in the local community centre. The chapel has been completely re-plastered with lime inside and out, there are new doors and most importantly new insulation for the cold winter months. The parish was lucky to receive funding from the Heritage and Lottery Fund to complete the restoration.

ABOVE: Some members who attended the opening ceremony. Photos: Danny O'Kane

ABOVE: Some members who attended the opening ceremony. Photos: Danny O'Kane

Gerard explained how the chapel is much more inviting now than it ever was.
“We have new steps up into the chapel which are a lot easier for the community when there are funerals or other big events on. We have a whole new disabled facility inside and newdoor at the back from the new parking area, this makes the chapel so much more accessible. We have a lovely new wall surrounding the chapel in black stone and pointed to match the chapel,” he said.

“Inside the chapel we have complete new lighting, sound, and heating. The central aisle formed with one pedestrian aisle with seats and at either side. The seats have been modified and restored to keep the character of the chapel. New stairs are situated inside the main chapel before they were situated in the porch area. A whole new ceiling has been created to match existing trusses. We have insulation in the floor, ceiling and walls which was badly needed. When we were taking down the old roof we uncovered a lot of damp which was causing corroding. Nave, chancel and sacristy are all original as is the altar and
the reardoss. All the stained glass windows are original but have had storm glazing done to protect them. We also have a beautiful new gallery for our choir.

“The original mass rock has been returned from Bethlehem Abbey Portglenone. This was removed from the local area in the early 1970’s. It is now situated outside the chapel and is used for mass at the blessing of the graves. We also have a dedicated area for presentation of local heritage areas of interest such as ‘The Giant’s Grave’, old chapel ruins, and a raised bog. There will be QR codes that people will be able to scan to find out more information on the area.

“The local parish priest Father Crowley put a lot of work into this. He came to the parish in 2016 and this project has been a labour of love. The community is very thankful to him for his passion towards the project.”

The tender price of the project was £1.2 million. A special word of thanks from the community goes to the main contractor of the project Peter McErlain Ltd, Toomebridge and Architect F.M. Corr and Associates, Derry.