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St. Colman’s Church Reilly's Trench

The Very Rev. Dermot McCaughan: Parish Priest St. Colman’s Church, Reilly’s Trench. The Mass Tree at St. Colman’s, Reilly’s Trench.
The Very Rev.
Dermot McCaughan

Parish Priest
St. Colman’s Church, Reilly’s Trench, opened in 1805. The Mass Tree at St. Colman’s, Reilly’s Trench.

Parish Priest: The Very Rev. Hugh Kennedy

Telephone: 9266 2341

Sunday Mass: 9.30am

Website: www.downandconnor.org

Brief history as recorded in a book ‘Lisburn’s Rich Church Heritage’ by John Kelly

The original church was burned down between 1742 and 1745 and the parish priest, who resided at Blaris and was over Churches in Trummery and Hillsborough, was driven out of his home. From then until the opening of the present church in 1805, worshippers prayed at the Mass Tree where it still stands today. In 1805, the Marchioness of Downshire, touched at the plight of the Catholics, obtained a small portion of land from a family and gave the land with £50 towards the building of the new church. A school, which was built in 1814, was not used until 1829.

HISTORY - The Mass Tree

After the original church was burned down between 1742 and 1745, worshippers prayed at the Mass Tree until the present church was built in 1805