St. Cooey’s Oratory (RC), The Square, Portaferry, Co Down, BT22 1LN

St. Cooey’s Oratory is a Roman Catholic church built in 1968 to designs by McLean & Forte. It is located in the north-west corner of the Market Square in Portaferry, set back from the original building line. The building is essentially rectangular, but incorporates a number of design features to create visual interest. These include varying roof heights, curvilinear screen walls leading to the front door, a free-standing canopy/belfry, and curved and overlapping walls within the main structure.

The main entrance is accessed by passing under an open canopy, which incorporates a modern belfry. The front door is set at a diagonal angle and is framed in anodised aluminium, with margins, fanlights, and a beaten copper panel incorporating Celtic motifs. Walls are rendered and finished with limestone chips, with smooth cement bands located at the eaves and base. High-level windows with abstract coloured glass patterns illuminate the porch on the south wall. Very narrow high-level clerestory strip windows are present on the east and west sides of the nave, with the exposed ends of the main concrete beams creating a rhythm in the window arrangement. Overlapping walls to the north-east create an opening with full-height glazing.

A modern two-story “concrete brick” parochial house is located to the rear of the church and is connected to the rear of the church by way of a single-story link corridor. This house was built around the same time as the church. The church is situated within a conservation area.