Roman Catholic Church of Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Brigid, Maghaberry Road, Moira, Craigavon, County Antrim

Roman Catholic Church of Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Brigid, Maghaberry Road, Moira

A free-standing, double-height gable-ended Neo-Gothic rendered Roman Catholic church built circa 1910. The building is rectangular on plan, set on an east-west axis on the south side of Maghaberry Road. It was extensively damaged by fire in an arson attack circa 1991 and subsequently restored and renovated in 1993. Despite the fire damage, restoration of the original fabric both externally and internally has ensured its continued use within the local community.

Architectural Description

The church features a replacement pitched natural slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles, set below slightly raised replacement stone coping to either gable end, surmounted by stone Celtic crosses with stone gableted kneelers. Replacement moulded cast-iron guttering to eaves brackets and iron downpipes are installed throughout. The walling is painted rendered with a projecting rendered plinth course and half-height diagonal buttresses with stone offsets.

Fenestration comprises pointed-headed window openings with replacement reconstituted stone sills, replacement hood mouldings and foliate label stops, fitted with replacement Y-tracery timber windows. The west gabled entrance elevation is abutted by a single-storey gabled entrance porch, constructed circa 1993, featuring a tripartite window opening and double-leaf timber sheeted door with chamfered stone surrounds. Above the porch is a pointed-headed window opening matching the standard pattern.

The north nave elevation contains four windows across its width, with a recessed chancel section to the east. The south nave elevation mirrors the north elevation. The east gabled elevation features a tripartite arrangement of lancet window openings at the upper level with replacement triple hood moulding (inscribed '1993') and leaded stained glass windows. At ground level is a square-headed door opening with replacement hood moulding and replacement sheeted timber door.

Setting and Group Value

The church is set on an east-west axis along the south side of Maghaberry Road, enclosed by a timber fence, with a bitumac car park to the east. A detached two-storey rubblestone and redbrick former schoolhouse, dated 1895, stands to the west within the church grounds. Within its original rural setting adjacent to Magheramesk National School, the church has group value with the school and makes an important contribution to the heritage of the area.

Historical Context

The church does not appear on Ordnance Survey maps until the fourth edition of 1920–1921, although it was built in 1910. The adjoining National Schoolhouse, recorded as Magheramesk School, first appeared on the third edition of the maps in 1900. No Roman Catholic churches were recorded in Magheramesk Townland or Parish on the first edition (1832–1833) or second edition (1858) of the Ordnance Survey maps.

Prior to 1910, the Catholic population of Magheramesk held Mass in an ancient church in the neighbouring townland of Trummery. This church was destroyed during the Confederate War (1641–1653) when Cromwellian artillery troops stationed in nearby Soldierstown fired upon it as it was occupied by Confederate troops. Catholic services in the area were subsequently conducted in the home of Mrs Mulholland of Edinhill. As the congregation grew beyond the capacity of her parlour room, Very Reverend Father Mark McCashin endeavoured to establish a dedicated meeting place for his parishioners.

Initially, a plot of land was purchased from Mr D. Mulholland for the construction of a National Schoolhouse and teacher's residence, which was erected in 1894 at a cost of £400 and opened in 1895. This building was temporarily used to celebrate Mass before the church was constructed. By 1910, the current church had been built on the same site and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and St. Brigid, with Father McCashin installed as Parish Priest. The Ordnance Survey map of 1973 shows no discernible alteration to the site since its construction.

The church was listed in 1988. In 1991, it was extensively damaged by fire during an arson attack and was not reopened until 1993.