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St. Patrick and St. Colman's Church, Laurencetown
January 2020
The above parishioners have been very busy in Laurencetown Church since last Monday (6th). They washed and painted the inside of the entire church, donating their services. Materials and equipment were also supplied by parishioners and Mrs. Mary O'Hare fed the crew for the 9 days!!! Together with the team of ladies who cleaned and polished over several days, our church is now beautiful. To say 'thank you' doesn't even begin to express our gratitude but, just like those volunteers in Clare and Gilford, these people do not want or expect thanks.
May God continue to bless you and your families - you are all a credit to our parish, our church and our faith.
Back Row: Eugene Savage, Finbar McCartan, Paddy McCartan, Mary O'Hare, Seamus O'Hare, Felix McCartan, Jimmy Andrews, Harry Convery.
Front Row: Eugene Byrne, Armand Gaillard, Sam Johnston, Bill Monaghan, Sean McCartan.
Materials and Equipment donated by Gerard Agnew, Brian Campbell, Plunkett Campbell and Kevin Murphy
When we look at the church in Laurencetown and its deteriorating condition we need to look back at its history and the great personal difficulties Catholics of this area had in building it. From the Rebellion of 1641 through the Cromwellian Period (1649-1660) and following the passing of the Penal laws 1695-1697 Catholics in this parish attended mass at “Mass Rocks” in secluded places at Holy Mount, Clare, Bleary, Newmills and Knocknagore. Tradition tells how the Catholic people of the district were assembling for Mass in the open air at the Mass Rock at Holy Mount on a cold winter morning with snow covering the ground when Mr Lawrence (after whom Lawrence town is called), his wife and daughter observed this pathetic sight. His daughter, feeling sorry for the hardships to which the Catholics were exposed asked her father to do something for them. When asked what he was expected to do she suggested that they should be given the “old flailing or threshing house” located just where we are now near the bridge. The request was duly granted. Then from about 1750 this building was used for mass and for administration of the sacraments. By 1847 this building was recognised by all creeds as a “Roman Catholic Chapel.”
From the 6th March 1770 the congregation was without a priest because Richard Johnston of Gilford Castle offered a reward of £20 for the arrest and imprisonment of Fr Francis McPolin who was a priest here in Laurencetown. He was forced to flee, hidden in a farmyard in Drumhorc and made his way to Mayobridge where he continued his ministries.
After 1771, Catholics could take out leases on property, so on 12th April 1790, Fr. Hugh O’ Kelly later to become Bishop Of Dromore, secured a lease on the present Church site here in Coose, Laurencetown. The Parish had now legal ownership of a church and cemetery. Making many sacrifices, Fr O’Kelly and the parishioners built a new and larger church measuring 64 ft by 32 ft. By 1834, with the new industries on the River Bann, the Catholic population increased and so an extension was built. This consisted of breaching the southern side wall and building a projection measuring 32 ft wide by 25 ft long about 9 ft high. It cost the princely sum of £150 and the Church could now accommodate 750 people.
In 1868/70 a wooden belfry was erected at the rear and northern end of the Church. Then in 1878, Canon Bernard O’Hagan PP was requested by the Bishop to undertake a lecture tour of the USA to help fund the building of a new school in Gilford and repairing St Colman’s and St Patrick’s, Laurencetown. According to the Bishop, if the Church was left in its present state, “it will cause deplorable injury to the crowds who frequent it”. The work was completed in 1880.
A new tower and belfry was constructed in 1912 at a cost of £2000.
 On 30th April 1966, the Church was reopened after extensive renovations including a new and raised roof, projecting confessionals and baptistry, a new sanctuary, sacristy, gallery and committee room at the rear. Total cost £40,000.
Now in 2009, essential repairs to the roof valleys and parapets, new ceiling and interior and exterior painting are deemed urgent. The project has been approved by the Bishop and Diocese and will cost approximately £114,000.
For 260 years, present and past generations have by their devotion and hard work contributed generously to the development of our three churches through very difficult times. That is the enduring spirit of the people of this parish. As you see they had to endure many hardships and tribulations over that period. With a debt of approximately £450,000 there is no doubt that parishioners will rally once more to the cause now, and in the years ahead. I would like to thank those parishioners who have contacted me with promises of financial help. A passionate appeal is made to the many, sadly, some of whom are young workers who, perhaps, could and don’t contribute, to assist their fellow parishioners by giving a little to the weekly collections and therefore making the burden that little bit lighter for all. We also appeal to former parishioners living in other parishes or abroad.
The work began on 8th June and will take ten weeks to complete. During that time the church will be closed. The weekend masses will be celebrated in St. Colman’s Bann Primary School and the weekday masses in the Den. Funerals and Baptisms will be celebrated in the Clare and Gilford.
Let us proceed with faith and hope assisted by the prayers of past generations who lived through very difficult times. Thank you.
Gerald Powell
Parish Priest
28 February 2009
WORK STARTED ON MONDAY 8TH JUNE 2009
TUESDAY 9TH JUNE 2009
St. Patrick and St. Colman’s Church stands on an elevated site overlooking the River Bann. The church replaced a small chapel in the same site erected most likely c1760 when the Penal Laws were easing It was Fr. O'Kelly who negotiated the Deed of Transfer from the adjoining Laurence estate in 1790. The text makes interesting reading.
"This Indenture made the twelfth day of April in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety between Thomas Dawson Laurence of Laurencetown House in the County of Down, Esq. of the one part and the Revd. Hugh Kelly, Parish Priest of the Parish of Tullylish in the County of Down of the other part, Witnesseth that the said Thomas Dawson Laurence doth demise grant lease set and to farm let unto the said Hugh Kelly all that plot or parcel of land in the annexed map containing one rood and twenty perches laid down on said map containing thirty two perches Irish measure. Priests of the said Parish of Tullylish shall and will on or about the twenthy-fifth day of December in every year during this demise send and produce before the said Thomas Laurence his heirs or assigns one poor man or woman clad and clothed by the Roman Catholic inhabitants of the Parish of Tullylish aforesaid with apparael of the value of one pound two shillings and ninepence sterling and the least said poor man or woman to be produced and shown to the said Thomas Dawson Laurence his heirs and assigns at his or their mansion house in Laurencetown or elsewhere if in any part of the County of Down and it is further covenanted and agreed on the part and behalf of the said Hugh Kelly on failure to do so, the sum of two pounds five shillings and sixpence sterling the same to be recovered by distress or otherwise as rent or rents in arrears might be sued for recovered and the said Hugh Kelly doth for himself and his successors covenant promise and agree to give the said Thomas Dawson Laurence a new pair of gloves on every tweenty-fifth day of December in every year during the continuance of the demise.
Permission had also been obtained to use a plot of land adjoining as a graveyard. Today the extensive graveyard occupies an area of the hill which slopes down to the church. For over two centuries parishioners have been buried here.
In 1966 extensive renovations were untaken on this church to bring it into line with the liturgical requirements of Vatican II. The roof was also raised.
Renovations underway
Laurencetown of yesteryear, taken from the tower.
The modern Laurencetown, taken from the tower
The bell
Liam Hendron working on a school project
More photos........
The bell dated 1877
Laurencetown Cemetery
Graves of our priests
Holymount Road
Point Road
The Bridge
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