History

St Patrick’s Church, Dromore Street, Banbridge

The Church of St Patrick, Dromore Street, was originally completed in 1839.  Planning of it began in 1835 by Rev Edmund Magennis, Parish Priest of Tullylish,Donacloney, Seapatrick and Magherally. The architect for the Church, which is of formal Gothic design, was Thomas D Duff who had recently designed Newry Cathedral and St Patrick’s Church, Loughbrickland.  Work on the building had to be suspended in March 1837, due to a shortage of money, with £450 having already been spent by this date.  The Church, however, was eventually dedicated on 21 June 1841 by Dr Blake.  According to local memory, for several years after opening St Patrick’s still had an earthen floor.  Parishioners who could afford them, brought their own kneelers, with others kneeling on the bare ground.  A bell tower was erected close by the Church, on the town side in 1885.

The same tower has now been moved to the country side of St Patrick’s.  In 1890 a gallery was added to St Patrick’s.
In 1910 a new high altar was constructed.  A major redecoration followed in 1924.  The mid 1920s saw a variety of developments in the facilities of Seapatrick Parish; the Parochial House was extended, a new Chapel came into being at Drumnavaddy, and the parish primary schools were renovated and extended.
While modifications of St Patrick’s were undertaken during the decades that followed, the most significant renovations and rearrangements came in the early 1980s under the guidance of Canon Michael O’Rourke.  Altar railings were removed, the Sanctuary was extended and repositioned in accordance with the liturgical norms of the Second Vatican Council.  Marble from the altar rails was used in the construction of a new lectern and celebrant’s chair.  A baptistery was constructed at the edge of the extended sanctuary, embellished by a trio of stained glass windows, depicting the baptism of Christ.  New seating and confessionals were also install and new sacristy facilities were built.  St Patrick’s Church was solemnly rededicated and reopened by Bishop Brooks on 21 November 1982.

Mass in this Church is celebrated on: Sundays: 10:30am, Tuesdays & Fridays: 7:30pm, Saturdays: 10.00am.