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50th Anniversary of iconic St
Aengus Church
14.06.17
THE people of Burt and
surrounding areas will mark a special milestone
later this month with the 50th Anniversary of the
iconic St Aengus Church.
The Golden Jubilee will be marked with a Mass of
Thanksgiving concelebrated by a number of senior
clergy followed by a community gathering and
refreshments at St Mary's Hall.
The church was designed by the late Greencastle
architect Liam McCormick and was voted Building of
the Century at the turn of the Millennium.
It was consecrated on June 25, 1967 and replaced the
post-Penal church in Moness which had fallen into
disrepair.
In her handbook 'Liam McCormick Seven Donegal
Churches: Burt', Carole Pollard described it as his
‘most famous building’ and the site he selected for
construction as ‘magnificent’.
Ms Pollard, Royal Institute of the Architects of
Ireland (RIAI) president added: “There is no doubt
that Grianán is the inspiration behind the circular
form of the church at Burt. The idea of a circular
church was radical and it had not been attempted in
Ireland before.
“McCormick was able to convince [Bishop Farren] that
he had the liturgical knowledge and architectural
skills to make the circular plan work.
“The Church at Burt nestles gently into the site,
its natural stone walls and copper roof blending
into the colours of the surrounding landscapes." |
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Then Taoiseach Jack Lynch, left,
meets architect Liam McCormick and then Bishop of
Derry Neil Farren at the opening of St Aengus
Church, Burt, on June 25, 1967. |
This special
anniversary will begin with a Mass of Thanksgiving
concelebrated by Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown; Fr
Neil McGoldrick PP and Fr Fintan Diggins CC as well
as several priests who have previously served in the
Fahan, Inch and Burt.
After Mass, refreshments will be served in the
nearby St Mary’s Hall.
A special commemorative book has been produced for
the occasion and will be on sale in the hall.
The St Aengus’ Golden Jubilee Committee would like
to invite everyone to their Mass of Celebration on
Sunday, June 25, 2017, at 3pm. To view more photos
click here . |
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