Laurencetown

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St. Patrick and St. Colman’s Church

St. Patrick and St. Colman's Church, Laurencetown

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.