THE PARISH of Gartan in Church Hill will host the Diocesan Festival Service marking the Feast of St Columba this Sunday, June 7, at 3pm in the grounds of Gartan Abbey, the birthplace of the saint himself.
The annual outdoor celebration is a centrepiece of the Church of Ireland Diocese of Derry and Raphoe’s calendar, and organisers are extending a warm welcome to all who wish to attend.
The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Right Revd Andrew Forster, will preside over this year’s service, with the Bishop of Down and Dromore, the Right Revd David McClay, as guest preacher.
Bishop McClay has strong local ties, a native of the county, many of his family continue to live and work in and around Donegal Town. Students and former students of the Royal and Prior School, Raphoe, of which Bishop McClay is an alumnus, will also participate in the service.
The Britannia Band from Derry, a familiar presence at the annual gathering, returns to lead hymn singing, while Derry & Raphoe’s Children’s Officer Kirsty McCartney will provide craft activities for younger attendees. Parishioners of St Columba’s, Gartan, will offer tea and refreshments after the service.
Rector of Gartan, the Revd Adrian Dorrian, urged the wider community to attend and reflect on the saint’s enduring global legacy.
“Columba is a brilliant example of how our wee island punches above its weight. This intense monk from Donegal would go on to literally change the history of the world,” he said.
St Columba,known in Irish as Colmcille,is the patron saint of Derry and one of Ireland’s three patron saints alongside Patrick and Brigid. Born in Gartan, his missionary work from Iona shaped the course of Christian history across Europe.
The service takes place at Gartan Abbey (Eircode F92 AH51) at 3pm on Sunday, June 7. Should weather conditions be severe, it will relocate to St Columba’s Church, Churchill.