Remembrance and rejoicing at new-look All Saints

IT was a momentous day for All Saints Parish Church on Remembrance Sunday when worshippers returned to the historic building for the first time since an accidental fire over Christmas 2024.

An official opening will take place for the wider community later this month, less than two years after pews, walls, the ceiling and priceless memorials and church fittings were damaged by fire, smoke and soot.

Only the quick thinking of the church warden, when he locked up for the festive period, and the flower arranger who raised the alarm, helped prevent further devastation.

All Saints dates back to 1596 and is one of the oldest parish churches still in use in Northern Ireland. Vicar of Antrim, The Venerable Dr. Stephen McBride has welcomed the huge restoration project, including repair of the fire damage, a separate refurbishment of the tower, funded by Heritage Lottery and the National Churches Trust and planned replacement of the heating and sound systems.

He has thanked the community for their support, conservationist Ian Maconachie, contractor Felix O’Hare and subcontractors. At the service on Sunday, gifts were handed out by an a screen was dedicated to former Vicar Canon Forsythe. Dr McBride said that the new chandeliers are replicas of those hung at Westminster, and revealed that during the renovations, ancient remains were found under the floor and given a proper burial in the churchyard.

Meanwhile, crowds gathered across the borough to mark Remembrance Sunday.

Although Antrim and Newtownabbey’s first ever Sinn Fein Mayor Henry Cushinan had been invited to take part in the Antrim commemorations, it is understood that he was not present. Antrim Town DUP Councillor Paul Dunlop BEM was the lead council representative at the War Memorial in Market Square.

Chair of Antrim Royal British Legion and Independent Alderman Paul Michael had publicly extended the invitation at the council AGM.