Strabane church scoops top Heritage Angel Award

A STRABANE church has scooped another top award in recognition of its ongoing restoration efforts.

The historic Church of the Immaculate Conception on Barrack Street was the winner of the prestigious and much coveted Heritage Angel Award for 'Best Maintenance of a Historic Building or Place across Northern Ireland'.

The awards, founded in 2011 by Andrew Lloyd Webber and organised by Ulster Architectural Heritage, celebrate the achievement of individuals, groups and communities who have helped to rescue, regenerate, research and record built heritage.

The Church Restoration Team at the iconic church were delighted to learn they had been shortlisted, and that turned to elation last Wednesday when it was announced as the winner at the ceremony in the Braid, Ballymena.

The team led by Rev Declan Boland, who are already recipients of two National Church Awards presented in London in 2022 and 2023, were thrilled to win in the face of stiff opposition.

A proud Father Boland thanked everyone for their support of the project and was overjoyed that the team's work had been justifiably and immeasurably recognised.

Lorraine Gallen, project manager of the Church Restoration Team, also expressed her delight that the daily work, often unseen, over many years by the entire team to maintain and conserve the church as living history in the community, both for today and in the future, had been acknowledged by leading conservation professionals across Northern Ireland.

A National Churches Trust spokesperson commented: "Huge congratulations to the dynamic team from the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane.

"This Treasure Island grantee is putting Strabane on the tourism map."

The Church Restoration Team has been working tirelessly over the past seven years to preserve the church for future generations to come, with work to lighting, guttering and the opening of an exhibition space detailing its history.

But, there remains work to be done with attention now turning to the stained glass restoration and maintenance of the stonework.

Providing an update on the ongoing programme, Fr Boland told parishioners in his Easter message: "We have started the second phase of our Restoration Programme.

"The magnificent stained glass windows as you know in our church are priceless and the windows above the main altar and those at the baptistry side are in urgent need of repair.

"We have had many consultations with the top people in this regard.

"The delay is not in the windows but the stonework surrounding them that has proved challenging. The stonework is sandstone and very porous and the cost for the stone is £150,000 alone, a figure we had not foreseen.

"We will meet this challenge and plan accordingly."

Fr Boland also paid tribute to the "incredible team of dedicated workers" in the parish who he termed 'Team Camus'.

"The church, school, hall, and Strabane Community Project comprise one of the greatest hubs of activity and dedication imaginable," he added.

"This great hub is the heart of our parish and when you include the dedication, loyalty and generosity of all you our parishioners we can say without boasting that we have a faith community that is second to none.

"Well done everyone. Take a well deserved bow."