Listed: Where Easter Sunday dawn services are taking place near you in Northern Ireland
On Sunday, people across Northern Ireland will take part in dawn services to mark the resurrection – and here the News Letter lists as many of them as we can.
Some of the following services are multi-denominational, so whilst they are listed under Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, or Methodist, some will involve two or even all three churches.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH:
Millisle: 6.30am, in the Community Garden. Sausage baps afterwards in church hall of St Patrick’s Church of Ireland.
Donaghadee: 6.30am, Shore Street Presbyterian Church. Refreshments after.
Richhill: In the lower car park of the village's Presbyterian church.
Portglenone Forest Park: 6.30am.
Slemish car park: 6.30am.
East Belfast: Kirkpatrick Presbyterian Church is meeting at the bottom of Cregagh Glen for a walk up the hill at 6.30am, service at Lisnabreeny at 7am
East Belfast: Ravenhill Presbyterian Church will host a service, 6.30am, in Belvoir Park Forest car park (entrance via Belvoir Drive). Breakfast after at church hall.
South Belfast: At 6.30am, McCracken Memorial Presbyterian Church will hold their dawn service at Clement Wilson Park. It is half-way down the path from near the House of Sport roundabout at the top of Malone Road. The service is followed by a picnic-style breakfast – please bring coffee, warm croissants will be provided.
South Belfast: At 7.30am three Presbyterian churches – Cooke Centenary, Newtownbreda and South Kirk – will hold a dawn service together on the lawn of Cooke Centenary at 216 Ormeau Road, followed by breakfast.
Newtownabbey: 7am at Hazelbank Park, led by Ballylinney Presbyterian Church.
Ballygalley: Cairncastle Presbyterian Church will hold their dawn service on the slipway at 7am.
Carrickfergus: Castle Green at 7am, alongside other churches.
Larne: At 6.30am, Craigy Hill, First Larne and Gardenmore Presbyterian Churches will hold a joint dawn service Bankheads, Town Park. Breakfast afterwards.
Limavady: 6.30am, Myroe Presbyterian Church car park, followed by breakfast.
Portrush: Ballywillan and Portrush Presbyterian Churches will have a dawn service in the car park of Ballywillan Presbyterian Church, 6.30am, followed by breakfast.
Portstewart: 6.30am, hosted by Portstewart and Burnside Presbyterian Churches, along with Portstewart Baptist Church, the service will take place on Harbour Hill, Portstewart.
North Tyrone: 6.30am, meeting at the riverside on the Dunalong Road (pass service station in Magheramason, turn right into Dunalong and proceed for approx. one mile; turn right at crossroads and travel down to the riverside). Breakfast in the church hall afterwards.
Ballynahinch: A dawn service will take place in the market square, 6.30am. Breakfast at First Ballynahinch Presbyterian Church afterwards.
Comber: In conjunction with other local churches, a 6.30am dawn service will take place at Islandhill, just outside Comber off the road towards Newtownards, breakfast after in Second Comber Presbyterian Church
Raffrey, Co Down: Held in Glasswater Wood, Glasswater Road, 6.30am. Breakfast afterwards in the church hall.
Moira: Moira Churches Together will come together in Moira Demesne at 7am, with breakfast served afterwards in Moira Methodist Church.
Lisburn: Elmwood Presbyterian Church will hold its dawn service at 7am at Belshaw's Quarry on Bensons Road (off the Glenavy Road). The service will be followed by breakfast back at the church.
Hillsborough: Fort Field, Hillsborough Forest Park at 7am, led this year by Hillsborough Presbyterian Church.
Mourne mountains: The service will take place at Spelga Dam car park 7am, followed by breakfast in Clonduff Presbyterian Church’s halls.
Rostrevor: Newry Presbytery’s dawn service will take place in Kilbroney Forest Park at the Cloughmore Stone, 6.30am. Breakfast will follow the service in Rostrevor Presbyterian Church’s church hall.
Ballycastle: Route Presbytery will hold its dawn service on the seafront at 7.30am.
Templepatrick: Second Donegore Presbyterian Church, also known locally as Dunamuggy, 6.30am. Breakfast will be available after the Presbytery service in Second Donegore's church hall.
Dungannon: 6.30am, Dungannon Park (enter via the entrance at Moygashel Gate-Jacksonville Road).
Magherafelt: At 6.30am, a service will take place at Ballyronan Marina on the lakeshore in front of the main car park – 135 Shore Road, Ballyronan, Magherafelt BT45 6JA.
CHURCH OF IRELAND:
Moy, Co Tyrone: 6.30am, The Argory National Trust property near Moy, Co Tyrone.
Lisbellaw: Dawn service, 6.30am, at Coolbuck Church, near Topped Mountain, Fermanagh.
Bellanaleck, Fermanagh: Courtyard at the Cleenish Centre at 6am, followed by breakfast at the Centre for Cleenish Parish.
Enniskillen: Old Rossorry, 6.30am.
Sperrins: Service at Pigeon Top, Co Tyrone at 7am, run by Holy Trinity Parish, Dromore.
Craigavon: Service at 7am at the Jubilee Stone at Craigavon Lakes.
Castlewellan: 6am, at Lighthouse Road Car Park and Picnic Area, Ballyward.
Magheralin, Co Down: 7am Holy Communion service in the Old Graveyard, Magheralin.
Banbridge: Magherally Old Church, 6.30am, followed by breakfast at the rectory.
Newcastle: 6am on the Central Promenade opposite The Strand (weather permitting).
Killough, Co Down: 6.30am, St Anne's Church, Killough, outside Ardglass. Bacon baps afterwards in Killough Community Hall.
Banbridge: Run by Seapatrick Parish. 7am, Holy Trinity car park. Bacon rolls afterwards in the parish hall.
Hillsborough: 6.30am, St John’s Parish, St John’s Rd, Upper Kilwarlin, BT26 6ED, followed by breakfast in the church hall.
Groomsport: Meet at Maxwell Halls, Main Street at 6.25am, then walk down to the beach for 6.45am sunrise. Breakfaster afterwards.
METHODIST CHURCH:
South Belfast: Cornerstone Methodist 8.30am in Rosetta Road garden.
Ballyclare: St Augustine’s, Ballyeaston, 7am.
Lurgan: 7am, Kinnego Marina.
Enniskillen: 6.30am, Devenish College.
This list is based on information supplied by the three churches, and there could well be other local services happening on top of them.
There was no central list of such services available from the Catholic Church, though local parishes may be hosting their own services.