Centuries of cathedral history brought to book

The book, St Macartin’s Cathedral – At the Heart of the Community, has been written by Sam Morrow OBE.

It took three years to complete the hefty volume, which extends to almost 400 pages and contains 500 photographs, many of which are of very considerable historic significance.

Mr Morrow, who has served as a member of the select vestry of the Parish of Enniskillen continuously since 1968, said: ‘‘A lot of very important history is associated with the church, so it was important to have that recorded for posterity.’’

He explained the church was established as part of the plan for the Plantation of Ulster but it also has an inheritance from the ancient Catholic Church. The cathedral has a strong link with the ancient parish of Inishkeen which had its church on Inishkeen Island.

Mr Morrow, a former civil servant and principal of Enniskillen Agricultural College, pointed out the cathedral contains a number of artefacts of ‘‘very significant importance”.

‘‘There’s lots of interesting old silver. We have a chalice presented in 1638, which is still in regular use in the cathedral. There’s also silver from the 1700s in regular use.’’

The earliest headstones in the graveyard date from 1625 and one of the bells in the cathedral tower was founded from bells made from cannon captured at the Boyne and presented to the Enniskilleners by King William.

Mr Morrow added: ‘‘There’s a statue of Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole, one of Wellington’s generals, in the cathedral; his family are buried in the vault under the cathedral.

‘‘There are also many stained glass windows of interest and the book has a list of all the church wardens who served in the church from 1666.”

Over the centuries the pupils of the Royal School have worshipped in Enniskillen church and include such notable churchmen as Henry Francis Lyte, who wrote hymns including ‘Abide With Me’, and the Blessed John Sullivan SJ.

l St Macartin’s Cathedral – At the Heart of the Community will be launched by the Bishop of Clogher, the Right Rev John McDowell, in the Cathedral Hall, Enniskillen, on November 13, at 7.30pm.