Parish Overview

From a History of Dromore Past & Present by Dean Anthony Davies

St Michael's Church

The building of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel began in 1825. It was

completed and dedicated by Most Rev. Dr. Blake in 1835. A former small chapel was

located to the rear of the Parochial House. The church was re-roofed and redecorated

by Rev. D. Mallon P.P. in 1887. However, it should be noted that the church

was then known as the `Church of the Sacred Heart' and an old survey map give

the church this name.

Parochial Hall
St. Michael's Hall was formally opened and blessed on Sunday 3rd February 1980.

The old green wooden hall, which had stood since 1920, was demolished

Cemetery
The Cemetery dates from the middle of the 18th. century. The oldest legible stone remembers Mathew Flynn, who died in 1767. Up until about 1820 some Catholic families continued to bury their dead in the cemetery of St. John's Church, Dromara. The cemetery was levelled in 1959. New pathways and a new entrance were made in 1973.

Schools
The former school at Finnis went back to 1844 and was demolished in 1980. The new school of St. Michael's was formally opened and blessed on 24th. September 1964, at a cost of £14,000. It was extended in 1971 at a cost of £6,000. Muninbane School, which had stood since 1836, was closed in June 1964.

Parochial House
This was erected by Very Rev. Peter Devlin P.P. V.G., in 1840 and extended by Rev. D. Mallon P.P., about 1890. It was structurally improved in 1934 and re-roofed in 1959. Central heating was installed in 1969, while water and electric mains were laid in 1959. In 1974 a second bathroom and a new set of stairs were erected.