The Church of Our Lady &
St John the Evangelist, Dervock
The first chapel of Our Lady & St John the Evangelist on the Knock Road opened in 1840 to serve Catholics of the Dervock and Derrykeighan district. It stood for the next 160 years and was much loved. For some decades a school stood on the site beside it.
By the turn of the twenty first century the old church had reached the end of its life. The decision was taken by the parish priest, Fr Peter Forde, to build a new church on the same site. It was designed by architect Bernard McGuinness and solemnly dedicated by Bishop Patrick Walsh on April 1st 2001.
The stained glass windows on either side of the nave show scenes from the mysteries of the rosary. Most came from the old church but three are new and some include a monogram referencing the parish priest and architect.
The sanctuary window is a modern commission on the theme of creation and includes many references to the Old and New Testaments.
With the local Catholic population having fallen and the reduction in the number of priests it became clear that a regular Sunday Mass could not be sustained after the pandemic. Instead Mass is celebrated on the First Saturday of the month and other devotions occur occasionally throughout the year.
In 2023 the church gained a new lease of life when it was partially adapted to host retreats for primary school children from across the north coast area. This was a joint project by the parish and the Down & Connor Living Church office.
Once again the church in Dervock is a place of both prayer and education - just as it was a century ago.
