News
5 November 2024 : More Progress on saving the Old Church Ruins
The Friends of Ballyclog are again building a momentum behind their campaign to rescue the ruins of the old Church from the ravages of time and weather. Considerable progress had been made before Covid stopped everything, but we are going forward again.
A meeting recently took place at the old Church where representatives from the Historic Environmental Division of the Department for Communities, the Environmental Services Department of Mid Ulster Council, and the Friends of Ballyclog all attended. All parties recognised the need to re-start the project and this was summed up by one expression made at the meeting which was ‘We are here to re-light the fire’
Even with all the enthusiasm and determination shown, this will still be a lengthy process as there are many environment, technical, procedural and funding hurdles to overcome. On an optimistic note the group decided to meet again next month.
The preservation team on-site
20 October 2024 : Preserving our Buildings
The Friends of Ballyclog is a local community group in the Stewartstown/Coagh area. The Membership includes parishioners and others who have an interest in seeing St Patrick’s Ballyclog, our community and our heritage survive and flourish. The Friends of Ballyclog is a registered charity and this is one of our three objectives.
Promoting and advancing environmental well-being, valuing and preserving the landscape and buildings heritage of the Ballyclog area, protecting the natural environment and supporting the local community.
Three years before Covid the Friends of Ballyclog started a project to rescue the ruins of the 400 year old Church before it totally collapsed. It was going well and Mid Ulster Council had cleared all the vegetation from the stonework to allow the Historic Environment Department to see and evaluate the problems, and to carry out a survey. Covid came and everything stopped.
Then last Autumn the Friends of Ballyclog started to meet again and the old Church was back on the agenda and the vegetation needs to be cleared again for the same reason.
The problem is that we are back where we started in many ways. The vegetation has grown back (picture last week) but we were encouraged by a site visit last week from Mr Sebastian Graham from Heritage At Risk Northern Ireland (HARNI) and they have now taken an interest.
Mr Sebastian Graham at the old Church last week. Heritage at Risk NI is a part of a partnership between Ulster Architectural Heritage and the Department for Communities : Historic Environmental Division.
The vegetation must be removed.
6 January 2024 : Memorial Service
The joint Parishes of Ballyclog and Donaghendry held a Service of Thanksgiving yesterday for the life of “The Earl”. The Earl was a very long-term ‘friend’ of Ballyclog and for many years, when he was at Stuart Hall, he attended services in St Patrick’s Parish Church Ballyclog.
Over the years he continuously took a deep and genuine interest in local people and their lives. Alongside the immediate presence that surrounded him in any company, wherever he was in the world, when he met people around Ballyclog he always took time to stop and have a friendly chat.
A remarkably unique and interesting character has passed on and many members of his family spoke of his amazing life and times during the service which was conducted by The Reverend Canon Matthew Hagan MBE.
Many people in our community have fond memories of “The Earl”.
7 December 2023 : The 8th Earl Castle Stewart
The Friends of Ballyclog have been saddened to learn of the passing of “The Earl” as we called him, or ”Patrick” as he termed himself when talking to us. The Earl was a very long-term friend of Ballyclog.
The Earl was the senior living member of the Scottish Royal Stewart family and was descended from Robert II of Scotland. Baron Stuart, to become the first Earl Castle Stewart, came to Ireland in the mid eighteenth century and around 1760 built Stuart Hall two miles from Ballyclog. Stuart Hall has been the Stuart family seat since then. The Castle Stewart burial vault is part of the remaining structures in the old Ballyclog Church.
The eighth Earl was educated at Eton College and Trinity College Cambridge where he obtained a BA and he was a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute. The Earl’s many interests covered both sides of the Atlantic as his mother was Eleanor May Guggenheim, daughter of Solomon Guggenheim. He was vice-president of both the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in New York. Closer to home in the UK he was a Trustee of The Christian Community and Chairman of the Foundation for International Security.
At times when he was at Stuart Hall the Earl would have attended services in St Patrick’s Parish Church Ballyclog. Over the years he took an interest in the upkeep and maintenance of the Church, and was at times quietly a financial contributor. Most noticeably, the acquisition of the replica of St Patrick’s Bell in the display case on the left side of the nave was part funded by the Earl.
18 October 2023 : Friends of Ballyclog Reset Meeting after Covid
The members of the Friends of Ballyclog met on Tuesday night 17.10.2023 to discuss the way forward for the group now that it seems Covid restrictions have subsided, and events can start again.
The room was filled with old and new members who enjoyed a presentation of what the Friends achieved in the three years before Covid followed by discussions and ideas of what they may promote going forward now. All the information on the events covered by the presentation is on www.Ballyclog.com
Communication is all and our contact lists may be out of date after this time. If you are interested, please send your name to friendsofballyclog@gmail.com The contact will only be used to make you aware of Friends of Ballyclog activities.
Please also follow us on Facebook to see what we are doing.
If you have any ideas about events or activities, you would like to see the Friends of Ballyclog promote write to us about that too.
9 October 2023 : Announcement
7 April 2023 : More news about the new Rector
Revd. Matthew Hagan was appointed to the Parish of St Patrick’s Ballyclog in November last year. Matthew had only just arrived in Ballyclog when his title changed. In the King’s New Years Honours he was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the community and to hospice healthcare in Northern Ireland. Matthew is the Chaplain to the Southern Area Hospice.
But even before Matthew’s official investiture ceremony with his MBE his title has changed again. The Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Reverend John McDowell, has appointed the Reverend Matthew Hagan as Prebendary of Mullabrack in the Chapter of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh as of 1st May 2023. In response to the announcement the new Canon said, “I am delighted with my appointment as a Canon of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh and as Rural Dean of Dungannon. I feel honoured and humbled as I have lived in the Diocese of Armagh all my life. It is a privilege to continue to serve the Church in these new roles.”
Revd. Canon Matthew Hagan MBE will be installed in Armagh Cathedral during Choral Evensong on Sunday 23rd April at 3.15pm.
6 April 2023 : Preparing Ballyclog for the Summer Visitors
Over the summer, friends, tourists, casual visitors and people with an interest in the history of Ballyclog will visit us to see and enjoy our ‘old’ and ‘new’ Churches. The ravages of winter weather wash soil, leaves and dirt into the entrance of the old Church which is currently a bit muddy.
As ever we are grateful to Mid Ulster District Council who work all year round to keep the surroundings of the old church in good shape, and now it’s the entrance gate area that’s the centre of attention.
Council staff have started to clear the road gulleys and scrape away the road muck from the entrance gates. The job has just begun. Over the next week or two the entrance will get all the weeds removed and a fresh layer of stones to get the entrance ready for the summer.
Well done Mid Ulster District Council and thanks from The Friends of Ballyclog
31 December 2022 : Congratulations
The Friends of Ballyclog and the Parish of St Patrick’s Ballyclog wish to extend their congratulations to their new Rector, Revd. Matthew Hagan.
Matthew is also the Chaplain to the Southern Area Hospice and in the King’s New Years Honours he has been appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to hospice healthcare and to the community in Northern Ireland.
4 December 2022 : Glad and sad at Ballyclog.
Glad -
The old graveyard was closed during the Covid period but it’s now open again for visitors. Mid Ulster District Council have cut the grass, trimmed the hedges and bushes, opened up the old graveyard and posted a new ‘welcome’ sign at the gate, in place of the previous ‘closed’ sign.
Sad -
Before Covid the Friends of Ballyclog had been engaging with Mid Ulster District Council and the Historic Environment Division, Dept for Communities to get something done to hold back the decay of the old Church building. Covid stopped that initiative. The time since then has not helped the situation and further dilapidation and decay is now evident. St Patrick’s Church, Ballyclog, is believed to be one of seven churches founded by St Patrick in the area between Lough Neagh and Slieve Gallion. There is good evidence of a church community in Ballyclog over a thousand years ago. Our ‘old’ Church building has stood for exactly 400 years but it’s now in need of friends as it’s rapidly falling down.
19 September 2022 : A new Rector for Ballyclog
St Patrick’s Church, Ballyclog, is believed to be one of seven churches founded by St Patrick in the area between Lough Neagh and Slieve Gallion. There is good evidence of a church community here over a thousand years ago.
No trace of the earliest church buildings remains but the ruins of a church originally built in 1622 and its ancient graveyard lie opposite the current Church. Ballyclog Rector Revd Henry Green raised the funds and built this “new church” in 1868, and he is buried within the walls of that “old church”.
Currently everyone is thinking of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Many people remember the famous ‘walk of peace’ across the road from St McCartin’s Cathedral to St Michael’s Church in Enniskillen by the Queen escorted by a former Rector of Ballyclog. Very Revd. Kenny Hall, is now the Dean of the Cathedral Church of St McCartan in Clogher and the Cathedral Church of St McCartin, Enniskillen.
Now Ballyclog is to have a new Rector, the Revd. Matthew Hagan. His institution will be on 15 November 2022.
Revd. Matthew Hagan is a hardworking member of the Southern Area Hospice Chaplaincy for which he has raised funds with his feet on the ground as a jogger, and in the heavens as a skydiver.
Revd. Matthew Hagan
The Friends of Ballyclog and the Parish of St Patrick’s Ballyclog extend a warm welcome to the new Rector and his family.
13 August 2022 : Ballyclog on TV
The Ballyclog estate was recently featured on the ITV programme Mahon's Way. We are in the second half of the programme.
3 July 2022 : An introduction to Ballyclog
Here is an article about Ballyclog, and its small plain ancient structure with a tower and a spire.
19 May 2022 : Normal Activities Slowly Return at Ballyclog
The restrictions of Covid and the enforced isolation and suspension of normal activity are receding.
At St Patrick’s Ballyclog the care and maintenance of our beautiful ‘new’ Church, it’s only about 150 years old, has also missed out. But we are alive again. The grounds are being cared for, grass cut, weeds sprayed and all the usual activity has been ramped up.
Some of the more serious matters are now being checked out as well. Yesterday the Friends of Ballyclog attended with experts from a company of steeplejacks to check out the lightning conductor on the spire. The inspection readings and findings from yesterday now go to another expert who will assess how well the present lightning conductor is performing. We will then get a Condition Report that will contain recommendations if anything needs to be done.
23 January 2022 : Inspection
Our old church building is exactly 400 years old, but some parts do seem newer than others. We examined the top of the tower with a telescope today, and two of the spires seem to be younger and made of two blocks, and two seem to be more worn and made of single blocks.
Was there a repair job at some point?
17 January 2022 : A New Year dawns at Ballyclog
The days are already getting longer and the bright shards of winter sun pierce the late afternoon at both the Ballyclog Churches. Mid Ulster Council has had a team of operatives cutting the grass and errant vegetation around the old Church for a few days now. Our thanks to all of them.
08 December 2021 : The lights are on again at Ballyclog
Many people have missed the annual Ballyclog Christmas Carol Service but the Friends of Ballyclog were pleased for the parishioners to see that they recently ran a very well-attended, bright and cheery Carol Service. By all accounts it represented a community raising itself again from the dark days.
Covid restrictions had eased enough to allow this to happen and we all hope that rather than tighten up again we may see continued progress toward normality. It all helps to re-energize the Friends of Ballyclog who hope to meet again in the New Year.
For too long this beautiful Church has been like this, but that is changing.
7.00 pm on a very cold dark December Sunday evening was the setting around St Patrick’s Ballyclog. Inside it was warm and brightly lit for a well-attended and enjoyable service led by Rev. Christina McCrea. The Bible readings were made by a strong contingent of both young and not so young parishioners, all of whom came with their families. The soloist was Emma-Jayne Taylor accompanied by Julie McClean on the piano. Emma-Jayne also played the organ for the other Carols.
Even more encouraging was the attendance of some people we haven’t seen for a while. To them we say, welcome back and come again.
1 December 2021: Brighter days are just over the horizon
Brighter days are ahead. In a couple of weeks we will have Christmas and a couple of months after that Spring and then Summer. Surely we can put the dark days behind us, set Covid to one side and plan for an exciting Summer.
The placid and peaceful ruins of the old Ballyclog Church in full summer foliage.
The seat in the Centre of the picture will soon be used again to sit and chat with a friend, or simply reflect alone in this beautiful place.
The Friends of Ballyclog have been unable to organise anything for nearly two years now but the New Year brings new hope. Covid restrictions permitting our core Committee intends to meet face to face again in January and hopefully can get fully active again.
17 August 2021 : The Visitors are returning to Ballyclog
Visitors are returning to Ballyclog and today the Friends of Ballyclog were pleased to be visited by Fr. John O’Callaghan OSB. John is a Canadian and a Benedictine Monk currently based at the famous Glenstal Abbey outside Limerick. Some of the Friends had a very pleasant morning showing our guest around both our Church buildings and talking about the history and the architecture.
The ’new’ Church was visited first and much was talked about the stature, construction, and beauty of the building. We also talked about the Ballyclog Bells and read some of the inscriptions from long ago in the old Bibles. Patrick Harkness talked to Fr. John O’Callaghan about details of the building fabric with the aid of the copies of the original architectural drawings displayed in the Church.
When we crossed the road to the ‘old’ Church the conversation widened and a common link between Patrick and John was, to our surprise, found to be an interest in drilling. John had spent some of his early days associated with drilling in the oil fields of Alberta in Canada. Patrick designs and builds drills for scientific research.
Fr. O’Callaghan was also very interested in the history of the ‘old’ Church and the graveyard, and the people connected with them over the Centuries. The group walked and talked about similar historic buildings and, among other things, the cost of their preservation and the different ways the funds to do so are raised.
What everyone agreed upon was that the ‘old’ Church is in urgent need of preservation work, one of many projects delayed by Covid.
Anyone who wants to see the Churches or hear about them should simply write to friendsofballyclog{[-at-]}gmail.com
4 August 2021 : Summer returns to Ballyclog
It has taken a long time, but our world is changing. People are wanting to get out and about once more, and are searching for things to do and places to look around.
The Friends of Ballyclog have a really old and historic Church in ruins, a fresher and functioning 150 year old Church across the road, and an ancient graveyard.
We welcome visitors that we can show around Ballyclog and tell them of the broader history of the Parish.
We also have an invitation to visit and explore Ballyclog on The National Churches Trust website. Simply Google ‘Explore Churches’ - go to ‘Find a Church’ and put in our postcode BT71 5LL.
We look forward to seeing many new and old faces in Ballyclog again soon.
If you have anything that you want to know about the Parish of Ballyclog, please email us at friendsofballyclog{[-at-]}gmail.com, and let us talk to you.
19 June 2021 : Looking back for the future
Have you any old stories or pictures about the Ballyclog Churches for us, or maybe about the former school opposite the ‘new’ church, the creamery on Curglasson hill or the Cratley coalpits, or whatever you have that may be useful?
Like everyone else, The Friends of Ballyclog have been isolated by the present circumstances. However, we have continued to plan events, and we look forward to bringing them along when normality returns in the future.
Parts of different potential projects being considered are linking together and we propose to create more community events when people can visit us again. Several themes encourage us to put together information on the broader history of the Parish and the locality, as well as our Ballyclog Churches.
If you have anything that may be useful, please tell us what you have by emailing us at friendsofballyclog{[-at-]}gmail.com
27 April 2021 : Hand Bells of Early Medieval Ireland
Ballyclog, ‘baile an chloig’ meaning ‘place of the bell’, is linked through history with Saint Patrick’s Bell and there are many different references to this connection.
The Friends of Ballyclog were recently told by both the Church of Ireland RCB Library and Nina McNeary from the National Churches Trust of a fantastic book published by the National Museum of Ireland. The book is called The Early Medieval Hand-Bells of Ireland and Britain and it is at the very, very least worth a library request to read it.
It is a very large book with nearly 700 pages of fascinating information but anyone interested in Ballyclog needs to check out pages 276 to 279.
On these pages the keepers, history and travels of Saint Patrick’s Bell are traced from 1044. Records in 1530 talk of a keeper called Eugene O'Corr who is named as the prebendary of Ballyclog. Before that in 1365 the Primate declared that it was ‘our bell’ and belonged to the See of Armagh. So it was certainly about here for quite a while. The book goes on to talk about more recent ‘keepers’ including the O’Hollands, then Adam McLean to Andrew May and on to the McKennas before arriving with the Royal Irish Academy in 1871. All sorts of side stories attach to Saint Patrick’s Bell through these same pages.
Saint Patrick’s Bell and its association with Ballyclog is an amazing story. We can only recommend a read at The Early Medieval Hand-Bells of Ireland and Britain by Cormac Bourke.
11 April 2021 : Drumcairne Forest Reopens
The Friends of Ballyclog congratulate Stewartstown Community Group, Mid Ulster Council and the Forest Service on the major improvement scheme carried out at Drumcairne Forest. The car parks and the forest walks have been totally refurbished and the recreation facility is now ready to be fully enjoyed again.
Drumcairne Forest is only two miles from our Churches at Ballyclog and summer is coming. So if anyone wants a couple of places to go, then here you are.
Why not complete the survey, on whatever further improvements you might like to see:
https://www.midulstercouncil.org/forestscopingstudies
06 March 2021 : Ballyclog Old Church Survey
It’s now nearly two years since the Friends of Ballyclog started to put the spotlight on the condition of the ruins of the Old Church, but now another piece of good news has emerged.
During those many months we have been regularly in touch with the Historic Environmental Division of the Department of Communities and Property Services at Mid Ulster Council.
We have also attended meetings with their officers on site, in Council offices and elsewhere. Both these bodies have continued working to surmount the legal and financial issues that have complicated and delayed progress on the conservation work that the Old Church so badly needs.
Mid Ulster Council cleared overgrowth from the walls and inside the Church so that an architectural examination of what was needed could be carried out. That clearance work also improved the experience for people attending the Friends of Ballyclog European Heritage Open Day event at both Ballyclog Churches. They were able to listen to the talks provided inside and outside the Old Church ruins, and to better appreciate the history surrounding them.
Since then, however, the Covid pandemic has slowed, interrupted or stopped almost everything in the land. But not completely.
The good news is that Mid Ulster Council has started a technical evaluation process and has authorised a professional survey to ascertain the condition of the ruins of the Old Ballyclog Church and establish what preservation work needs to be done.
Another small step, but one more, in the right direction.
22 January, 2021 : Charitable status
The Friends of Ballyclog are pleased to announce that we have attained charitable status. Our purpose comes within the category of “the advancement of citizenship or community development”.
31 December, 2020 : Building inspection
The Friends of Ballyclog inspected the old church this morning, given the damage that can be caused by bad weather. There is nothing unexpected, but invasive growth around the belfry and Castlestewart monument will need to be removed in the new year. 
24 December, 2020 : Explore Churches
The Friends of Ballyclog are pleased to announce that the Ballyclog Estate is now listed by the National Churches Trust. Our page is here.
22 December, 2020 : Happy Christmas
The Friends of Ballyclog wish everybody a happy and peaceful Christmas. Our star is shining for you all.
7 November, 2020 : Remembrance
What a very different year, no proper gatherings of people, not even on Remembrance Sunday. Not long ago in more normal times The Friends of Ballyclog hosted an event called Flower Fantasia in our Church. It was much more than a flower festival. Each window of the Church had a subject title and interpretation, among them there were two displays dedicated to “War” and to “Peace”. This picture shows ‘War’ and the description was given as “Poppies and roses for remembrance and sorrow in the midst of circles of harshness and cruelty.”
This Remembrance Sunday we will have an on-line service, pre-recorded in each of our group of Churches at Ballyclog, Donaghendry, and Brackaville, and streamed on the Diocesan website.
24 October, 2020 : When will The Friends fill Ballyclog again?
Before the Covid era The Friends of Ballyclog were becoming widely known for promoting our events that took place inside and outside the ‘new’ Church, and around the ‘old’ Church at Ballyclog.
Last year ‘The Heavens Declare’ was a very colourful event and filled the Church. The panel consisted of the two Archbishops, whose work is obviously connected with ‘Heaven’ and their beliefs, two Professors whose work relates to Astronomy and to what they see in the ‘Heavens’, and the Press Officer from the Irish Astronomical Association whose work is to interest people in the ‘Heavens’.
What a panel, what a discussion and what an incredible event.
However, since March it has been impossible to organise any form of event for the public to attend. It takes months to put an event like this together and we are all still aware that the Covid restrictions could be with us until Spring next year. So, no more events anytime soon.
But that does not stop us from preparing and gathering the background for events in the future. We are checking with possible guests if they would take part in a Ballyclog event in the future and we are taking forward a few possibilities as far as we can just now.
Remember our motto ‘doing different things differently’ – have you any ideas for an event? If so, please let us know and our team will see if your idea could be developed.
17 October, 2020 : Upkeep of the old Ballyclog Church.
From a distance the ‘old’ Church looks robust and beautiful in a winter setting, but another winter approaches while the building actually remains vulnerable despite all the work that has gone on around it.
Parts of the ruins are in bad shape, and we must bear this in mind as we seek to preserve this valuable historic structure.
One serious situation is that old lintels over the windows have almost disappeared and the stonework above is in danger of collapse.
Another issue is that the walls are cracked and there is an urgent need for masonry repair and restoration.
To those asking the question why nothing is being done - the answer is that things are being done. Let us provide a brief explanation.
The problem causing the delay in repair is a legal one, it lies in history and follows the ownership transfers over many years of the old graveyard and Church at Ballyclog from one body to another. At present nobody knows who is responsible for the preservation of these ruins. The Friends of Ballyclog started looking into this issue over a year ago and the ongoing help and interest from both Mid Ulster Council and the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities has been, and is, very much recognised and appreciated.
But their hands are tied until legal opinions and decisions are made as to who is responsible for the restoration and maintenance of the building.
Mid Ulster Council and Historic Environment officials are talking and meeting regularly and are currently looking for a way to provide temporary support structures to the masonry as a means of restricting further damage until a final decision is made on the responsibility issue. It is a difficult process, and the Covid restrictions on travel and meetings have not made things any easier, but the Council and the Historic Environment people remain engaged and are determined to make what progress they can.
So, for now that is the answer to your question.
6 October, 2020 : Getting ready for the winter in Ballyclog.
Mid Ulster Council look after the vegetation in the ‘old’ graveyard surrounding the ruins of the earlier Ballyclog Church, and they do it very well.
The Council workforce was there this morning strimming grass everywhere and spraying weeds around the entrance. All this should keep the ancient Church looking well over the Winter now that growth has almost ended.
Thanks to Mid Ulster Council and their staff.
3 October, 2020 : Getting the Bell ringing again.
As a priority project The Friends of Ballyclog want to get the Church Bell in the spire at Ballyclog ringing out again.
There is a lot more space inside the Bell chamber than you would believe. Last week some of the Friends of Ballyclog had a meeting inside the spire of St Patrick’s Church at Ballyclog. They wanted to see what repairs are needed to the carriage and support structures that carry our own ‘Ballyclog Bell’. For professional advice they had Chris McCollum the well known Conservation Architect with them, and all thanks to him. Chris will now provide the Friends with a report and we can take it from there.
We already have a better understanding of what the ravages of time have done to the system that supports the bell and we have some sound advice as to what needs to be done to get it ringing again.
15 September, 2020 : Good News at St. Patrick’s Ballyclog
Last night the Select Vestry heard of all the Covid compliant arrangements necessary to re-start worship in the Church and decided to re-open for Sunday morning services.
The first service will be on Sunday 20 September 2020, starting at 9.30 am and lasting around half an hour. Everyone is welcome.
The Vestry also authorised The Friends of Ballyclog to step up a gear and to proceed with the initial elements of two specific projects connected with the maintenance and repair of the Church building.
11 September, 2020 : Update on the Friends of Ballyclog Membership Section of the web-site
We have had a couple of email enquiries from people wishing to become members of Friends of Ballyclog and comments that this part of the web-site is not working. As yet it is not.
As the previous post explains we are delayed in getting our Charity Commission registration and number; when we have that registration in place we will then open up the membership side of the web-site. Apologies in the meantime.
Please also remember that if you have anything to tell us or suggest please do so via friendsofballyclog@gmail.com
4 September, 2020 : Update on Registration with Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
All the documentation needed for registration was sent to the Commission in February 2020. After a long period of silence, we have asked where we are with this. The answer is that we are at the “Evaluation” stage and the next step will be the “Decision” stage. We have no timeframe for that but if we are especially disadvantaged by the delay we can ask them to speed things up – for example, if we need to be registered for a funding application.
The reason for the delay is partly Covid 19 but also the impact of a court decision that all their decisions must be made by Commissioners themselves not by staff following approved manuals and procedures. That has slowed everything down.
Meanwhile, we are still a charity – just not a registered one – and we can still do anything allowed by our Constitution.
28 August, 2020 : The News Section
Welcome to the ‘news’ section of the Friends of Ballyclog website, not that there has been much news the last six months. During the pandemic closedown we have not held any meetings but lately we have started a series of phone calls and emails to get our project up and running again with a new found momentum.
We are currently looking at two core projects.
First is the building fabric of St Patrick’s Church at Ballyclog and the numerous areas of maintenance and repair that obviously need attention. We need a complete professional survey to tell us what all is needed and what are the priority repairs, and an indication of the various costs.
The other project is deciding on our next big ‘event’ to raise funds to pay for the report, let alone pay for the repairs. At present it is unlikely that we can put together a well-attended and substantial event before the end of the year. So we are looking forward to an event in 2021 which will follow the motto of the Friends of Ballyclog: “Doing different things differently”.
Let us know of any ideas you might have, via friendsofballyclog@gmail.com