St Colmcille's Church, Holywood, Co. Down

Rooney & McConville were appointed as architects and liturgical designers for a replacement Roman Catholic church building to accommodate a congregation of 600. The new structure was to be erected on the site of the smaller previous church building, which had been destroyed by fire. The new building had to be integrated with an existing 150 foot spire, graves and a parochial house.

The liturgy requires diversity within a unified whole. The assembly and priest form one body but have different roles within that unity. The form and plan of the church building reflect this by creating distinctive spaces within the one building. The main worship space, Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Baptistery and Narthex all have their own places, separate buildings in one volume emphasised externally by roof projections.

The central space is surrounded by twenty four columns and an ambulatory from which all other spaces are accessed. The cedar ceiling rises from a plaster light trough to a lantern and central feature which directs the eye down again to the altar immediately below. The roof lights and light fittings have been integrated into the ceiling which lowers slightly to emphasise the ambo/chair platform. Similarly the wall behind the ambo/chair platform has been treated differently by means of mahogany trellises which incorporate copper and enamel panels depicting the community of saints.

The main entrance, now facing south west instead of north east to avoid prevailing winds, is approached via a new courtyard that 'collects' the new entrance, the spire, graves and parochial house. It facilitates the approach of limousines and hearses and recalls the atrium traditionally located at the entrance to church buildings in early Christian times.

Artworks were commissioned from Irish artists with the principle that they were to be teaching aids, prompting contemplation of God's awesome presence through imagination, discussion and memories stirred in the sub - conscious. The parish priest, Very Rev. J. Stewart P.P., was particularly interested in this aspect of the project providing inspiration for the symbols employed.

The altar, ambo, tabernacle and baptismal font are all in Portuguese limestone designed by Richard King from Dublin. Mr King was also responsible for the paschal candlestick tabernacle lamp and processional cross in bronze and the copper and enamel stations of the cross, tabernacle door and communion of saints angel panels.

Mr Lua Breen from Donegal designed the stained glass windows. The seven sacraments are depicted in the ambulatory window and the peacock in the Blessed Sacrament chapel.

Helen McLean from Belfast provided the mosaics in the Baptistery.

The Baptistery and Blessed Sacrament chapel are separate spaces but connected visually and physically to the main worship space. The font is in a top lit semi - circular space surrounded by a mosaic which has as its theme the redemption of Man by means of life - giving water. The Blessed Sacrament chapel has a high ceiling with a seven metre high stained glass window depicting a peacock and butterflies in contrast to the low ceiling of the ambulatory . The reconciliation rooms are located to the back of this space where we begin our journey of redemption towards the tabernacle at the other end. The colours of the window increase in brightness from the reconciliation rooms to the tabernacle as we follow this journey.

A circular worship space was provided that facilitates a fuller participation by the assembly, consistent with the reforms of the liturgy as a result of the Second Vatican Council. Proximity to the liturgical action is of prime importance and a circular arrangement is particularly effective in this respect. With the altar located at the centre it naturally becomes the focus of the layout creating a sense of God among His people and reflecting the fact that the celebration of the Eucharist is at the centre of the life of the parish. The place of the Word of God, the ambo, is located on a separate platform emphasising the shifting focus of the liturgy. Whilst the altar is the central physical focus of the church, the ambo has a special place too. Whilst the assembly surround the altar, they are in front of the ambo so that the Word of God may be properly proclaimed.