Former Dromore Leader journalist and Dunmurry Minister remembered with memorial garden

The ‘Rev Mac’ was minister or minister emeritus of Dunmurry for fifty years from 1970 until his death in 2020.

The Very Rev William McMillan, who has died aged 88, exercised an influential and inspiring ministry for over 60 years. Ordained to the charges of Newry and Warrenpoint churches in 1959 he served those two congregations for eleven years before moving to Dunmurry in 1970, in succession to his father in law, the Rev John McCleery, where he served up to his retirement in 2016, continuing as minister emeritus until his death on January 19, 2020.

Widely and affectionately known as Mac or Rev Mac he was born in Dromore, County Down, on December 10, 1931. He grew up as a member of the Dromore congregation, active in the life of the church. After school he became a journalist working for the Dromore Leader before experiencing a call to the ministry and being selected to train for the ministry by his presbytery.

A highly respected preacher and historian he was well-known all around the world because of his work with flowers and in the horticultural world generally.

At one point he was world champion floral arranger and raised over £1 million for charity through his exhibitions and floral demonstrations. Partly as a result of this he was awarded the MBE in 1999.

He had a hosta named after him and was an honorary member of flower and garden clubs around the world.

Active in trying to heal divisions throughout the Troubles he was awarded the Albert Schweitzer Award for religious freedom by the International Association for Religious Freedom in 1978.

His congregation wanted to establish a lasting, living memorial to him which reflected his achievements and interests and so the garden has been devised by Frances Gibson in his memory and features a sculpture created by Cork sculptor Tim Mulchinock, entitled ‘Beyond Mere Words’, also the title of one of Rev Mac’s own books.