Service of Dedication

The celebrations began half an hour before the service of Thanksgiving and Dedication started with a peal of bells. The peal of eight bells is the oldest set in Ireland, presented by Charles 1 in 1638.

Welcoming everyone to the now fully restored Cathedral the Dean, Very Rev Dr William Morton, paid a warm welcome to the Bishop, Rt Rev Ken Good and visiting clergy from other churches in the city, and paid a warm welcome to the former Bishop Rt Rev James Mehaffey and former Dean, Very Rev Cecil Orr.

The visiting clergy from the Church of Ireland assisted in the Communion, which was led by the Dean at the behest of the Bishop.

The uplifting and inspiring programme of music included sung Anthems and Responses by the Choristers and Gentlemen of the Choir, in addition to preludes played on the Wells-Kennedy organ by Philip Stopford, the hymns were ‘God, Whose city’s firm foundation’, ‘Come to Us, Creative Spirit’, ‘In the Roll-Call of God’s sons’ and ‘Be Thou my vision’.

For his sermon the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rt Rev Ken Good, reflected on the many uplifting and joyous occasions that had taken place within the Cathedral walls, as well as the role the building had played in the community and city in times of conflict and hardship, and using the Biblical quotation “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”, he encouraged the gathering to act together, and live an harmonious life together, with unity of purpose to the glory of God, while recognising and accepting each other’s differences.

Bishop Good also took time to thank the many people involved in the restoration process, welcoming particularly the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster, Speaker of the Assembly William Hay, the members and officers of Derry City Council and their staff for their help, as well as Troy Monaghan, Mark Lusby, Howard Hastings and Alan Clarke, the management and staff of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Woodvale Construction, McColgan’s, Stevenson’s and McMonagle Stone, as well as sound and media engineer Robert Andrew and the team at Alpha Glass, and in particularly the late Joe Coyle.

The Bishop also thanked and paid tribute to the Architects involved in the restoration, Karl Pedersen and Tom Melarkey, the team at Colgan and Shackleton, and went on to pay tribute to the Cathedral Restoration team, the Cathedral staff and Seclect Vestry, the choir and the organ/choir master Ian Mills and organist Ian Stopford.

“A vast number of people showed tremendous encouragement in this project and to all I say thank you and we thank God for you,” the Bishop said.

Following the two-hour service of celebration, guests were invited to tea in St Columb’s Court, at which speeches were given by the Dean, who acted as MC, the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, Minister for Enterprise Arlene Foster, Speaker of the Assembly William Hay, Manus Deery of the Environment Agency on behalf of Minister Alex Atwood, Architect Karl Pedersen, and Rev Dr David Latimer of First Derry Presbyterian Church.