Fr Peter puts the sound back into Kilclief’s parish

Fr Peter puts the sound back into Kilclief’s parish

6 May 2015

THE bell at St. Malachy’s Church in Kilclief rang out again last Sunday much to the delight of the congregation.

The bell had not been working for a number of years after problems arose with its electronic timer and hammer, but a successful repair scheme carried out over recent weeks resulted in the bell ringing out across the rolling Kilclief countryside last weekend.

Fr Peter O’Kane, who was appointed parish priest last year, was instrumental in spearheading the drive to ensure the church bell would ring again and also arranged for the bell to be repositioned at the front of the church.

The original bell was installed in 1952, two years after Pope Pius XII declared 1950 should be celebrated as a “holy year” with the parishioners of Kilclief agreeing to install a new bell which was blessed by and named “St. Joseph’s Bell” by Parish Priest, the Rev. E. J. Crossin. The bell was rung for the first time during the celebration of Solemn High Mass to mark the Feast of the Assumption. 

The Mass in 1952 was celebrated by Fr Crossin assisted by Fr Robert Denvir C.C. as Deacon and Fr Charles Denvir C.C. as Sub Deacon. Fr Robert and Fr Charles were brothers and natives of Kilclief parish.

The Rev. Joseph Campbell C.C. Kilclief was master of ceremonies, with the sermon preached by the Rev. Fr Robert Quinn C.SS.R. Ardglass. Presiding in the Sanctuary was the Very Rev. D. J. Canon McWilliams P.P. V.F. Downpatrick.

Following the Mass, Fr Crossin thanked the priests who had participated in the ceremonies and congratulated the people of the parish, paying special tribute to Fr Campbell on the work he had done on the acquisition of the new bell.

Fr Crossin also lauded the generosity of the people and said how this would enable him in the immediate future to continue the work of adorning the church in a manner “befitting its tradition and position as the parish church of Kilclief.” He urged people to offer each day to Mary Queen of Heaven and Queen of Ireland the beautiful devotion of the Angelus. 

The St Malachy’s bell was rung by Mr Charles Kerr who lived in the house beside the church and when he was unable to carry out this service, it was undertaken by the senior pupils from Kilclief school who were given permission to leave the classroom to get over to the church in time to ring the noon Angelus.

The bell is inscribed “Holy Year 1950” and weighs 12 cwt. It was cast by John Taylor & Co. in Loughborough and was installed in a bell tower designed by Dr P. B. Gregory and erected by Kilclief contractor Mr James Denvir. Unfortunately, a crack appeared in the bell on May 10, 1956, and a new one was supplied free of charge by the makers and installed and blessed by Fr Crossin, assisted by Fr Campbell.

After the new church was built at Kilclief and dedicated to St. Malachy in May 1971, the bell remained and was rung in the old church tower, with this continuing until 1984 when the tower was removed and the walls of the old church lowered to a safe level. 

The bell was stored in the garage behind the parochial house but in January 1985, as the result of an accidental fire, the bell was damaged and had to be recast. It was subsequently installed at the rear side of the church and rung on November 23, 1986.

The Rev. Fr M. Kelly, who was the Parish Priest at the time, remarked “it was nice to hear the bell again, albeit not as loud as desired, due to its new position and height.”

An electronic timer rang the bell, with the system working well for a number of years before it became unreliable and stopped working and remained unused until Fr Peter O’ Kane was appointed Parish Priest last year. He undertook to ensure the bell would ring again and along with the congregation was delighted this happened last Sunday.