The Church, which was designed by the Belfast architects, Kennedy, Fitzgerald and Associates
and built by Felix O'Hare & Co. of Newry, was solemnly blessed and opened on 18 December 1994.

The altar, ambo, baptismal font and chair were designed by Richard Hurley of Dublin and
carved from French limestone by Tom Glendon, also of Dublin.

The Stations of the Cross and the evangelarium were carved by Ken Thompson of Cork.
In each station the figure of Jesus predominates and the other figure relates to every person.
The classical lettering highlights Jesus as the subject of each station and affords an opportunity
for continuous meditation on the holy name and person.

The symbols on the evangelarium, which was presented by Fisherwick Presbyterian Church,
are taken from the Book of Kells. The large bible is a gift from University Road Methodist
Church and the prie-dieu at the shrine of Our Lady was donated by St. Thomas' Church.

Lua Breen of Donegal designed the stained glass windows. Seven of them are directly
representational - St Brigid, St Malachy, the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan,
the Madonna and Child, St Oliver Plunkett, the martyrdom of Blessed Conor O'Devany
beside the mortuary chapel and St. Columban - and the others, which are semi-abstract,
are inspired by the Hallel psalms,a paean of joy and praise to God. The two small windows
between the church and narthex depict ancient Christian symbols: the boat, which
represents the church (the English word nave is derived from the Latin word for a ship),
and the anchor which for the Christians of the catacombs represented the virtue of hope.

Starting from the back on the north (Windsor Avenue) side:


1. Our patroness: St Brigid, the "Mary of the Gael", was Abbess of Kildare
and died about the year 525.

2. An exhortation to praise the Lord and not put too much trust in
temporal power - sceptre and crown have tumbled down.

3. Happiness comes to those who believe and put their faith into practice
by protecting the vulnerable (the hands of God reach down and the
chains fall off).

4. The great pilgrimage of mankind under the Lord's guidance to the heavenly
Jerusalem (indicated by the domes).

5. God's power is manifested in His benevolence to all creation - even the
ravens, who were supposed to neglect their young, are cared for.
God is thanked for the gifts of nature.

6. St Malachy, (1094 - 1148). St Malachy, the patron of the diocese of
Down and Connor, was Abbot of Bangor and Bishop of this diocese
before being transferred to Armagh.


7. God's love and grace flow down like water from heaven embracing
all people.

8. Uplifted hands praising and thanking God.

9. The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan.

10. Wheat and grapes symbolising the Eurcharist.

11. The large sanctuary window shows all creation giving praise
to God - animals, birds, plants, even the storms.

12. The Madonna and Child.

13. This window with a quotation from St Oliver Plunkett is dedicated
to the need for forgiveness and reconciliation. St Oliver, (1629 - 81),
who was Archbishop of Armagh from 1669 to 1681,was hanged
at Tyburn on a charge of high treason.

14. The small window in the mortuary chapel depicts hope in the
resurrection - the dead rising to the sound of trumpets.

15. The martyrdom of Bishop Conor O'Devany in 1612.
Conor O'Devany, a Franciscan who was born in Raphoe,
Co. Donegal, was Bishop of Down and Connor from 1582 to 1612.
Put to death on a trumped-up charge of treason in 1612,
he was beatified in 1992. The faithful to the left are encouraged
rather than frightened by his execution.

16. Praising the Lord with harp and tambourine - a dance of joy.

17. The crown and chains fall off - temporal power is not important -
but fidelity and love of God are of supreme importance.

18. A call to universal acknowledgement and praise of God.

19. St Columban (543 - 615), a monk of Bangor, who founded
monasteries at Luxeuil and Bobbio, wrote various important
spiritual letters, a rule, a penitental and several poems and is
widely regarded as one of the great evangelists on the
continent in the sixth century.

The tabernacle, cross, paschal candle stand and processional cross came
from the studio of Bill and Christina Steenson in Glenarm. They delicately
inter-weave the Brigid Cross, as adapted by Lua Breen, with the structural
forms of the church. The fish on the tabernacle recalls the use of that symbol
by the early Christians to indicate their faith in Jesus Christ, Son of God,
Saviour (the first letters of which make up the Greek word for a fish) and
the bread represents the Eucharist.

The organ was designed and constructed by Wells-Kennedy Partnership
Ltd, Lisburn. The statue of St Brigid was presented to the old church by
Mgr. Ryan in 1981 to mark the diamond jubilee of his ordination
to the priesthood.

The Latin inscription in the narthex of the church reads in translation:
A.D.1994. During the pontificate of John Paul II this parish church
of St Brigid, which was recently built in place of a former church of the
same name in the same location, that was deteriorating through age,
was dedicated by Most Rev. Patrick Walsh, Bishop of Down and Connor,
on 18 December 1994.

The 'penal cross' or crucifix in the narthex was presented to the church in 2000
in memory of Anna Feely. Executed by Ken Thompson to the design
of eighteenth century Irish wooden crucifixes, it bears some of the symbols
of the passion which were frequently found on crucifixes associated with the
pilgrimage to Lough Derg: the jug contained the water with which Pilate washed
his hands; the spear pierced Our Lord's side; the ladder and pincers were used
to take down the body from the cross; the cherub's head occasionally replaced
the symbol of the skull and crossed bones, which referred to Christ's triumph
over death; the cock and pot recalled an ancient legend deriving from an
apocryphal gospel that Judas, full of remorse for his betrayal, was assured
by his wife that Christ would no more rise from the dead than the cock she
was cooking in a pot on the fire, whereupon the cock flew out of the pot and crew;
the stars represent the homage of all nature to Christ.

The church has won the following awards:

Irish : The award of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects for an educational
or ecclesiastical building; the regional award of the Royal Institute
of Architects of Ireland.

British: The regional award of the Royal Institute of British Architects;
the award of the Civic Trust "for an outstanding contribution to the
quality and appearance of the environment (the only one of sixteen
awards given to Northern Ireland); the Public Building Award and
the Craftmanship Award of the Brick Development Association (UK)
and the Supreme Award of the UK "presented in recognition of
excellence in the use of brick".