St Brigid's Church, Kilbirnie facts for kids

St Brigid's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It belongs to the Diocese of Galloway. This church is an important part of the local community.

The History of St Brigid's Church

Early Beginnings in Kilbirnie

A group of Christians started meeting for worship in Kilbirnie in 1858. Just a few years later, in 1862, the church building and the priest's house (called a presbytery) were built. They were designed in a simple Gothic style. Later, in 1894, a school was also opened for the community.

Father Lee's Vision

Father Thomas P. Lee was a young Irish priest. He was trained in Dublin, Ireland, and came from Limerick. In 1859, he was sent to be the first resident priest in Kilbirnie. He used to travel weekly by horse from Johnstone, a town in a nearby county.

Father Lee worked hard to raise money and find land for the church. He chose St. Brigid as the patron saint of the parish. Saint Brigid is known for her care for the poor. The church opened in 1862. It was a simple, rectangular building with a gallery, a porch, a room for the priest's robes (vestry), a confessional, and a presbytery. Sadly, Father Lee passed away just two years later, at the age of 33.

Changes to the Diocese

At first, Kilbirnie parish was part of the Archdiocese of Glasgow. This explains why Father Lee was based in Johnstone, which was also in that archdiocese. In 1947, the Archdiocese of Glasgow was reorganized. Because of this, the churches in northern Ayrshire, including St Brigid's, became part of the Diocese of Galloway.

Renovations and Expansion

After World War II, the population in the area grew. So, it was decided that St Brigid's Church needed to be updated and made bigger. An extension was added to the back of the church. A new porch and a baptistery (where baptisms happen) were built at the front.

The newly renovated and expanded church opened in 1957. The schoolmaster's house next door was bought to be the new presbytery, which was much closer than the old one. The completed church also had a new sanctuary (the main area for worship) and a sacristy (a room for sacred items and altar servers).

St Brigid's Today

Today, St Brigid's is one of three churches in the local parish. The other two churches are Our Lady's in Beith and St Palladius in Dalry. These churches work together to serve the Catholic community in the area.