St Joseph's Church in the Belfast docks area has been officially reopened by Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister, marking a significant milestone in the preservation of the historic building. The church, located in the Sailortown neighbourhood, was closed by the Catholic Church in 2001 despite a campaign by parishioners to keep it open.
The building was served with a 'dangerous building' notice last year, but the threat of demolition was averted after a funding campaign by the Sailortown Regeneration Group. The group has owned the church on a 150-year lease since 2008 and has carried out extensive repairs and safety remedial work over the past 18 months.
Terry McKeown of the Sailortown Regeneration Group said the reopening allows for 'meanwhile use' of the building for community events. The first event, held last Friday, featured music, poems, and a film about Sailortown and its significance to local people.
The dockland neighbourhood was once home to hundreds of families but was drastically altered in the 1970s with the construction of the M2 motorway. Many homes were demolished under the Belfast Urban Project initiative, leading to the dispersal of local families. McKeown noted that the church holds deep religious and community memories, with some families tracing their roots back six generations in the area.
The second phase of the preservation project involves a two-year programme of events and the presentation of a business case for full restoration of the building and regeneration of Sailortown. If successful, the third phase would create a digital heritage interpretation centre, estimated to cost a couple of million pounds. McKeown emphasised the importance of preserving the last vestige of Old Sailortown's history amid widespread demolition of old buildings in Belfast.
