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NB. Our old parish registers are held in the Public Records Office in Belfast for safekeeping. To access their website follow the link below.

Public Records Office

Plan of church.

History 1

St. Columba’s Parish Church is built on the site of the first Church of Ireland church to be built in the town of Omagh.

The original parish church was some two miles south of Omagh in the town land of Drumragh on the banks of the Drumragh River, hence the name of the parish. Part of the walls of this old church still stand. The graveyard remains the property of the parish and is in occasional use.

In the mid 1700’s the town of Omagh was expanding and the Mervyn family, at the time the main landowners in the town, built a new church on the hill overlooking the town on the site of the present church. The church, which was opened in1777, was in the Grecian style with a lofty tower donated by Bishop Knox, Bishop of Derry. In 1820 the church was extended by the addition of a north aisle and interior galleries.

The population of the market town was increasing rapidly and by 1861 the population of the parish was 1,706. A decision was taken to demolish the existing church and build a replacement on the same site.

An article in “The Irish Builder” describes the new building in detail. The church was under construction at this time and was dedicated the following year on 20^th October 1871.

“The architect was J.E. Rogers, FRIAI, under the superintendence of William Hunter and the contractor was Mr John Collen, of Portadown. The design of the church consisted of a nave, chancel, north and south transepts, aisles, southwest porch, organ-chamber and vestry tower and spire. The total length from east to west is 94 feet; from north to south transepts 88 feet; width of the nave 86 feet; of transepts 85 feet; height from floor to apex of nave roof 52 feet and the size of the southwest  porch 18 x 12 feet. The style of the building is Gothic of the thirteenth century, the details throughout being plain and massive character.

The walls are of clay brick; the dressings are of Dungannon freestone and random rubble limestone, locally obtained. The ceiling is open stained and varnished and the single pews and reading desks are also of stained and varnished wood.

It was, at first, intended to retain the tower of the old church and to remodel it in order that it might harmonize with the new building and to raise the spire but it was later decided to rebuild it entirely. The height of the new spire is 139 feet above floor level and adds greatly to the symmetry and beauty of the structure.” [The Irish Builder 15^th October 1870]

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The History of St. Columba’s Church, Omagh, in the Parish of Drumragh