The Church of Ireland building and hall in Greenisland, Co Antrim, fell victim to a horrific episode of arson, causing substantial harm to the church structure. The incident, which occurred on a Sunday night, was post a cheerful afternoon spent commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Church of the Holy Name. The Reverend George Davison, Bishop of Connor, expressed deep regret over the disastrous fire, recounting how painful it was to observe the destruction alongside numb parishioners, unable to absorb the shocking spectacle.
He expressed gratitude, however, that no one was harmed during the incident and extended his appreciation to the Fire Service and the PSNI for their restless exertions that night. He echoed the spirit of resilience amongst his congregation, stating that the true essence of the Church of the Holy Name is not the physically damaged edifice, but the remarkable gathering of people who reaffirmed their commitment to worship and serve Jesus in Greenisland, even amidst the tears and hugs of that tragic evening.
Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson was equally horrified at witnessing the dreadful blaze. He arrived at the location around 10pm, post a special event marking the church’s seventieth anniversary, to witness flames fiercely lighting up the sky, with the fight underway to save the church. He noted the stark contrast between the still intact front roof and the completely destroyed back roof. According to his observations, while the church interior suffered heavy water damage, it was rescued from ruin by the fire brigade.
Mr Stewart confirmed the church has stood strong for 70 years and will continue to do so for another seven decades and beyond. “The local ecclesiastical community is set to provide the affected church with places of gathering, and all of us will offer financial backing and moral support,” he stated, mentioning that the parish youth groups had this morning begun to bring together funds and made monetary donations to back the church.
On the X social media platform, Gavin Robinson, the head of DUP, described the news of a blaze at the Greenisland CoI as horrendous, particularly as it turned out to be an act of malicious arson. “My mind and prayers go out to the saddened church congregation as they grapple with the aftermath of the disaster, considering they have recently celebrated seven decades’ worth of evangelism and worship.” he posted.
A police spokesperson acknowledged that the law enforcement agency had been notified about the fire incident at the Station Road property, roughly around 9.10pm on the past Sunday. “Police officers, together with our counterparts from the Northern Ireland Fire Service, tackled the situation and effectively put out the fire,” he communicated. “Even though nobody was hurt, both structures suffered severe damage, especially on a night the church was bustling, celebrating its 70th birthday week.”
To apprehend the guilty parties, they’re treating the incident as a deliberate act of arson. The police are making a public appeal to anyone who might have seen something suspicious in the surrounding area or possess any surveillance, doorbell, or other types of footage that may aid with their investigation, to get in touch with the police quoting incident number 1437 of 01/09/24.