MEMORIAL PLAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1932, Page 9

MEMORIAL PLAN

IRELAND’S PATRON SAINT

Downpatrick, the old-world town in County Down, where Ireland’s patron saint was buried, will be more than ever the Mecca of pilgrims from ail pails of the earth when a plan for a memorial, which should appeal lo the imagination of all lovers of Ireland, has been brought to fruition. On the spot on which St. Patrick’s first church stood 1500 years ago an imposing memorial to the wonderful work of St. Patrick in Ireland is to be erected. The present parish church of Saul is to be razed, and on the site a beautiful church in the ancient Irish style will be erected. The Apostle of Ireland first set foot on Irish soil in 432 A.D., as a Christian missionary at Saul, on the shores of Strangford Lough, and his body rests inside lhe precincts of Down Cathedral. The original church which he founded at Saul was destroyed by Danes. On two later occasions it was again destroyed. The building now to be removed v.us erected 150 years ago. There has been a sacred building on this site since the days of the patron saint, and the new memorial building to which I risii edcii ill till ysirts of tilt* xvocjtl be asked to subscribe, will per nnfuate j his tradition,