| The Parish of Stormont |
| We are situated in a suburban area of East Belfast, through which runs the main arterial route from the City to North Down and the Ards Peninsula. The parish covers an area of about three square miles comprising housing development and a large green belt area containing Parliament Buildings, Government Offices, Stormont Castle, and a public park. The origins of the area’s name can be found in early maps where it is called Storm Mount - a probable reference to its then exposed situation on the side of the Holywood hills. |  |
| Upper
Newtownards Road passing St Molua's Church |
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The city centre is only a few miles away and access to Belfast’s main ring road is close by. A ten minute car journey takes one to Belfast City Airport and the city’s international airport at Aldergrove can easily be reached in 45 minutes. The church, parochial hall and rectory occupy adjacent sites in the centre of the parish. The Parish, comprising 550 family units, was set up in 1960 to meet the needs of rapidly developing housing estates in suburban east Belfast. Much of the housing dates from this period adding to several more mature areas which had been established in the 1920s and 1930s. |
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The
Barnett's Road area of the Parish |
| At present St Molua’s has one full-time priest (the Rector). Two retired clergymen also help with preaching . Other staff include an Organist/ Choirmaster and a Sexton both of whom are part-time. The general administration and running of the Parish is greatly assisted by volunteers serving in our Parish Office, on the Grounds Team, on the Select Vestry and on various other 'committees' (official and unofficial !). Opportunities for fellowship beyond Sunday services are provided through the usual mix of organisations for adults and young people. These include a Young Wives Group, Bowling and Badminton Clubs, a Ladies’s Guild, the Friendly Circle, a Walking Group and a local branch of the Church of Ireland Men’s Society as well as a Sunday School and an all-age study and discussion group called “Forum”. One local school, Tullycarnet Primary, is located within the parish and caters for children in the age range 4 - 11 years. The Rector is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors and visits the school regularly to conduct assembly (with an act of worship), meet with children and staff and, occasionally, to teach Religious Education. |
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In 1998, after many months of careful research, parishioner Peggy Donaldson produced a fascinating booklet in which she tells the story of the first thirty-three years of Stormont Parish. While copies of the booklet may still be obtained through the Parish Office (email for details) an abridged version of Peggy's text is now available on this site. Click here to view. |
