2nd Islandmagee Presbyterian Church

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Islandmagee, County Antrim, Ireland
Surname/tag: DNA, Island Magee, Islandmagee, Ireland, Northern Ireland

History

The Rev. William Holmes is credited with the inception of the work here although he had been ordained at Rashee (Ballyeaston) on 29 June 1768. He exercised a wide oversight in East Antrim in general and in the Larne/Islandmagee area in particular. In Islandmagee for some years the services were held in the open when the weather was fine, and when it was inclement, in a barn.

Being Seceders they were associated with Larne Secession congregation (now Gardenmore), and together they called Mr. John Nicholson (lic. Upper Tyrone Sec.) who was ordained on 10 Aug. 1785. He preached in each place on alternate Sabbaths and like many other Secession ministers ran a Classical Academy to supplement his income. Mr. James Henry, author of "Hearts of Steel" is said to have been one of his scholars and adherents. In 1796 a meeting house was built on land donated by James Milliken. Mr. Nicholson resigned in 1799 when called to the congregation then meeting in Berry Street, Belfast.

He was followed by Mr. George McCaughey, a Portglenone man, who was ordained here on 8 July 1800. The ordination took place in a field between the church and the Roddens in Larne. The congregation became independent in 1827 and Mr. McCaughey remained with the Larne section of it.

Mr. David Potter of Carnteel (lic. Upper Tyrone Sec.) was ordained on 22 Apr. 1828 and was one who disapproved of the Union of the Synods in 1840. He later altered his opinion. He married the widow of Rev. Robert Magill of Antrim (author of "The Thinking Few") who also held the "Separatist" viewpoint. Mr. Potter died on 26 Feb. 1853 aged 49.

He was followed by Mr. Robert Henry Shaw (lic. Carrickfergus) who was ordained on 29 June 1853, retired in Oct. 1890, and died on 27 Jan. 1892.

The sixth minister was Mr. Henry Hugh Macready (lic. Coleraine). He was ordained on 17 Mar. 1891 and retired on 30 June 1929 because of ill health.

His successor was Rev. Samuel Gilmore of Dunfanaghy. He was installed in 2nd Islandmagee on 27 May 1930 and was called to First Omagh on 28 Apr. 1941.

Mr. Henry Herbert McClure (lic. Donegal) succeeded Mr. Gilmore on 29 July 1941, and after a faithful ministry he resigned because of ill-health on 30 Apr. 1974. He also served the Carrickfergus Presbytery as Clerk for 25 years.

The ninth minister in this charge was Rev. Noel Matthew Williamson (lic. North Belfast 1969). He had been assistant in 1st Carrickfergus where he was ordained on 10 Dec. 1969, and then to the convener in charge of the vacant Nelson Memorial charge on the Shankill Road, Belfast. After that he went to a college in Africa under the auspices of the United Free Church of Scotland. He was installed in 2nd Islandmagee on 25 June 1975. In 1980 Mr. Williamson was appointed Dean of Residences and Chaplain to Presbyterian Students at Queens University, Belfast.

Then the Rev. Dr. Thomas Hoyte Lyle of Limerick was installed in Second Islandmagee on 10 June 1980. He retired on 30th June 1986.

Rev. David Chapman was installed on 20th March 1987. He retired on 31 March 2017.

The congregation was linked with First Islandmagee on 1 September 2017 and the Rev. Peter Aaron Bovill was installed on 8 September 2017.