The town of Holywood is well chronicled as an early ecclesiastic site. In the middle ages it was known as Sanctus Boscus – the Holy Wood.
In 1866, Holywood became a parish in its own right. The foundation stone for the original church was brought from the ruins of the church in Gartan, Co Donegal, where St Colmcille was born and it was laid on Sunday 28th July 1872. The building was solemnly dedicated by Bishop Dorrian on Sunday 14th June 1874. This church served the people of Holywood for the next 115 years. However in the early hours of 24th August 1989, the church was destroyed by fire. The spire and bell tower from the original church were restored and our magnificent new church, standing at the main entrance to the town, was solemnly dedicated by Bishop Patrick Walsh in the presence of the Very Reverend, John Stewart, P.E. on Sunday 28th May 1995;
We have approximately 2,000 families in the parish.