Seagoe parish


Seagoe parish or St Gobhan's parish is an ecclesiastical parish of the Church of Ireland that is located in Portadown, Northern Ireland. It is on one of the oldest recorded sites of Christianity in Ireland. Christian links to the area date back to the early 500 AD's. It was founded by St. Gobhan.
The current rector is Terence Cadden, having been installed in 2006. The current rector's predecessor is David Chillingworth, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Another previous rector was Jack Shearer, who later became the Dean of Belfast.

Parish Centre

In 2010 the parish centre was opened by the previous rector David Chillingworth. The building cost £1.5 million. It contains a series of multi-functional rooms and classrooms, a main hall and a rotunda with a meeting area, coffee bar and circular prayer/quiet room.

Organisations

The current organisations that form part of the parish ministry are the following:
The parish is linked to Seagoe Primary School, having established the school. The link is reflected in the school ethos. The school is one of just two remaining Anglican run primary schools in Northern Ireland. The rector is the Chairman of the Board of Governors, with both the church and diocese playing a key role in school life.