The Bell Rings On: Crafting Carrickmore’s Heritage in Clay

Mid Ulster Community and Arts Trust (MUCAT), which manages The Patrician, Carrickmore, recently hosted creative workshops celebrating one of the area’s most enduring heritage stories, the story of St Colmcille’s Bell.

Supported through Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Sustain Sponsorship Programme, the ‘Clay with Anna McGurn’ workshop invited participants to explore local heritage through art. Guided by Anna McGurn, a finalist in The Great Pottery Throw Down 2022, participants learned how to craft their own clay replicas of St Colmcille’s Bell, following an engaging heritage talk by Cormac McAleer from Termonmaguirc Historical Society.

The story of St Colmcille’s Bell has been passed down through generations and holds a special place in local heritage. The bell, measuring just over 11 inches in height, was long preserved in Carrickmore and revered for its supposed power to reveal truth – it was said that anyone swearing a false oath upon it would cause the bell to ring, despite it having no tongue.

The bell’s journey is woven deeply into the fabric of Carrickmore’s history. Around 1838, Canon Vincent, the then Parish Priest, assumed care of the relic before it changed hands several times, ultimately finding a permanent home in the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Remarkably, the bell returned briefly to Carrickmore in August 2000, where it was displayed at Pairc Colmcille to mark the dedication of new facilities for An Charraig Mhór Naomh Colmcille CLG, whose club crest features the bell.

The Sustain Sponsorship Programme, piloted by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, provides multi-annual funding to strengthen organisational capacity and support the delivery of arts, heritage, and cultural programmes and events. It aims to provide sustained financial support to local organisations and enhance their ability to contribute to the district’s social, cultural, and economic wellbeing.

Cllr Barry McElduff, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, said:

“I am always delighted to see partnership work taking place between the Council and Mid Ulster Community and Arts Trust (MUCAT) at The Patrician. The story of St. Colmcille’s Bell has loomed large in our lives locally. Creative events like this strengthen community connections and help ensure our stories continue to inspire future generations.”

Chair of MUCAT, Eilish Gormley, added:

“We’re very grateful for the Council’s support. The Patrician continues to be a hub for cross community arts and culture, and this workshop beautifully demonstrated how we can bring our local history to life as part of our ongoing positive mental wellbeing arts programme.”

For more information about sponsorship and grant aid visit the Council’s website at www.fermanaghomagh.com and search for grants and sponsorship, for more information about upcoming events at The Patrician, please visit their Facebook page at ThePatricianCarrickmore