Donegal parish firm after arson attack on church

St Baithin’s Church in St Johnston, Donegal, originally built in the 1850s was the target of an arson attack last Wednesday which saw its sacristy “totally blackened with soot”. But despite the shocking attack, which resulted in a man being charged last Thursday, Pastor Emeritus of the parish, Monsignor Dan Carr allayed fears and said that the communities have supported each other in the parish since the attack.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Msgr Carr explained that the damage was not overly extensive but did impact the sacristy. “The damage that was done is not that extensive,” he said. “There was a fire lit outside of the window and it then broke the glass of the window and left the sacristy room totally blackened out with soot.”

Asked whether or not he feels increasingly susceptible to attacks or malice after months of sustained targeting of churches in the county – one man who burgled a spate of churches in the county was jailed for a year last Friday – Msgr Carr dispelled any notion of fear lingering in the county’s parishes and hailed the mixture of communities which have come together in support since the attack.

“We don’t feel any way remote up here so we don’t really have worries,” he said. “It’s a mixed community of several religions who work tremendously well together and support each other very strongly particularly when this little incident happened.”

A man in his 20s was charged in relation to the attack last Wednesday. During the course of his spree it was also revealed that he set fire to the local Orange hall which dates back to the early 19th century.