Member's statement: Shankill Parish Church, Lurgan: 300th Anniversary
Member's statement by Mrs Diane Dodds on .
- MLA
- Mrs Diane Dodds
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 16 September 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Shankill Parish Church, Lurgan: 300th Anniversary
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5110884
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I want to recognise in the House a truly remarkable milestone. This month, Shankill parish church in Lurgan celebrates its 300th anniversary. That house of worship has stood on the same location for three centuries. The original church on the site was consecrated in 1725 by Bishop Ralph Lambert. It was built in response to the growth of Lurgan, the congregation's faith and the needs of a vibrant community. The church, despite the Troubles and the decimation that it suffered through terrorist attacks, is a testament to the resilience and devotion of its congregation. The current formation was completed in 1863 and reflects the architectural grandeur and ambition of the era. It was designed then to accommodate 2,000 worshippers and was reputed to be the largest church in Ireland. Over the centuries, Shankill parish church has played a central role not just in the spiritual life but in the civic fabric of Lurgan and the wider Down and Dromore community. It is a place where generations of families have attended together. Leading up to this significant anniversary, the parish has embarked on an inspiring initiative called "Reimagining Shankill". That visionary strategy seeks to transform the church's surroundings, create level access, reimagine boundary walls and create a welcoming landscape and more open facade, with a view to making that historic church more accessible and inviting for all. Last weekend, the congregation met to give thanks and praise. On Saturday, there was another day of celebration of the unique milestone. As we look forward, we wish the church's leadership and membership well and pray that its doors remain open for generations to come. I pay tribute to the parishioners, rectors and volunteers who have faithfully served.
284 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.05 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.97).
- Subject area: Religion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.05 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.03 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.03 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.04 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.03 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.05 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.97 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.01 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.02 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Religion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice) | 1.00 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:12 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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