Liam McCormick, Architect - Derry Journal Our Space 37
Liam McCormick, “the father of modern church architecture in Ireland”, was the son of a Derry dentist. Both his grandfathers were Londonderry Corporation aldermen.
He lived most of his life in the Greencastle house of his great-grandfather Michael McLaughlin, sea captain on the Derry-Sligo-Liverpool route. After St Columb’s College, Liam graduated in 1943 from Liverpool University’s Architecture School.
After he and his friend and later partner Frank Corr won a church competition with a very modern design for Ennistymon, Co Clare, in 1948 Liam opened his first practice above his uncle’s chemist shop at 7 Ferryquay Street.
They designed schools and houses. But Liam’s inspiration and enthusiasm was for churches - 26 churches in Ireland and England, many with eye-catching roofs. Locally is his dramatic church of Our Lady of Lourdes 1975, Steelstown, and nearby are his ‘magnificent seven’ Donegal churches: Milford 1961, Murlog 1964, Desertegney 1964, Burt 1967, Creeslough 1971, Glenties 1974, Donoughmore 1977.
The award-winning St Aengus’ Church, Burt, is his famous triumph - voted in 1999 “Ireland’s Building of the 20th Century”. He once described it as “my pagan building” - inspired as he was by the nearby Grianan of Aileach fort. Hugely striking with its off-centre spire over the altar, its circular shape inside and outside; and Helen Maloney’s cubist stained glass windows. And the cobblestones around it were recycled from Derry’s docks.
He received many honours and awards before passing away in 1996. And each year The Royal Society of Ulster Architects awards its “Liam McCormick Prize” for NI’s building of the year.
[Foyle Civic Trust “Review: 1996].