Dana to make 'emotional' return to Derry for St Eugene's Cathedral's 150th anniversary

The celebration will not only mark the important role the Cathedral has played in the life of the city, but the part played by generations of parishioners, particularly the factory workers who supported it.

As the daughter and granddaughter of Derry’s shirt factory workers, Dana said it was a particular honour to be asked to sing at St Eugene’s which has been so vital to her own spiritual journey.

She said: “My Catholic faith has sustained me through many challenging times in my own life and I am so grateful to those generations in my own family who passed on the flame of faith. That’s what my new song is about - how Patrick lit that flame of faith, hope and love at Slane in 433AD and how much we still need that fire today.”

St Eugene’s was the parish Church of my mother Sheila's family, and Dana’s great grandmother lived just across the street from the Cathedral. “My mother and father Robert were married there, and Damien and I followed in their footsteps in 1978,” Dana added. “It was such a beautiful, memorable start to our life together and we look forward to celebrating our 45th anniversary this year.

“The mass on May 4th is the exact date that the first mass was said in the Cathedral in 1873 and I am certain my relations must have been there. I’m sure so many people in Derry will also have known the beauty and comfort of St Eugene’s in their own family history. I feel I'm representing generations of my family and I’m so glad to go and say thank you to God for the gift of my family and my faith.”

Dana will not only sing Light The Fire - launched in March at The Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatrick - during Communion, but also the much loved hymn, written by Dana and her husband Damien, Our Lady of Knock.

St Eugene’s Cathedral in Derry was opened and dedicated in 1873, more than 20 years after the foundation stone of the Cathedral was laid in 1851.

A Derry Diocese spokesperson said: “Over the past 150 years many generations of people have celebrated their faith in the Cathedral. It has been both a parish Church and the mother Church of the diocese of Derry. It has been where so many significant moments in people’s lives have been celebrated. It is also where many people come every day to pray.”

As part of the 150th anniversary of the Cathedral Bishop McKeown wore a new vestment at 3pm mass on Sunday April 30th. The vestment was made by Marie Horton, a former shirt factory worker.

Bishop Donal McKeown who recently celebrated his 21st anniversary as Bishop will be present at the mass on May 4th.