Temple Cooey and St Cooey’s Wells.

The early Christian period covers from 400 AD to the 12^th Century, and the progress of life in the region is well represented by the progression of churches.  The arrival of Christianity is usually associated with St Patrick and the argument as to exactly where he landed is still unsettled.  Local tradition puts it on the Portaferry side of Strangford Lough, however there is no evidence that Patrick ever visited the area.

St Cooey’s Oratory.

St Cooey’s Oratory was opened on 29th June 1968.
Prior to this date Mass was celebrated in a small Oratory in St Patrick’s Hall.
Two shops in the Square and a house in Church Street were purchased by Fr Patrick McAlea PP Portaferry to provide a site for the Oratory. The site was completed by donations of rear gardens by Jeannie Convey, Gerard Baird, Alec and Jean McCartney.

The present Church of St Patrick was built in 1762 by the Rev James McTeggart to replace the old ‘Mass House’.
The church ran parallel with the road, the altar being at the north gable and the main door being at the south gable.