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Canon Colin Welsh appointed priest-in-charge in Rathcoole and Whitehouse

Monday January 20th 2025

The Rev Canon Colin Welsh.

The Rev Canon Colin Welsh, currently rector of Christ Church, Castledawson, Diocese of Derry and Raphoe, has been appointed priest-in-charge of Rathcoole and Whitehouse.

This is a new partnership in ministry for these two parishes, which comprise St John’s, Whitehouse, and St Comgall’s, Rathcoole.

Colin is married to Anne. They have a daughter Jaimie, son Stephen, and three grandchildren. He began his ministry in Connor Diocese, having been ordained deacon in June 2009 to serve his curacy in St Patrick’s, Jordanstown, where he remained following his ordination as a priest in 2010.

Colin moved to Castledawson as rector 12 years ago. He has been Rural Dean of Maghera and Kilrea for around eight years and was appointed a Canon of St Columb’s Cathedral, Londonderry, in March 2021.

Colin will be coming back to his roots in many ways when he returns to Connor Diocese. He was brought up in St Comgall’s Parish Church where his parents Ann and Drew are still parishioners. He attended youth club in St John’s, Whitehouse, and he and Anne married in St Patrick’s, Jordanstown, where he later spent his curacy.

Colin attended Hopefield Secondary School, leaving to begin work at 16. He worked in forecourt maintenance for 17 years.

He and Anne married in 1989, and four years later they joined the Church of the Good Shepherd, Monkstown. It was here Colin came to faith, encouraged in particular by the ministry of the Rev Geoff Withers, and this set him on the road to ordination.

Speaking of his move to Rathcoole and Whitehouse, Colin said he was ‘apprehensive, but looking forward to it at the same time.’

“We were deep-rooted in Castledawson and thought this was the place to continue our ministry, but we felt God pulling at those roots, telling us our time was up,” he said.

He describes a meeting with the Ven Barry Forde, Archdeacon of Connor, at the Church of Ireland General Synod last May as a ‘God incidence,’ as it was there he heard about the plans for the new partnership between Rathcoole and Whitehouse. Colin said various Biblical texts also spoke plainly to him about the past and the future.

“It is exciting for us and there is also an air of excitement in the parishes,” he said. “This is a new missional area and they key word is ‘missional.’ We are not going to sit on our hands doing the same old thing, and the Bishop has confirmed that he will support any change that has to happen.”

Outside of work and family, Colin is a big fan of Manchester United, he regularly plays five-aside football and enjoys playing the drums and guitar.

A date for the Service of Introduction will be announced in due course.

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