Church’s fundraising story returns to print after 120 years

A BOOK written more than 120 years ago as part of a unique effort to raise funds for the construction of the Sacred Heart Church in Omagh is being relaunched.

In 1890, Fr JJ McGlade embarked on a five-year journey across the United States and Canada to raise £10,000 towards building the new church.

By the time of his return in 1896, he had met this ambitious target, and the Sacred Heart Church was finally completed in 1899.

However, Fr McGlade’s journey didn’t end there. A decade later, he published a book chronicling his experiences titled Five Years Tour in America.

This book provided a detailed account of the people he met and the places he visited, with special emphasis on emigrants from the parish of Drumragh and neighboring areas, including Dromore, Drumquin, Castlederg, Plumbridge, Strabane, and other parts of
Tyrone.

Now, as part of the church’s 125th-anniversary celebrations, Five Years Tour in America is being republished and is available for pre-order.

A new hardback edition is expected to become a collector’s item when made available in the autumn, given the rarity of original copies, many of which are in poor condition.

l Pre-orders must be placed by Friday, September 6, to secure a copy of this limited edition release, which promises to shed light on an important chapter in Omagh’s history.