Religion
/Collections/Buildings/town-buildings/Church-Of-Ireland)
Today Sunday remains a day of worship, but it is also a time to relax and enjoy ourselves. Not so in nineteenth and early twentieth century Ulster. Sunday observance was generally strict. A story is told of a man who, on Sunday morning began shaving without realising the day. Recollecting himself, he immediately stopped the ‘work’ and is said to have gone to church that day with one side of his face shaven, the other not.
The main Christian churches and smaller denominations represented in Northern Ireland are reflected by the museum collections. These include Bibles and devotional literature, church furnishings and objects, clerical vestments and dress. Archival collections also reflect approaches to religion.
Most people attended church on Sunday. Young children were expected to be on their best behaviour and noisy games were forbidden. Older children were encouraged to read religious books and to support church societies.
Church buildings in the Folk Park in the museum are the Anglican Church of Ireland from Kilmore, Co Down, St John the Baptist’s Catholic church from Co Armagh and the Presbyterian Meeting House, from Omagh, Co. Tyrone.
Link to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum's:
Link to the Ulster American Folk Park's:
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