A lot of hard work and planning had gone into this venture and many parishioners and visitors joined together to celebrate this event.

Victoria Speers opened the proceedings with a gospel reading followed by church warden Winston Donnelly inviting Canon and Mrs Moore to open the hall.

Mrs Valerie Porter, church warden, then asked his grace the Archbishop of Armagh The Most Reverend A.E.T.Harper to dedicate the hall and fittings.

During the special service in the hall the Reverend Barry Paine reminded everyone of the significance of the date 9/11.

Praise was led by the choir who sang the anthem “Any Dream Will Do” and a short inspirational address by the Archbishop was followed with prayers by Callum Gilfillan and Clare Cowden. After the blessing and when the platform party were seated, Reverend Barry Paine thanked former Rector Harry Moore for all the encouragement and support he had given the hall committee during the past few years and the help he had given them to overcome many of the obstacles along the way.

Hall Committee chairman Jim McCollum was then asked to address the assembled gathering and he gave a very comprehensive report on the reasoning behind building the hall on this particular site and said the hall was not only an extension of the parish church but also a new facility for the village of Coagh to welcome other members of the community as a place of friendship.

He went on to thank the many organisations and members of the public for their donations and support in attending fundraising events and also the companies who donated building materials for the new hall.

Gifts of flowers were then presented by Emma Halliday, Emily Crooks and Adam Gates with Simon Paine presenting a gift to the Archbishop.

Jim McCollum then gave the Reverend Harry Moore a stainless spade to remind him of the day he cut the first sod for the new church hall.

A delicious supper was then served by the ladies of the parish, and a safe journey home was wished to all.