Northbay St Barr
- Sunday Mass: (Vigil Mass) 6:00pm Craigston, 9:30am Northbay, 11:30am Castlebay
- Mon: No Public Mass, Tues:10:00 am, Eoligarry,Wed:12 Noon Craigston,Thurs:10:00 am, Northbay, Fri:10:00 amVatersay, Sat:10:00 am Castlebay
- Parish Priest: Canon John P. MacKinnon
- Star of the Sea, Castlebay,
- Isle of Barra, HS9 5XD.
- northbay@rcdai.org.uk
- 01871 810267
- www.barracatholic.org
Our church in Northbay is dedicated to St Barr and is situated by the old natural harbour. A nearby island is the home to a statue of the patron saint of the Northbay Parish who is also pictured on the wall of the church porch.
Mary Ceit MacKinnon writes…. In October 1906 St. Barr’s church was completed and the congregation was extremely proud of the building. An article in “The Tablet” of November 1907 captures the joy of the moment: “A new church, under the patronage of St. Barr, has been opened on the island of Barra. People assembled from all parts of the island, as well as Eriskay and distant Mingulay, to assist at the ceremony which was performed by the Bishop of Argyll and the Isles. Near by are the hallowed ruins of St. Barr’s,or Killbarr, where still may be seen the remains of an old altar, and in a recess near the entrance the holy water stoup, which tradition affirms was never known to be without water through the changing years, and times, and creeds ,bearing silent yet eloquent witness of the unchanged faith in Barra. New St. Barr’s, in every way the worthy successor of the old, was filled to overflowing by a congregation of well over 300 people.
