The Church of the Holy Family in Derry is situated on an estate named after one of the city's historic place names - Ballymagroarty, which translated in Irish means the townland of the McGroarty family.

One of their most important relics was the Cathach, an ancient psalter believed to have been written by Colmcille - and a copy of the Old Testament psalms. The Cathach comes from the Irish word for battle and it was used as a talisman in battle where it was the duty of the McGroarty clan to carry it when the O'Donnell clan fought.

The McGroarty's remained the custodians of the important book for centuries, but eventually the O'Donnell family themselves took charge of it. In subsequent centuries it was encased in a few different shrines which were either replaced or repaired as and when this became necessary. Domhnaill McRobartaigh of the Court of Kells was responsible for making one of the shrines in the 11th Century.

A contemporary of his was the famous MacRobartaigh - Muredoch who lived in Donegal in the year 1028. He left Ireland at the age of 28 and went to Germany where he settled as a monk for three years at Cologne. Then he was ordained and spent ten years at the Abbey of Fuld.

He died at Mertz when he was 58. On the continent he was known as Marianus Scotus. It is interesting to note then that one of the first housing estates in the Hazelbank area of the parish is named after him - Marianus Park.

This housing estate developed shortly after the time when the Holy Family Church was first opened in Ballymagroarty. Ballymagroarty/Foyle Springs was the only existing area at that time and the Catholic population was around 3500. For three or four years prior to this, after the new housing development was completed the residents of the area did not have easy access to a nearby church.

Therefore, the decision was made to build a new church and make a new and separate parish.

In 1981 Bishop Daly appointed Father Kieran Devlin CC, St Eugene's Cathedral, as Priest-in-Charge of the newly formed parish which he chose to call Holy Family. The name was recognition of the fact that many families had set up home in the area, and it stressed the importance of the family unit and of the parish as one large family.

A central site was acquired and the foundation stone was blessed and laid by Bishop Daly on November 25, 1982 at an open air service. St Eugene's Cathedral Choir, under the expert direction of Donal Doherty, provided the music for the service with some very appropriate pieces of music.

The Holy Family Church was opened and solemnly dedicated by Bishop Daly on Sunday September 25 1983. The occasion was marked by an inaugural Mass at which the Bishop was the principal celebrant, assisted by the priests of both the newly formed parish and neighbouring parishes.

The historic and community occasion coincided with the Jubilee of Our Redemption. On January 16 1983, Pope John Paul II delivered a special message for that year which read: "This is an event that can deeply stimulate the lives of Christians, so that they correspond still more closely to the divine calling which is theirs to become children of God and true brothers and sisters of all, after the model of Christ.

It was hoped at the time that the new Holy Family church would be an instrument to achieving the Pope's vision. As time went by the Catholic population began to rise, with more housing estates sprouting up around the church. One of the most significatn developments was probably the build ing of the Holy Family Primary School.

This opened in 1987 with a roll of 460 children and 16 teachers. The school was officially opened and blessed by Bishop Daly on March 25 1988 shortly after the episcopal ordination of Bishop Lagan, the first Auxiliary Bishop of Derry.

Expansion of the community has meant that the current enrolment in the school is well over one thousand with a staff consisting of the principal and 48 teachers - making it one of the largest primary schools in Derry.

The Parish of the Holy Family Church has consequently, also become one of the fastest growing parishes in the whole of Derry city.