Reverend to return to North after 26 years

A FORMER Presbyterian minister who came to Cork after fleeing loyalist death threats is to return to his home in the North.

Reverend David Armstrong fled Limavady, Co Derry, in May 1985 after being advised by police that his safety and that of his wife and four children was in real jeopardy.

Rev Armstrong’s life was threatened after he visited his local Catholic Church in Co Derry and befriended the congregation and their parish priest.

The reverend also worked as a prison chaplain in the North where he attempted to get members of the UDA and Provisional IRA to engage with each other.

The cross-church unity and his efforts to foster reconciliation infuriated hardline loyalists and Rev Armstrong was forced to leave for England where he spent the next 15 years before taking up an appointment as a Church of Ireland vicar, serving the Carrigaline and Monkstown area in 2000. “I was born and bred in East Belfast and I’m going back to live in Carrigfergus, Co Antrim. I will be leaving Carrigaline on July 31,” Rev Armstrong said.

“It’s important for me to complete the circle. I need to get back among my own people,” he said.