Church History

History Of Inverkeithing Parish

    The return of Catholicism to Fife was very gradual after the Reformation.  In 1755 there were only 8 Catholics in the whole of Fife.  In the latter part of the century, and during the 19th century, the influx of Irish workers, mostly from the northern counties, swelled the Catholic population.  By 1841 there were over 800 Irish-born residents in Fife, of whom several hundred Catholics lived in the Dunfermline area.

    The first priest to visit Fife was Father Paul McLachlan (1805 - 1883).  His mission, centred in Campsie (Lennoxtown) ranged over a large area, and by 1835 he was celebrating Mass in Dunfermline once a month.  The Catholics from Inverkeithing and North Queensferry used to walk to Mass in Dunfermline, stopping at Masterton to say the Rosary, some feat when you remember that in those days you had to fast from food and drink from midnight if you wanted to receive Holy Communion.   Later, as the Catholic population increased due to an influx of Irish labourers, mostly from Donegal, to work in  the coal-mining industry, and the construction the rail network and the Forth Bridge, Mass used to be celebrated by priests from Dunfermline in various houses, and, on an irregular basis in the cinema in Tintown.  However, eventually it was recognised that the number of Catholics demanded a permanent place of worship, and a plot of land was acquired from the McGrath family at Jamestown where St. Peter in Chains was built in 1913.

      When the new Church and Presbytery were opened in Rosyth in 1926 by Father Dominic Hart, he ministered to the Catholics who lived in Charlestown, Limekilns, Pitreavie, Masterton, Rosyth, Dalgety, Donibristle, Hillend, Church Road and Inverkeithing.  During Canon Thomas Ferrigan’s time as Parish Priest (1931-1962) the development of the Dockyard led to a boundary change, and the area south of Inverkeithing High Street was transferred to the Parish in Burntisland, the coastal line of the Parish now stretching from Kinghorn to North Queensferry.

      After the Second World War, the Catholic population of Inverkeithing increased rapidly, and a site was sought for a more substantial, central Church.  Many sites were considered, including the old Corn Exchange in Hope Street, but it was not until Father Tony McNally’s time (1972-1980), that the present plot in Hope Street was finally acquired, and construction begun in 1976.  The workmen had great difficulty with the foundations, which consisted of very hard stone, constantly breaking the bits of their pneumatic drills, -truly, St. Peter, the Rock!

      The Church was opened for worship in 1977, but Father McNally still had to commute from Burntisland as there was no Priests’ House in Inverkeithing.  No wonder he always seemed to be running!  He had to look after, not only Burntisland, but also Dalgety New Town which was developing about this time.  When Father John Agnew was appointed to Inverkeithing, Burntisland had its own priest.  The Salesians who had helped Father McNally out, moved away from Aberdour.  Father Agnew rented a flat in Hill Street till the Presbytery next door to the Church was completed.  When Father Agnew left in 1989, he was replaced by Father George Rogers, who spent two years at St. Peter in Chains before going to St. Ninian’s in Edinburgh, changing places with Father John McAllister, the present Parish Priest (1991- ).