The minister and priest jointly hosted the visit of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh which marked the first time the British monarch stepped inside a Catholic church on the island of Ireland
A Co Fermanagh Church of Ireland minister and Catholic priest whose churches Queen Elizabeth took an historic walk between in 2012 have been recognised by the King.
Dean of Enniskillen Rev Kenneth Hall and Father Peter O’Reilly jointly hosted the visit of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh which marked the first time the British monarch stepped inside a Catholic church on the island of Ireland.
The clerics have built on the historic moment, hosting joint services between St Macartin’s Cathedral and St Michael’s Church in Enniskillen in contrast to Northern Ireland’s long battle with sectarian division.
Now, they are both being made OBE for services to reconciliation and peace-building, but insist the honour belongs to more than them.
They also visited Buckingham Palace together in October 2012 and Windsor Castle in 2014, for the first state reception for an Irish president in England since Irish independence in 1921.
The clerics continue to facilitate shared services between their churches, with the congregation being invited to cross the street to conclude the service in the other location.
In a joint statement, they said while their names appear in the King’s Birthday Honours citation, they regard the recognition as “belonging to many people across our community who, over many years, have chosen friendship over suspicion, encounter over separation and hope over fear”.
“One of the enduring images of our shared journey has been the simple act of crossing the street between St Macartin’s Cathedral and St Michael’s Church,” they said.
“For us, that has come to symbolise something important: recognising what connects us as well as what distinguishes us.
“We are grateful for the privilege of serving this community and we thank all those who have walked that journey with us and before us.”
Rev Hall and Fr O’Reilly said their immediate reaction to the news of the honour from the King was “gratitude”.
But they reiterated the honour belongs to more than them, describing peace as “never the work of two individuals alone”.
“It is always the work of a community,” they said.
They said they have been privileged to share in many significant occasions together, including the visit of the Queen in 2012, and that of former Irish president Michael D Higgins to Enniskillen in 2015 when he also went into both churches.
The clerics said while those visits attracted international attention, others were smaller and quieter.
“Yet often it is the smaller things that matter most: shared services, community gatherings, remembrance events, youth initiatives and ordinary acts of neighbourliness,” they said.
“One image has come to symbolise much of our shared journey. St Macartin’s Cathedral and St Michael’s Church stand on either side of the main street in Enniskillen.
“People sometimes describe them as being on opposite sides of the street. We have rarely thought of them that way.
“For us, the street is not simply what separates; it is also what connects. It is where people meet, build relationships and share community life.
“That understanding has shaped much of our thinking. We have often said that unity does not have to mean uniformity.
“Reconciliation does not require people to surrender their identity. Together, it invites us to respect one another, honour our differences and work together for the common good.”
Looking back over their journey, Rev Hall and Fr O’Reilly said much of their work has not been about creating a new reality but about “recognising one that already exists”.
“The people of Enniskillen and County Fermanagh already share the same place, the same concerns and, ultimately, the same future,” they said.
“Our role has simply been to encourage and give visibility to the goodwill, neighbourliness and friendship that already exist within this community.”
They added: “Peace does not happen accidentally. It grows through relationships, trust and countless ordinary acts of kindness that rarely attract public attention.
“If this honour means anything, we hope it serves as recognition of all those people across Enniskillen and County Fermanagh who have quietly built bridges, sustained friendships and strengthened community life over many years.
“Whatever contribution we may have made has only been possible because so many others have shared that same commitment.”
The Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, Rev Ian Ellis, expressed delight at the recognition for Rev Hall and Fr O’Reilly.
“Together they have worked tirelessly and courageously for better community and church relationships in Enniskillen and more widely in Co Fermanagh,” he said.
“These honours are richly deserved in acknowledgement of the consistent witness both have given to the gospel of reconciliation.”
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