Foundation

St Patrick's parish was founded in 1845 from out "Mother Church", St Margaret's in Airdrie.
This coincided with the Great Famine in Ireland and many of the original parishioners were immigrants who came here in search of a new start in life.

The first Parish Priest of the newly founded parish was Father William Walsh. The first Mass was celebrated in a carpenter's shed in East Canal Street.

Building of the original St Patrick's Church began in 1847 and was opened with a Ceremony of Blessing in 1848. This church remained until 1894, when it was demolished and the present St Patrick's Church was completed on the same site in 1896.