Fr Darach Mac Giolla Catháin is a native of St Michael the Archangel Parish, in West Belfast. He received his primary education through the first Irish Medium School in Belfast at Bunscoil Phobal Feirste, followed by St Oliver Plunkett Primary School and then his secondary education at La Salle Boys’, Belfast. His tertiary education was at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown (Accountancy), Queen’s University of Belfast (Scholastic Philosophy) Gregorian University, Rome (Theology) and Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas {Angelicum}, Rome (Spirituality).
Fr Darach has been involved in Charis Ecumenical Community since its beginnings in 1990. It was here that his sense of vocation began to take root. In 2016 he became a publicly committed lifelong member of Charis, leading a small group each fortnight as well as taking an active role in its prayer meetings and other activities.
Following a Diaconate year in the parish of Upper Mourne (Kilkeel), Fr Darach was ordained to the Presbyterate of Down & Connor in the Church of St Michael the Archangel on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, 13th of May 2000, the first priest ordained for the diocese of Down & Connor of the Third Millennium. He has served in various parishes in Belfast over the last 25 years as curate and Parish Priest. In addition, he has been chaplain to the Deaf community, Chaplain to the Irish Medium Schools, various roles within the Down & Connor Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes and a member of the Permanent Diaconate formation committee.
In the Autumn of 2021, he returned to Rome and his Alma Mater of the Pontifical Irish College to undertake Post Graduate studies in Ecumenism back at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) as well as a course at the Dicastery for the Clergy at the Vatican on the seminary formation of those preparing for Priesthood.
In September 2022 he became a Catholic Chaplain in the Belfast Trust based at the Royal Victoria Hospital, being appointed as Catholic Vice President of the NIHCA in May 2023 and then member of the Healthcare Chaplaincy Board (HCB), a sub-committee of the Irish Episcopal Conference in October 2023.