Hillsborough Parish Church Clock chimes 4pm with Carillon tune

The Parish Church of St. Malachy, Hillsborough, Co. Down strikes 4pm on a very breezy afternoon. This plays the Westminster Chimes in the key of E major.

This is then followed by an additional hymn played on an electronically operated carillon. This is one of my favourite clock chimes throughout Northern Ireland.

(NOTE: This village of Hillsborough is not to be confused with the suburb of Sheffield where the infamous football disaster occurred in 1989.)

A church has been around the area since the 12th century. The first to be built on the current site was in 1663 and was provided by a bell that was hung from the branch of a tree. The present church was constructed on the old foundations of the previous in the late 18th century.

The church currently houses ten bells. Eight of which were cast and shipped over from England in 1772 with two requiring a recast over a century later. The remaining two were installed back in 1970.

As the Queen's official Northern Ireland residence is in nearby Hillsborough Castle, the bells are rung to mark annual royal events.