Our History & Team

Our Story

It all started when a small Presbyterian Church in the North Dublin town of Malahide became too big for its building.  

In God's kindness, the church family there had outgrown their premises and, instead of redeveloping, they felt God asking them to start a new church in the town of Donabate, where five or six of their existing families lived.

Under the vision of Gary Millar (the minister in Malahide at the time) and the elders, Andy Carroll was called to start the new church in Donabate. Weekly services at the Donabate Portrane Community Centre started on 14 November 2010.  

In the early days, there were a few dozen people who came along. Now there are over 200 people who are part of our church community.

Few of us are from a Presbyterian background. We come from all kinds of religious, educational, social and ethnic backgrounds, brought together by God’s love.

Whatever your background, you are welcome!

Our Team of Elders

‘Presbyterian’ comes from the Greek word ‘presbuteros’ which, in the New Testament, is the word that is used for ‘elder’. It points to the fact that our churches are led not by a single person but by a group of people who are elected by the congregation and then ordained by our wider church, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

  • Minister (Bible teacher & pastor)

    Andy is our minister - that's what we call our full-time teacher and pastor. He is from Glasnevin in Dublin and is married to Victoria. Andy didn't grow up going to a church but became a Christian when friends of his invited him to their church. He loves trying to help people understand God and the Bible. He enjoys going for dinner with Victoria. He's more passionate about Liverpool FC than a man of his age should be.

  • As well as being an elder, Darren is the church Treasurer.  While growing up in Greystones, he regularly attended church but has had many ups and downs over the years as a Christian. He is married to Tracey and they have twins, Emily and Ben.  Darren has taken up triathlons in an attempt to maintain some level of physical fitness and his family have shown great patience as they wait for him to cross the line behind most of the rest of the field.

  • Nathalie was born in Mauritius, grew up in South Africa, and in 2001 she and her husband Damian moved to Ireland. They have three children, Daniel, Jessica and Ben, and have been living in Donabate for the last 14 years. Nathalie and her family have been involved in DPC since it first started up and were so delighted to find and join a wonderful church community on their doorstep. Nathalie loves to spend time with her family, read, walk the dog, meet friends for a cappuccino and play the guitar.

  • Nina is one of our elders and is married to Tim, another of our elders. She lives in Portrane with Tim and their son, Ben.  Nina comes from Co. Antrim but has lived in Donabate/Portrane for over 20 years.  Nina has been involved in DPC since it started and loves seeing what God is doing in the lives of people in our church and community.  

  • Tim is an elder and is married to Nina, who is also an elder. Tim has been a Christian for roughly half a century, having had the blessing of Christian parents who trusted God and raised him to put his faith in Jesus Christ. Tim and Nina have one son, Ben, and all three enjoy sports of various kinds. Tim is a keen cyclist, enjoys skiing, and does the Newbridge Park run regularly.

  • Ingrid grew up in Co. Down, moved to Dublin for college, married a Dub and stayed! She has been part of DPC from the beginning and has been thrilled and amazed to see all that God has done to grow and bless Donabate’s local faith community. She is a teacher of French and Spanish in Donabate Community College and feels very privileged to be involved in the lives of so many local teenagers. Home life with her husband Bruce and five children is always interesting and evolving, with lots of laughter and debates over the dinner table. Ingrid loves hot coffee, talking about French grammar, teaching the Bible and going for walks with a great podcast for company.

  • David is married to Evelyn and lives in Portmarnock. With four children and two grandchildren, life is rarely boring! Having spent much of his youth on holidays in Donabate where his father owned a caravan park, David is delighted to be again reunited with this beautiful part of north county Dublin. Retired from business, David loves working in many different ways as a volunteer. Also, freed up from business, he has the opportunity of pursuing theological training that engages head, heart and hands leading to practical application of Biblical truths in modern Irish life.

  • Bruce loves living in Donabate, the day-trip destination of his youth while growing up in Tallaght. He has been part of DPC since its infancy and is excited to see God at work, building a community and enriching the communities in which we live and work. He enjoys the hustle and bustle of family life with his wife Ingrid and their five children. Perhaps as a consequence of a very sporty house, he spends much of his free time on the sidelines of GAA, football & hockey pitches, supporting his kids’ teams in the local clubs.

Our Committee

We also have a committee who help on a voluntary basis with many practical and social aspects of church life, including taking care of resources and planning special events. Members are selected from among the congregation by the congregation and elders. The current committee members are (left to right): Mark Kinsella, Johnny Bryans, Bláithín O’Donnell, Felicity Maxwell, Stephan Bueck (chair), George Mainas, and (not pictured) Michael Tracey.

Our Wider Team

In addition, our church employs a few staff who help in the week-to-week operations of the church and assist with administration, care, and Sunday services.

  • Assistant Minister, Balbriggan

    Josh is the pastor of our sister church in Balbriggan. He is married to Kathryn and they have two boys, Danny and Joseph. Josh became a Christian as a teenager and since then has discovered incredible hope and meaning in following Jesus. He loves Balbriggan and how friendly and down to earth everyone is. Josh enjoys going for walks with his family down by the beach, learning BJJ and playing the guitar. He is thankful to God for bringing them to live in this beautiful place!

  • Administrator

    Ann is the church's part-time administrator. She has four grown-up kids: James, John, and twins Deborah and Rebekah. She's from Dublin and now lives in Rolestown. Ann became a Christian in her late teens and has seen God's kindness to her over some tough years as a single parent. She loves reading, walking, gardening, spending time with friends and she's currently studying for a masters in theology.

  • Ministry Workers

    Scott and Becca moved to Ireland from the United States in 2019 with their son Lewis, and since moving to Ireland their family has grown to four with the arrival of Aela. Both Becca and Scott trusted in Christ at an early age, and their own relationships with God have been the one constant through the ups and downs of life. They love helping people discover just how beautiful God is and how much He loves us. Scott and Becca enjoy cooking together, learning new languages, and exploring this new island they call home.