On 23rd April 1919, the Presbytery of Route ordained the Rev’d Samuel McCully, B.A. as minister of Bushmills. Mr. McCully, who was only twenty-six years of age, was educated at Queen’s College Belfast and at Assembly’s College. He had been licensed by the Carrickfergus Presbytery in 1918. One of the first decisions made during Mr. McCully’s ministry was to erect a suitable memorial to commemorate those who had served and died in The Great War. It is difficult for subsequent generations to grasp fully the enormous sacrifice which many made during that conflict, not least the disproportionate contribution made by those from the small town of Bushmills, whose most famous son, Robert Quigg was awarded the V.C. for his valour at the Somme. (The Hamill Hall played host to a special civic reception for Sergeant Quigg in 1917). Mr. McCully’s ministry at Bushmills lasted some nine years before he received a call to Warrenpoint in 1928. He retired in 1962 and died on 20th August 1967.
