Father Francis G. McGachey was born in 1973 and grew up in Saint Barbara's Parish, Muirhead. He attended Saint Barbara's Primary School and Saint Ambrose High School, Coatbridge. In 1990 he went to study for the Priesthood at The Royal Scots College, Salamanca in Spain.

He was ordained to the Priesthood in 1997 in his home parish by Bishop Joseph Devine, and then served for eleven years as an assistant priest in Saint Bridget's, Baillieston. During this time he worked as Chaplain to Saint Ambrose High School, Coatbridge for ten years and Master of Ceremonies in the Diocese of Motherwell for nine years.

In 2008 Fr McGachey was sent to Rome for further studies and there he achieved his Doctorate before returning to the Diocese in 2011 to become Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier's, Carfin and Guardian of Carfin Grotto.

In December 2019 he had to stand down from Carfin due to ill health. He then spent some time at St Augustine's, Coatbridge before being appointed Parish Administrator of St Patrick's, Strathaven in October 2021. It was while he was there on 9 July 2022 that he celebrated the Silver Jubilee of his Ordination.

He became our Parish Priest in September 2022 and we wish him many years of health and happiness in St Bride's.