CHURCH OF IRELAND NOTES
For Saturday 8th July 2000
From: The RCB
Library
Email: RCB Library
New Book on Church of Ireland Records
One of the more remarkable of phenomena in Irish historiography in
recent years has been the upsurge in interest in local history. Often
this is spontaneous and arises from the curiosity of people who have
moved to a new locality, but increasingly it is structured either
through local historical societies or in schools, colleges and
universities.
Central to most local historical endeavours in Ireland is the Church,
which is the only institution to have survived from the earliest times
to the present day. Its longevity combined with its sustained presence
in almost every corner of the country suggests that it is, or has been,
the most profound influence on the development of Irish society.
The Church of Ireland as the lineal descendant, legally at least, of
the Church in Ireland following the Reformation, and, subsequently as
the established Church until the late nineteenth century, has inherited
responsibility for many of the sources which are fundamental to Irish
local history. Records of parishes, dioceses and cathedrals, church
buildings and graveyards, memorials in stone, glass and silver contain
much valuable information not only about local Church of Ireland people
but also the wider communities in which they lived and worked.
In order to make such resources better known a new series of guides
entitled "Maynooth Research Guides for Irish Local History" is
being developed under the general editorship of Dr Mary Anne Lyons from
the history department of St Patrick's College, Drumcondra. The first
guide in this series Church of Ireland Records, which has been
written by the Librarian and Archivist of the Church of Ireland, Dr
Raymond Refaussé, has just appeared. Church of Ireland Records offers
an introduction to the archives and manuscripts of the Church of Ireland
and to the administrative structures which produced these records.
Access to the records, both intellectually and physically, is discussed,
as are problems of interpretation.
Church of Ireland Records is published by Irish Academic Press at
IRŁ9.95 and is available through bookshops.
Today (Saturday) an ecumenical pilgrimage to Taizé,
which has been organized by the Church of Ireland Youth Department
leaves for the south of France. The President of the Youth Department,
Dr Richard Henderson, Bishop of Tuam, is leading the week long
pilgrimage when young adults will take part in 'inter-continental'
groups to explore their faith, their hopes for the future, and the
different culture experiences of the world. The Taizé Community is home
to 120 brothers from Christian Churches all over the world. During the
summer months up to 5,000 young adults from across the globe come
together there to take part in the simplicity of community life.
The St Peter's, Drogheda summer fair will take
place today (Saturday) in St Peter's Close, Peter Street,
Drogheda, to be opened by the new mayor of Drogheda. Funds raised will
go towards the restoration of the church following last year's arson
attack. Also today, In St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, there will be a
lunchtime recital by the Norweigan Student Choral Society.
The ninth biennial conference on Baroque music, which will
commemorate the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach, begins in
Trinity College, Dublin, on Wednesday. The keynote address will be given
in St Patrick's Cathedral on Thursday evening by the Revd Dr Robin
Leaver who is both an Anglican clergyman and a distinguished
musicologist. Dr Leaver's address will concentrate on the theological
aspects of Bach's music and will be followed by a Lutheran service which
will place aspects of the lecture in a liturgical context. The music
will be under the direction of David Adams, Director of Chapel Music in
Trinity College, Dublin.
On Thursday the Western New York Children's Chorus will give a
concert in St Mary's Church, Howth, with the proceeds going to L'Arche
Community in Baldoyle.
Church of Ireland Notes appear in the Irish
Times whose web site may be found at
http://www.ireland.com/ |
