Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
DUFEM in Hong Kong
Two Trinity graduates, Patrick Kennedy and Eoin Kearns, are undertaking a month–long placement in St Philip’s parish, Hong Kong, under the auspices of Dublin University Far Eastern Mission. They have been teaching in the parish schools and participating in a Bible study course. This is the first programme that DUFEM has been able to facilitate since Covid. In addition to their work in the parish they met with all three bishops of the Province, Archbishop Andrew Chan (Western Kowloon), Bishop Mattias Der (Hong Kong Island), and Bishop Timothy Kwok. The rector of the parish, Revd Cindy Kwok, undertook part of her ordination training at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. Patrick and Eoin were interviewed and performed music on Hong Kong national radio station and were entertained to lunch by the Irish Consul General in Hong Kong, Jennifer Bourke.
DUFEM committee member Dr Kerry Houston will be joined by DUFEM London representative, Revd Dr Alan McCormack, at the end of this placement to explore collaborations between DUFEM and the Church in Hong Kong.
Organ recitals at St Fin Barre’s cathedral, Cork, will be held every Friday lunchtime during the month of August. Everyone is welcome and admission on the door is €10. Each will begin at 1.10pm. The series continue today (Friday) when Carole O’Connor from Whitefriar Street Church, Dublin, will play works by Bach, Liszt and Langlais.
On Sunday in St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, the services will be sung by the choir of St John’s Lutheran Church, CT, and the preacher will be the Dean of Limerick, the Very Revd Niall Sloane.
The 2024 Kildare Choral and Organ Festival, which takes place in St Brigid’s cathedral, will mark the 1500th anniversary of the death of St Brigid with a range of performances from acclaimed women musicians in Ireland. The Festival, will this year explore the theme, ‘Women in music honouring Brigid 1500’. It begins on Wednesday at 7.30pm, with an organ recital from Dr Carole O’Connor, organist and choir director of the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Whitefriar Street, Dublin.The second night of the Festival, Friday 23 August, at 7.30pm, will feature a choral performance from the celebrated Irish female vocal ensemble, Dulciana. Since its very inception, part of Dulciana’s mission has been the promotion of music by female composers, both those neglected by history, and those currently making history. They are particularly firm supporters of contemporary female Irish composers.
The closing night of the Festival, on Wednesday 28 August, at 7.30pm will feature Tatiana Konina on organ and Aoise O’Dwyer on viola. Tatiana is the Director of Music and Organist of Christ Church, Bray, and Aoise is a violist, music educator and orchestral musician from Tullamore, Co. Offaly.Tickets can be purchased online on Eventbrite or at the door on the night of the concerts. Further details may be had at https://stbrigidscathedral.com
Published in the Friday edition of The Irish Times