Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Cathedral Archivists meet in Canterbury
Last month the annual one day conference of the Cathedral Libraries and Archives Association was held in Canterbury cathedral where the archivist, Cressida Williams, is a daughter of the Church of Ireland.
Delegates from 29 cathedrals and associated repositories and organizations from England Ireland, Scotland and Wales attended. Regrettably there were only two Irish delegates – Dr Raymond Refausse, from Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, and Ken Bergin, Special Collections Librarian in the Glucksman Library in the University of Limerick. UL has custody of the Bolton Library, previously in the care of the Dean of Cashel, and is taking this new responsibility seriously, recruiting additional staff to attend to the considerable cataloguing and conservation challenges which this collection poses.
But there was much that Irish delegates could have learned. In particular, those from Northern Ireland could have benefitted from presentations on the challenges and opportunities that the National Lottery Fund offer. In this respect the experiences of Canterbury and Rochester cathedrals and York Minster were illuminating. As well, there was much wisdom and practical advice in a reflection on the place of art in cathedrals from the Precentor of Canterbury cathedral, Canon Christopher Irvine.
The CLAA was initially as association of British cathedral librarians but in the 1990s it extended its remit to include archives and more recently opened its membership to Irish cathedrals and repositories which hold Irish cathedral material. And its attraction is likely to be further increased by a change of name to the Cathedral Archives, Libraries & Collections Association – a recognition of the reality that most cathedrals have custody of objects of cultural significance which. as well as being a responsibility, have the potential to promote outreach and mission. Details of CALAC may be had from the Hon. Secretary Judith Curthboys at Christ Church, Oxford (Judith.curthboys@chch.ox.ac.uk).
Tomorrow (Sunday) Dean Philip Knowles will play the organ and accompany the choral group, In Cantorum, at a Songs of Praise service in Castletown church, Co. Carlow, at 3.30pm. Castletown is part of the Killeshin union of parishes where the rector is Canon Peter Tarleton. The Portland Symphonic Girlchoir from Oregon begins an Irish tour when at 6.30pm they sing in East Belfast in St Mark’s church, Dundela. On Tuesday they will sing in St Columba’s church, Kells, Co. Meath, at 8pm, and their tour concludes with a concert in St Columba’s church, Ennis, Co. Clare, on Thursday evening at 8pm. Retiring collections at these concerts will go towards parish funds.
Wicklow Proms and Music in Calary will present ‘Songs of Life, Light & Liberty’ at 8pm on Thursday in Calary Church, Co. Wicklow. This concert consists of songs from the Jeanette MacDonald songbook and Music from the Movies, sung by Sandra Oman (soprano), accompanied by Andrew Synnott (piano), Una O’Kane (violin) and Paula Hughes (cello). Tickets, which are €25, can be booked from John at (01) 2818146 or from derekneilson@eircom.net
The Munster Retired Clergy will meet on Tuesday in Mitchelstown where the Dean of Cloyne, the Vert Revd Alan Marley, will be the speaker.
The Inniskillings Museum will host a free concert in St Macartin’s cathedral and St Michael’s Roman Catholic church, Enniskillen, on Thursday, at 7.30pm, to celebrate the life and work of Great War poet, Corporal Frank Ledwidge who was serving with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Passchendaele in July 1917. At the concert, readers including Enniskillen–born actor Adrian Dunbar will read his poetry and music inspired by his work will be performed by Matthew Murphy and Lauren Coulter.
Published in the Saturday edition of The Irish Times