Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
St Patrick’s Gift Day
Unlike cathedrals in some other EU countries Irish cathedrals are not maintained by the state. For the Church of Ireland, which has inherited responsibility for most of the older cathedral buildings, this constitutes a considerable burden. Grant aid may be obtained for some restoration projects and in the case of major conservation undertakings the support of local communities and business has been vital and deeply appreciated, But for the more mundane, but no less important, projects cathedrals have to find ways to raise funds.
In the case of St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, this is done, in part, by the Dean’s Gift Day, which seeks support for a particular project. Last year €24,719 was raised towards providing new railings and gates for the graveyard. This year the Dean is appealing for funds for a replacement chair lift for the south–west porch which will improve access to the building for those with disabilities. The Dean, Dr William Morton, will be in St Patrick’s today from 11.30 until 1pm to talk about this important initiative and receive gifts.
Tomorrow (Sunday) the Friends of St Patrick’s will attend Festal Evensong at 3.15pm when the preacher will be the Dean of Christ Church, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne. A Garden Party will follow.
This morning (Saturday) the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe will speak at Methodist Conference breakfast in Derry.
Tomorrow (Sunday) at noon in Kilfithmone parish church there will be a united service with the blessing of animals for the Templemore union of parishes. In Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, ‘Prayers of Lament, Prayers of Hope’ will take place from 7 to 10.30pm, This will be a space for scripture, prayer, song and silence marking the eve of Refugee Week which runs from 18–24 June. All are welcome to stop for a little while or stay for the whole evening.
The Trebles and Gentlemen of the Parish Choir of St George’s Church, High Street, in Belfast, will perform at a number of events in Paris this summer. Under the direction of Mr David Falconer, the choir will sing at Mass on 30 June at the Notre–Dame–d’Auteuil, on 1 July they will sing the Eucharist at St George’s church in Paris, and on Monday 2 July the choir will perform for Ireland’s ambassador to France, Patricia O’Brien, ahead of a concert at 4pm that day at L’église de la Madeleine. Ahead of their trip, the choir will be holding a Summer Concert at St George’s to celebrate the end of their choir year next Friday evening at 7.30pm. The trebles and gentlemen, accompanied by members of St George’s Chamber Choir will perform music by Bairstow, Duruflé, Finzi, Taverner and more. All proceeds from the evening will go towards the parish funding of their upcoming tour.
At the recent AGM of the Dublin & Glendalough Retired Clergy Fellowship the following were elected to office – Chairman, Canon John Clarke; Hon. Secretary, the Very Revd Dr. Philip Knowles; Hon. Treasurer, the Revd Robert Kingston; and, as promoter of meetings and events, Archdeacon Gordon Linney.
On Saturday 23 June the vocal ensemble, Peregryne, directed by Stuart Kinsella, will sing works by Victoria, Gesualdo, Monteverdi and Lassus in University Church, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin, at 7pm. At the same time, in Trinity College Chapel, the Mornington Singers, directed by Orla Flanagan, will mark their 21st anniversary with a concert which will include music by Byrd, Mendelssohn and Parry as well as more recent works by Irish composers John Buckley, Rhona Clarke, Frank Corcoran and Seán Doherty.
Published in the Saturday edition of The Irish Times