Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
‘The War is Over’
‘The War is Over’ is the title of the RCB Library’s current ‘Archive of the Month’ on–line presentation. The end of the conflict is reflected through the pages of the Church of Ireland Gazette, especially its issues for 15 and 22 November 1918 and the Library has made both editions available as downloadable PDFs.
Although the guns fell silent on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918, a few people had advance knowledge that the end was imminent. In the town of Enniskillen, the wireless operator at the barracks had managed to intercept the news very early in the morning as he listened to Marshal Foch’s message to the Allied commanders on the Western Front, at 6.45am. This was swiftly communicated to the rector, the Revd Arthur Webb, who arranged for the bells of the parish church be rung to mark the occasion.
Sunday, 17 November, was designated a day of special thanksgiving. So many people attended St Patrick’s cathedral in Dublin, that another service was hastily arranged for the following evening. The chosen Psalms were those that had been sung in all churches following the victory at Agincourt in 1415, the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and also after Waterloo in 1815. These victorious sentiments were balanced by sermon preached by AH McNeile, Regius Professor of Divinity in TCD, who struck a reconciliatory tone, urging that notwithstanding four years of wartime combat, the Germans should be treated as fellow human beings.
The presentation can be viewed at www.ireland.anglican.org/library/archive
Tomorrow (Sunday) the Armagh Diocesan Mission Weekend, which has featured all the bishops of the Church of Ireland, will conclude with a service in St Patrick’s cathedral at 3.15pm. Later, at 6pm, the cathedral will be the venue for the annual Pipers’ Service in connection with the William Kennedy Piping Festival.
The ONE Dublin Student Gospel Music Services will continue this evening (Sunday) in St Thomas’s church on Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin 1, at 7.30 pm. This month’s theme is Remembrance. Music will be led by Rilwon Jaiyeola and the Rebirth Worship Team. The preacher will be UCD Chaplain Scott Evans. Food will be provided after the service.
The Clogher Diocesan Big Sing, which will place at 7pm in St Macartin’s cathedral, Enniskillen, will bring together a number of choirs, music groups and soloists from parishes across the diocese. This first event of its kind in the area will feature a number of popular hymns chosen by readers of the Clogher Diocesan Magazine who responded to the appeal for requests. Among the well–known faces introducing their favourite hymn will include the Bishop of Clogher, the Dean of Clogher, the Very Revd Kenny Hall, and the Leader of the DUP, Mrs Arlene Foster,
The fifth candle–lit film series at Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, will continue on Monday at 6.30pm in the Music Room. Doors open at 6.15pm and no booking is required. Nostalgia for the Light (2011) will be introduced by Kieran Clifford, Campaigns and Activism Manager of Amnesty International.
Next Friday evening in Killeshin parish church, Co. Carlow, the Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory will introduce the Revd Robert Stotesbury as priest–in–charge.
On Saturday 24 November at 8pm in the Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, the Mornington Singers, conducted by Orla Flanagan, will give a concert entitled ‘Libera Me’ – an evening of sublime music on the intertwining themes of mortality and salvation, featuring Pizzetti’s Messa di Requiem and works by Parry, Howells and Tavener.
Published in the Saturday edition of The Irish Times