Irish Times Notes12 Oct 19

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

Armagh Library Events

Armagh Robinson Library and its collections are a monument to the Enlightenment, that movement of empirical and philosophical enquiry which is at the foundation of our understanding of the world today. Among its holdings, the Library has works on the horticultural and agricultural advances for which the eighteenth century became famous, and which foreshadows the continuing development of agricultural science. Yet, within seventy–five years of the Library’s foundation, Armagh, like the rest of Ulster and all Ireland was gripped by a catastrophic famine, unique in the history of nineteenth–century Europe, whose legacy in Irish consciousness, and even in the Irish landscape, persists to this day.

It is appropriate, therefore, that the Library should host an evening entitled ‘Remembering Want in our Past: Confronting Hunger Today’ as part of the One World Festival promoted by CADA, the Coalition of Aid and Development Agencies (NI). The memory of the Famine in Armagh is an enduring challenge to address the realities of poverty, hunger and environmental degradation on a global scale today.

The speakers will include D. Francis Costello, whose talk will cover the impact of the Famine in Armagh and throughout Ulster as well as its relevance in confronting hunger today.  Dr Glenn Denning, Professor of Practice at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, will speak on what is needed to achieve a food–secure world by 2050. Marie Abbott, Chairperson of Self Help Africa, will speak on ‘Developing Food Security for Rural Farmers and Communities’.

The event begins next Thursday evening at 6.30pm. Tickets are free but intending participants should register at admin@armaghrobinsonlibrary.co.uk

On Friday the Armagh Robinson Library will host a day conference on ‘History, Preservation and Use of Religious Libraries in Ireland’. There will be several contributions on Church of Ireland libraries. Niall Burns (Head of Special Collections, Ulster University) will speak about the Derry & Raphoe Diocesan Library, Barbara McCormack (Special Collections Librarian, Maynooth University) will discuss the library of St Canice’s cathedral. Kilkenny, Ken Bergin (Head of Special Collections & Archives, University of Limerick) will speak about the Bolton Library from Cashel, and Kieran Cronin (Deputy Librarian, WIT) will discuss the library of Christ Church cathedral, Waterford.

The conference is free to attend (or £10 to have lunch). To reserve a place please email director@armaghrobinsonlibrary.co.uk or telephone 048/028 3752 3142.

This afternoon (Saturday) at 2pm, in the context of the Dublin Festival of History, Dr Michael O’Neill will lead a walking tour of Dublin’s Church of Ireland churches. The tour is free but intending participants should register here.

Tomorrow (Sunday), the Very Rev John FA Bond, sometime Dean of Connor, will preach at Harvest Services in The Church of the Holy Name, Greenisland, and in All Saints’, Eglantine.

On Tuesday afternoon, in the context of the Carleton Sumner School in the Valley Hotel, Fivemiletown, Co. Tyrone, the Bishop of Clogher will speak on ‘Disestablishment: What have we made of it?’

On Thursday morning at 11am the Dublin & Glendalough Diocesan Primary Schools Service will be held in Christ Church cathedral where the Archbishop of Dublin will preside. 

In St Columba’s church, Ennis, on Friday evening at 8pm the Bishop of Limerick & Killaloe will introduce the Revd Kevin O’Brien as Priest–in–Charge of the Drumcliffe union of parishes with Kilnasoolagh. Mr O’Brien was ordained in 2001 and served as an assistant curate and school chaplain before becoming Chaplain to the Bishop of Europe in 2006. Since 2010 he has been Vicar of St John the Evangelist, Burgess Hill, in the Diocese of Chichester.