Press Releases16 Aug 04

New Irish Language Version of the Book of Common Prayer

NEW IRISH LANGUAGE VERSION OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

A one-day conference on Celtic Worship is to take place in Down Cathedral, Downpatrick on Saturday, 18th September to include the launch of Leabhar na hUrnaí Coitinne 2004 - a new translation in Irish by Canon Gary Hastings of the Book of Common Prayer published by Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise ? the Irish Guild of the Church.

The Launch will be at a Service at 5.00 pm in the Cathedral which will include contributions from Scottish and Irish Gaelic choirs.

Leslie Bryan, Honorary Secretary of the Irish Guild of the Church since 1972, said: ?The Church of Ireland has a fine tradition of publishing religious works in Irish, if rather slow and hesitant at first. The decision of Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise to publish an Irish language version of 700 pages has been a bold one. The initial print run will be in the order of 1,000 hardback copies, retailing at ?20 each. Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise has been most generously supported by Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge and the General Synod?s Literature Committee in this venture.?

Two of the chief aims of Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise, founded 90 years ago, are as follows:

To promote all that tends to preserve within the Church of Ireland the spirit of the ancient Celtic Church and to provide a bond of union for all members of the Church of Ireland inspired with Irish ideals.

To promote the use of the Irish Language in the Church.

In 1567, John Carswell?s Foirm na nUrrnuidheadh was published in Edinburgh. This Gaelic translation of the Book of Common Order of the Church of Scotland acted as a catalyst for the future production of Protestant religious texts in Irish. Carswell?s work was not only intended for Scottish worshippers but the several references to Scotland and Ireland together indicates that Ireland was in his sights as well. It was a wakeup call to the authorities in Dublin who in 1571 published Aibidil Gaoidheilge 7 Caiticiosma - an Irish Alphabet and Catechism as a stop gap measure. They did not want the Church of Ireland to adopt the Genevan order. However it was not until 1602 that Tiomna Nuadh ? the first New Testament in Irish appeared, followed by Leabhar na nUrnaithe gComhchoiteann ? Book of Common Prayer in 1608. The above texts and others will be discussed at the conference, jointly organised by an tIontaobhas Ultach, Iomairt Cholm Cille and Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise.

As part of the conference programme, talks will be given by Nicholas Williams on the Irish Language and the Reformation; Ruairí Ó Bléine on the Gaelic Policies of the Protestant Churches in 19th Century Ulster; Seán Ó Duinn on Celtic Christianity: the Irish Language Experience; Angus Peter Campbell, poet, writer and lay preacher on the Scottish Gaelic experience, and Leaslaoi Ó Briain on the Irish Language Guild of the Church of Ireland.

On Sunday, 19th September, An Tor ar Lasadh (?The Burning Bush?) will hold a Presbyterian Service in Irish at 3 pm in Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, University Street, Belfast.