Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from 'The Irish Times'
Saturday 5 December 2009
Dublin Parish Supports Ugandan Hospital
For some years the parish of St Paul’s, Glenageary in Co. Dublin, has been supporting Kisiizi Hospital in Uganda and recently Dr Tonny, the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital and Chairman of its Management Board visited the parish. He attended the Morning Service, talked to the congregation about his work in Kisiizi and the role the new operating theatres will play in the life of the hospital, and met members of the congregation.
Work has started on the site for four new operating theatres which are being funded by Glenageary parishioners. Michael Webb, chairman of the Kisiizi Support Group in St Paul’s, visited the hospital in October to inspect the work and plans for the coming months. He was accompanied by Dave Stanley, a recently retired civil engineer, who was scheduled to remain in Kisiizi for five weeks to supervise the work while the permanent site engineer, David Barrett returned home on leave.
In parallel with the construction of the new operating theatres, St Paul’s has agreed to fund the training of an additional Ugandan surgeon to work in the hospital. The hospital board has selected Dr Robert Mugarura to undergo training as a surgeon. He has completed five years training as a doctor in Mbarara University and has been working in Kisiizi hospital for the past two years. His three year surgeon training will commence in August 2010 at Mbarara University and the parish has promised to provide €11,000 per year for his training and support while in university.
The Irish House on the corner of Wood Quay and Wintavern Street, below Christ Church Cathedral, was a well-known Dublin landmark for almost a century until its demolition in 1968 at the height of the controversy over the development of Wood Quay. For almost 40 years, the stucco art work that decorated the frieze of the building has been in storage but now this important aspect of the Victorian arts and crafts movement by artists William Burnett and James Comerford has gone on display in the Dublin Civic Trust in Castle Street. The works include stucco statues of Henry Grattan and Daniel O’Connell, two advocates of constitutional nationalism – one a member of the Church of Ireland and the other a Roman Catholic – and a famed representation of “Erin weeping on her stringless harp,” which draws together images from Celtic Romanticism and Psalm 137. A new publication to mark this exhibition, The Irish House, Public House 1870-1968, is being launched next Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. in the Dublin Civic Trust by a great-grandson of one of the artists, Canon Patrick Comerford, Director of Spiritual Formation at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute.
On Wednesday morning the Archbishop of Dublin, together Archbishop Martin, will participate in the blessing of a new unit in Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, which will officially be opened by President McAleese and in the evening he will preside at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute’s Advent Carol Service in St George & St Thomas’ Church, Cathal Brugha Street.
The Wednesday lunchtime recital in St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick will be given by organist, Trevor Selby.
In Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on Friday evening at 5.45pm there will be an Ecumenical Prayer Service for the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen. The service has been organized by Christian Aid, Eco Congregation Ireland and Trocaire on behalf of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition. The Archbishop of Dublin will attend and the speaker will be Mrs Mary Robinson.