Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from 'The Irish Times'
Saturday 17 July 2010
Kilmore Cathedral Celebrations
This weekend the 150th anniversary of the consecration of St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kilmore, will be celebrated. This evening (Saturday) here will be a Praise Service with the cathedral and diocesan choirs and singers Linda Lindsay and Colin Elliott. Tomorrow (Sunday) there will be a Festival Service at 4pm at which he preacher will be the Bishop of Kilmore, the Rt Revd Ken Clarke.
The foundation stone of the cathedral was laid by Lady Farnham in the summer of 1858 and the building was consecrated by the Bishop of Kilmore, Marcus Gervais Beresford, on 17 June 1860. The new cathedral was designed by William Slator, a London based architect, who was prominent in the gothic revival. Kilmore was his first Irish commission and his designs were exhibited at the Royal Academy Exhibition in 1858. He was subsequently involved with the restoration of St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick and the building of Christ Church, Bray, St Mary's Church, Belfast and St Patrick's Church, Ardragh, Co. Monaghan.
The old cathedral, described with wonderful economy in Samuel Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland a ‘a small ancient structure , having at the entrance a richly sculptured Norman doorway, removed from the abbey of Trinity Island, in Lough Oughter', was deemed by the middle of the nineteenth century to be inadequate for the needs of the then populous rural community. It was agreed that a new cathedral should be built under the auspices of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and that the old cathedral should be demolished. Fortunately, through the generosity of the bishop, the old building was saved and today it is used as the parochial hall.
Today Kilmore Cathedral, where the dean is the Very Revd Raymond Ferguson, continues to be the centre of the diocese and with Ballintemple is a vibrant parish group.
This afternoon (Saturday), beginning at 2pm, there will be a Garden Fete in the grounds of St Patrick's Church, Donabate, with music from the St George's Brass Band. A Flower Festival in Clonbeg Church, in the Glen of Agherlow, which was opened last night (Friday), continues until tomorrow when there will be a closing service at 7.30pm at which the special guest will be Fr Liam Lawton.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning the preacher at the Eucharist in St Bartholomew's Church, Dublin, will be Bishop Samuel Poyntz. In Castletown, Co. Carlow, where the rector is the Revd Olive Henderson, there will be a Songs of Praise Service at 3.30pm with the Dean of Cashel, Dr Philip Knowles, as guest organist. At 4pm the Annual Outdoor Service at Clonmacnoise will begin. The music will be provided by the choir of Kildare Cathedral, directed by Derek Verso, and the preacher will be the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy. A collection will be taken up for Protestant Aid.
On Wednesday evening, beginning at 7pm, the Ardamine Union Summer Bazaar will be held in the Riverchapel Community Centre. At the same time the Friends of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, will host a talk on the British National Archives at Kew in the Lady Chapel. The speaker will be the military historian, Conor Dodd of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association.
In Casteltownshend, west Cork, the St Barrahane's Church Festival of Music begins on Thursday evening at 8.30 pm and recitals will continue until 19 August. The festival will be opened by the Dean of Ross, the Very Revd Christopher Peters, and the first recital will be given by Christopher Marwood (cello) and Jan Cap (piano).