Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland notes from “The Irish Times”
Saturday 8 October 2011
Huguenots and the Church of Ireland
Next Wednesday evening at 8pm in the Packenham Hall the Friends of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, will have one of their regular events. On this occasion there will be a talk on ‘The Huguenots in Ireland’ and the speaker will be Mrs Annette Camier, who was, for many years, the Honorary Secretary of the Irish Section of the Huguenot Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
The Society has had a long association with St Patrick’s Cathedral and each year, at Evensong, there is an annual commemoration of the Huguenot contribution to Irish life when a member of the chapter or a distinguished academic gives an address. The 2011 commemoration took place last Sunday when the speaker was Dr Jean–Paul Pittion, former Professor in her University of Tours and remembered by many as a lecturer in the French department in Trinity College, Dublin in the 1970s and 1980s.
The institutional links with the Church of Ireland were strengthened when the Society agreed with the Representative Church Body to establish an Irish Huguenot Archive in the RCB Library in Dublin. The collections of printed books, pamphlets, manuscripts, genealogical studies and related ephemera has grown and the Library is a place of frequent resort for those who are interested in the Huguenot refuge in Ireland and, in particular, the families who chose to make Ireland their home.
The newly elected Committee of the Irish Section is working hard to raise the profile and a website is under construction. The new chair is Dr Jane McKee, who has recently retired for the University of Ulster, and information on membership and activities may be had from the Honorary Secretary, Mrs Elizabeth Bickor at [email protected]
The diocesan synod season is in full swing and in the coming week four synods will meet. Today (Saturday) the Meath & Kildare Synod will meet in Wilson’s Hospital, Multyfarnham and the Tuam. Killala & Achonry Synod will meet in the Tuam Synod Hall. The Armagh Synod will meet on Tuesday in the Alexander Synod Hall and the Connor Synod will meet on Thursday in the Braid Centre, Ballymena.
Today (Saturday) at 2pm all past choristers of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, are invited to take part in a rehearsal followed by Choral Evensong at 5pm. During the afternoon elections will be held for a new committee to organize future events and services. Details may be had from Victor Coe at [email protected]
Tomorrow (Sunday) RTE will televise a Service of Creation with the Revd Patrick Burke and the Unity Gospel Choir while on RTE Radio there will be a service of Parish Communion from St Martin’s Church, Templemartin, Co. Cork, with the Ven. Robin Bantry White and the Revd Tony Murphy. In the Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, the preacher at the Choral Eucharist, on the theme of ‘The Questioning Faith’ will be the Revd Katheine Meyer from Christ Church, Sandymount.
The Cork, Cloyne & Ross Clergy Conference begins on Tuesday in Ballylickey and continues until Thursday. The theme will be ‘The Church of Ireland; a Godly Heritage’ and the speaker will be the Revd Dr Adrian Empey.
Next Wednesday morning at 11am the Diocesan Service for Primary and Junior Schools will be held in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, where the preacher will be the Rector of Zion, the Revd Stephen Farrell. At lunchtime Peter Barley will give an organ recital in St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick, which will include a selection from Handel’s much loved Water Music.