Press Releases
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Saturday 6 December 2104
Lantern slide show of Boer War and Great War images
The RCB Library’s monthly online presentation slot ‘Archive of the Month’ (available at www.ireland.anglican.org/library/archive) concludes for 2014 with a lantern slide show featuring contemporary images of the ‘The Great European War’ and earlier materials from the Boer War which were transferred to the RCB Library from St Patrick’s Deanery, Dublin. A selection of these slides forms part of the Cathedral’s ‘Lives Remembered’ exhibition (see www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/Lives-Remembered.aspx) exploring the Cathedral’s connections to that War and the Cathedral’s solemn tradition of remembering lives lost or affected by war and conflict through its annual Remembrance Services. This is first time however that all 54 slides have been featured online together.
The online slide show speculates how such a collection of slides might have ended up at St Patrick’s, demonstrating how they were used as contemporary educative tools to inform people what was going on in both these conflicts in an otherwise limited visual era.
Other online exhibits in the Archive of the Month slot during 2014 have covered a variety of issues for the decade of commemorations and beyond. They include register transcripts, digital copies of specific collections, handlists and select items from bigger collections, and even a short documentary film about the Great War and ten letter writers from the trenches: The Boys From East Belfast. All are permanently available via the Church of Ireland website.
Does the Church have any relevant role as we journey through a decade of historic commemorations in Ireland? This is the subject of Moving Beyond The Pale; Church and the Decade of Commemorations, by Earl Storey. The publication, and the research behind it, was supported by the Community Relations Council which has been working with a range of partners to explore ways in which communities can come together to revisit and reflect upon the key events that shaped the current cultural and political landscape. As a key part of community life the Community Relations Council believes that Churches have a positive role to play in addressing the issues of our shared history. The book asks whether commemorating events of 1912 to 1922 presents an opportunity or a risk. Whichever of these it is then what values should guide us as we look back? It asks whether the Church now has anything useful to bring to historical reflection, as well as looking at the pressures and opportunities that reflection presents to the Church.
Tomorrow (Sunday) Dr Paula Gooder, who is Theologian in Residence at the Bible Society, will preach in St Fin Barre’s cathedral, Cork. Dr Gooder has been visiting Cork since last Friday. In the Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, the Revd Darren McCallig, will preach at the 10.45am Choral Eucharist on his final Sunday as Church of Ireland Dean of Residence and Chaplain. After seven years in TCD Mr McCallig is moving to Denmark where he will be Chaplain of St Alban’s, Copenhagen, in the Diocese of Europe. Following Choral Evensong at 5pm in St George’s church, Belfast, the Bicentenary Recital Series continues with baritone Tor Alexander accompanied on the piano by Emma Gibbins. In St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, at 3.15pm there will be an Advent Carol Service with readings by RTE’s Bryan Dobson.
On Tuesday evening at 6pm in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, there will be an Advent Quiet Evening lead by the Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory. The Christ Church Cathedral Choir, directed by Ian Keatley, and accompanied by David Bremner, will give a Christmas Concert on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 8pm – booking details at www.christchurchdublin.ie