Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
National Heritage Week
The annual culture fest which is National Heritage Week is almost upon us and as always presents opportunities for the Church of Ireland to showcase those parts of the national cultural heritage with which it has been entrusted. And so, in churches and cathedrals throughout the country there will be exhibitions, tours, lectures, recitals.
Much of this activity will be intensely local and information will not always seep out into the wider community so it is important to read parish noticeboards and diocesan magazines, check websites, and ask about what may be happening in your locality.
Churches with small local congregations, which are normally open only during the hours of service on Sunday, may, thanks to local volunteers, be open during the week, sometimes with guided tours, presenting opportunities for the wider local communities to learn a little more about their Church of Ireland neighbours. In the larger town churches and cathedrals there may be special exhibitions, visiting lecturers and choral and organ recitals.
National Heritage Week begins on 22nd August so there is still time to plan your visits. The website of the National Heritage Council (www.heritagecouncil.ie) provides a starting point and then think local.
Tomorrow (Sunday) at 11.10am RTE will televise morning worship with the parishioners of Donoughmore, Donard and Dunlavin from Co. Wicklow, accompanied by singers from the Athy Musical and Dramatic Society. The service will be conducted by the Very Revd Dr Philip Knowles who is looking after the parishes during a vacancy.
In St Anne’s cathedral, Belfast, the services will be sung by the Fitzwilliam College Choir, from Cambridge, who conclude a week of residence in the cathedral while in Dublin the Close Chorale will sing the services in St Patrick’s cathedral and in Christ Church the Cathedral Consort will sing at the 11am Eucharist.
On Wednesday the Sundance Trio, from Utah, will give a lunchtime concert in St Mary’s cathedral, Limerick, to which there is free admission with a retiring collection in aid of the Companions of St Mary’s Cathedral Music. They will play again at lunchtime on Friday in Sandford parish church, Ranelagh, where Geralyn Giovannetti (oboe), Christian Smith (bassoon) and Jed Moss (piano) will present a programme of music from the 17th century to the present day.
The next event in the Music in Calary series will take place at 8pm on Friday in Calary parish church, Co. Wicklow, when John Purser, composer, poet and foremost historian of Scottish music, who is a regular contributor to Radio Scotland on classical music, will introduce many of his own compositions. Tickets can be booked by emailing [email protected] or phoning John at (01) 281 8146.
The Revd Stephen McWhirter and his wife, the Revd Jennifer McWhirter, with their daughter Kizzy, who live and work in the parish of Kilmoremoy, Co. Mayo, will be visiting the Diocese of Kajiado, Kenya, over the next few weeks, and will be accompanied on part of the trip by the Bishop of Tuam, the Rt Revd Patrick Rooke.
The Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achrony has been engaging in mission support with Kajiado for the past almost three years and, in particular, has been helping out with the construction and furbishment of a school for Maasai girls. In order to give a flavour of what is happening in Kajiado, and to help supporters get a little bit closer to the project, Stephen will be sending regular ‘posts’ to a new page on the Kaijodo Blog website: http://tuam.anglican.org/kajiado-blog
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’