Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Archive of the Month
The latest Archive of the Month on–line presentation from the RCB Library features a collection of papers relating to the foundation and development of the Church of Ireland Divinity Hostel – forerunner to the Theological College, now the Theological Institute in Braemor Park, Dublin.
The idea of a separate institution for the education of Church of Ireland clergy was first mooted by the Archbishop Richard Whately in the 1830s but his plans came to nothing. It was not until 1913 that the Divinity Hostel was opened in Mountjoy Square where ordinands lived and were trained there while they pursued their academic studies in Trinity. By the 1960s, the need for more modernised accommodation emerged, and Fetherstonhaugh House in Churchtown was acquired and opened in 1964.
The story of these developments between the 1830s and 1980 is covered by this collection, and illustrated in the online exhibition. The materials have been prepared by Sean Hanily, an ordinand in the Theological Institute who had a summer placement in the RCB Library. Minute books, correspondence, accounts, examination papers, and the administrative papers of two successive wardens of the Hostel, Michael Ferrar and John Brown, reveal much about theological training in the Church of Ireland and the extracurricular activities of the ordinands.
A full list of the materials, together with background information and a selection of images from the collection, is available at www.ireland.anglican.org/library/archive
On Saturday 15 October in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, the RCB Library will host a seminar, ‘Keeping the Records Safe’, to mark the retirement of Librarian & Archivist, Dr Raymond Refaussé. The speakers will be the Archbishop of Armagh, Bishop of Clogher, Professor Raymond Gillespie (Maynooth), Dr Elizabeth Mullins (UCD), Steven ffeary–Smyrl (IGRS,) Canon Adrian Empey and Dr Kenneth Milne. Details and booking information at [email protected] or 01–4923979.
This evening (Saturday) there will be a fundraising concert by the choir of Christ Church cathedral group of parishes, in All Saints’ church, Phibsborough, at 7.30pm.
Today (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday) the Mission to Seafarers will have Open Days from 2–5pm at the Seafarers’ Centre on Alexandra Road in Dublin Port. The Stanford Festival continues in Dublin with lectures and a song recital in St Stephen’s church today (Saturday) and a Sung Eucharist in the Chapel of Trinity College and Evensong in Christ Church cathedral tomorrow (Sunday).
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning the broadcast service on RTE television will be a Come & Celebrate service with the parish of Rathfarnham. In Carrickmacross the Bishop of Clogher will preach at a Dedication and Harvest Festival Service in St Fin Barre’s church while in St Michael’s church, on Belfast’s Shankill Road, the Very Revd John Bond will be the harvest–tide preacher.
The Dublin & Glendalough Diocesan Synod will meet in Templecarrig School, Greystone, on Tuesday, when the Bishop of Spain and the Bishop of Portugal will be guests.
On Thursday in the Chapel of Trinity College, the Archbishop of Dublin will preach at the introduction of the Revd Steve Brunn as Church of Ireland Chaplain while in the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen, Dr Brian Feeney and Senator Michael McDowell reflect on the 1916 Easter Rising. This is the latest in a series of public events organized to reflect on major events during this decade of historic commemorations. It has arisen out of dialogue between Co. Fermanagh Grand Orange Lodge, the Church of Ireland diocese of Clogher, and Enniskillen Methodists and Presbyterians.
The vocal ensemble, Peregryne, directed by Dr Stuart Kinsella, will sing Compline in St Werburgh’s church, Dublin, at 5.30pm on Friday.
Published in the Friday edition of The Irish Times