The RCB Library, in conjunction with the Dean & Chapter of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, is collaborating with the ambitious VOICES Project which aims to recover the lived experiences, of ‘ordinary’, non–elite women in early modern Ireland – voices that were up to now largely ignored or underrepresented in Irish history. 

The five–year European Research Council project, led by Professor Jane Ohlmeyer, from Trinity College Dublin, will offer a new narrative of early modern Ireland, placing women’s perspectives at the centre of Irish history. It will revolutionise our understanding of the history of women in early modern Ireland. It will also provide important insights into how history repeats itself over time and across geographies and how women’s experiences of social upheaval, civil war, extreme trauma and sexual violence have been politicised.

The RCB Library holds the early modern records of St Patrick’s Cathedral which document significant social and economic developments in the city and county of Dublin, and beyond relevant for this period. The project which runs until August 2027, will focus on the integration of recently catalogued records of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, within the wider Cathedral archive. It will pay close attention to the collection of property and legal records of the Cathedral during the early modern period, particularly pertaining to lease holdings by women.

Sunday is designated as Bible Sunday. The  Bible Society Northern Ireland and the National Bible Society of Ireland are associated mission societies of the Church of Ireland.

In St Patrick’s cathedral. Armagh. the next organ recital  will be held on Sunday  at 4.15pm.  The recitalist will be the Ven. Peter Thompson who will play works by Buxtehude, JS Bach, William Walton and Louis Vierne.  Admission is free, with donations to the Armagh Diocesan Singers, which will be matched by the Cathedral Board in appreciation of Archdeacon Thompson’s work and the valuable contribution that the Armagh Diocesan Singers make to the choral tradition on the Hill of Armagh. The next recital will be given by Canon Martin White on Sunday 22 November

In Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on Tuesday theInternational Christian Maritime Association will hold an Ecumenical Prayer Service 

Monkstown Parish Church is holding  a series of Wednesday lunchtime recitals at 1.10pm until 4 November. Admission is free and donations will be divided between the performers and the church. Further details from hildungan1@hotmail.com

Elsewhere in  Dublin, the annual Art Sale and Exhibition in St Philips’s church. Temple Road, Dartry, opens on Thursday at 2pm and continues on Friday (10am – 6pm), Saturday (10am –  pm) and Sunday (12.30pm – 4pm). The sale catalogue is available online from Thursday at 2 pm. (https://sandford.dublin.anglican.org/)

Canon Garth Bunting has been appointed as Rector of the Holmpatrick group of parishes in the Diocese of Dublin based in Skerries and including Balbriggan & Kenure He is currently Rector of Drumcondra, North Strand & St Barnabas. The service of Institution will take place on 24 November.

The autumn issue of the Church of Ireland journal, Search, edited by Canon Ginnie Kennerrley, is out..

Last month’s resignation of an AI supremo, with his announcement that Artificial Intelligence, if not forcefully regulated, could result in the extinction of humanity, makes the leading article by Linda Hogan urgently topical. Stringent control of AI development is needed without delay. Professor Hogan lists the vital ethical demands needed for its immediate regulation.

 ACC–19, the triennial gathering of the Anglican Communion was hosted by the Church of Ireland in Belfast in the summer; but mutual respect between Anglicans of different cultural traditions was noticeable, as an article by Archbishop John McDowell illustrates, even though definitive agreement on its key topic did not ensue.

The new Dean of  Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin the Very Revd Tom O’Brien, known as both a devout Christian and a dynamic manager, commits himself in this issue to leading a Christ–centred cathedral in inspiring worship and the service of the community around it.  The cathedral’s Precentor, Canon Roy Byrne has penned a  tribute to the previous Dean, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, who has retired. Christ Church is also featured in a meditation on walking the cathedral labyrinth by Canon Albert Ogle who has recently returned from many years of ministry in the USA.

Ordained Local Ministry, Safeguarding developments and the response of different churches in the USA to Donald Trump’s initiatives, have all been talking points over recent months, and these are helpfully covered in this issue by three distinguished clergy– Dr Chris Mac Bruithin of CITI, the Revd David Bowles of Whitechurch parish, Dublin, and Dr Kevin J Moroney of New York, who served as chaplain and lecturer in CITC at the turn of the century.

Finally Iva Beranek, known to many for her work with the Church’s Ministry of Healing, explores the spiritual and emotional life of C.S.Lewis.

Subscriptions  to Search may be renewed, new ones take out and individual copies  ordered at [http://www.search,journal]www.search,journal, org

Tomorrow (Saturday) morning the Archbishop of Dublin will preside at the Dublin & Glendalough Diocesan Synod Service in St. Philip’s church, Milltown, and following the service he will chair the Diocesan Synod in Alexandra College. In the Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny, the Bishop of Cashel,  Ferns & Ossory will preside at the Diocesan Synod while the Bishop Of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe will be similarly occupied in the Woodstock Hotel.  On Tuesday a service of Holy Communion in St Patrick’s cathedral will precede the Armagh Diocesan Synod in the Alexander Synod Halal where the Primate will preside and on Wednesday the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe will preside at the Diocesan Synod in the Everglades Hotel.

Monkstown Parish Church is holding  a series of Wednesday lunchtime recitals at 1.10pm until 4 November. Admission is free and donations will be divided between the performers and the church. Further details from hildungan1@hotmail.com

In an exciting development, the RCB Library, in conjunction with the Dean and Chapter of St Patrick’s Cathedral, is collaborating with the ambitious VOICES Project which aims to recover the lived experiences, of ‘ordinary’, non–elite women in early modern Ireland – voices that were up to now largely ignored or underrepresented in Irish history. 

The five–year European Research Council project, led by Professor Jane Ohlmeyer, School of Histories and Humanities, Trinity College Dublin, will offer a new narrative of early modern Ireland, placing women’s perspectives at the centre of Irish history. It will revolutionise our understanding of the history of women in early modern Ireland. It will also provide important insights into how history repeats itself over time and across geographies and how women’s experiences of social upheaval, civil war, extreme trauma and sexual violence have been politicised.

The RCB Library hosts relevant records for the period – not least the parish registers – but also the Early Modern records of St Patrick’s Cathedral which document significant social and economic developments in the city and county of Dublin, and beyond relevant for this period.

The VOICES team has recently welcomed Michael Flaherty, who completed an M.Phil in Early Modern History at TCD and has already utilised a wide variety of the sources available in the RCB Library. Liaising closely with Dr. Susan Hood (RCBL Librarian & Archivist) and the VOICES Project, Michael will research women in the records at the Library.

The project which runs from September 2026 to August 2027, will focus on the integration of recently catalogued records of St. Patrick’s Cathedral (RCBL C2.10), within the wider Cathedral archive. It will pay close attention to the collection of property and legal records of the Cathedral during the early modern period, particularly pertaining to lease holdings by women.

Launching the collaboration,  some of the VOICES team visited the Representative Church Body Library where Michael presented the array of valuable material available such as leases and rentals where women feature as tenants and occupants of property.

Further information about the visit is available on the voicesproject.ie website and through this link (click here)

The autumn conference of the Church of Ireland Historical Society will be held in the Hamilton Building, Trinity College Dublin tomorrow (Saturday).

In the morning session, beginning at 11am,  writer, Julie Parson, will speak on  ‘”People like us”, my Church of Ireland family. Adventurers, Cromwellians, clergy, doctors, shop keepers, tenant farmers, soldiers and musicians. An exploration of identity and belonging.’ At 12 noon Cormac Allen will investigate the ecclesiastical oeuvre of the architectural practice of John Semple and Son, and in particular the constructional techniques employed in Semple’s four corbel–vaulted churches at Killeshin (1825–26), St Kevin’s Chapel of Ease Rathmines (1826–28), Abbeyleix (1828–30) and St Mary’s Chapel of Ease aka the Black Church (1828–31).

The afternoon session will begin at 2.15pm when TCD theologian, Dr Andrew Pierce, will speak on ‘George Tyrell (1861–1909): “The Travails of an Irish Gentleman in Search of Religion”’. The conference will conclude with  Bridget Pierce’s paper on  ‘The 1926 Prayer Book of the Church of Ireland: Doctrine, Devotion and Duty’. 

In a busy week, the Archbishop of Dublin will preside at the Meath & Kildare Diocesan Synod Service and chair the Meath & Kildare Diocesan Synod in Dunboyne tomorrow (Saturday) while on Monday he will chair a meeting of the Electoral College for Meath & Kildare which will seek a successor to Bishop Pat Storey. In between these engagements Dr Jackson will  preach at the Kilternan Bicentenary Service on Sunday morning, On Tuesday evening he will institute the Revd Mike Buchanan as incumbent of Tullow Parish at Tullow parish church and on Thursday afternoon he will preside at the Diocesan Schools Service in Christ Church Cathedral.

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh, Dr Ferran Glenfield, will preside at the Diocesan Synod in the Landmark Hotel while in Bandon Grammar School the new Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross, the Rt Revd Andrew Orr, will preside for the first time at the Diocesan Synod.

The final recital in the autumn series of organ recitals in St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, will be held on Sunday at 7pm when the recitalist will be the cathedral’s organist, David Leigh.

Monkstown Parish Church is holding  a series of Wednesday lunchtime recitals at 1.10pm from 7October to 4 November. Admission is free and donations will be divided between the performers and the church. Further details from hildungan1@hotmail.com

Four new ordinands have been  commissioned as Student Readers at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. Natasha Coombes Liddle (Armagh), Andrea Black (Dublin and Glendalough), Laura McIvor (Armagh) and Eric Hughes (Dublin and Glendalough) were commissioned by Archbishop Michael Jackson during the weekly Community Eucharist. They are among seven ordinands who have embarked on their first year of study in CITI this year. The students were presented for licensing by the Revd Dr Chris MacBruithin. Student Readers are called to lead worship, proclaim the word of God and assist in the distribution of Holy Communion.

Peter is the Assistant Organist at the Cathedral and familiar with playing the Cathedral’s organ.  Speaking ahead of his recital, Peter said, “I am really looking forward to the next recital in Armagh. Choosing repertoire for a recital is always a fun process, balancing varieties of styles and sounds, creating something which will captivate and excite the audience.”

Peter continued, “For this recital I’ve chosen to start with what is arguably Buxtehude’s most recognisable work, the great ‘Praeludium inC‘, which showcases both a master improviser at work, and also his skill in strict and free counterpoint. I’m going to follow that with a set of chorale variations written by Bach in his student days, as he explores the possibilities of turning a simple hymn tune into a musical tour de force.

An arrangement of three pieces from William Walton’s music written for the film ‘Richard III’ in 1955 will lead into two pieces by the French master, Louis Vierne: an ‘Arabesque‘ and his iconic ‘Final’ from the first organ symphony, which reveals the glory and majesty of the wonderful Cathedral instrument.”

The Director of Music, Dr Stephen Timpany added, “As a regular player of the Cathedral’s organ, Peter knows all its colours and sounds intimately and his imaginative and varied programme will be a treat for the listener.”

The recital will last forty minutes and all are welcome to attend.  Admission is free, with donations to the Armagh Diocesan Singers, which will be matched by the Cathedral Board in appreciation of Archdeacon Peter Thompson’s work and the valuable contribution that the Armagh Diocesan Singers make to the choral tradition on the Hill of Armagh.

The next recital will be given by Canon Martin White on Sunday 22 November 2026 at 4.15pm.

Speakers

• Dr Scott Brown, retired GP and Professor of Primary Health Care. Scott has been involved with stress reduction initiatives among family doctors, clergy and other professions.
• Rev Cathy Hallissey, Rector of Powerscourt & Kilbride, D&G
• Rev Peter Lyle, Ballyholme Presbyterian Church, Bangor, Co Down
• Canon Andrew Sweeney, Rector of St Patrick’s, Ballymoney, (Connor)
• Rev James Hyndman, 1st Coleraine Presbyterian Church, Co Derry
• Richard Hannah, a former teacher working in management for a Scottish ICT company. He also runs his own company, Rich Performance, providing executive, leadership and motivational coaching to business, professional and sports personnel.

All of the speakers have professional and personal experience of dealing with challenges and stress in ministry and other professions.

Booking

Please return the attached booking form which contains the opportunity to suggest issues you would like to have covered. Manresa Retreat Centre has single, ensuite rooms, overlooking Dublin Bay and sits in pleasant gardens.

Booking form

There are 30 places on the programme. 

Send the filled registration form to: Linto.John@rcbcoi.org

NO REGISTRATION FEE

Booking Closes: 06 November 2026

Representatives of the judiciary, departments of state, diplomats, lawyers, An Garda Siochana, the Defence Forces and the Prison Service gathered in the Parish Church of the Law Courts for the annual service over which Archbishop Michael Jackson presided.

Clergy who took part in the service included the Vicar, Archdeacon David Pierpoint, the Deans of Christ Church and St Patrick’s cathedrals, the Very Revd Tom O’Brien and the Very Revd William Morton, Prison Service Chaplain the Revd Alan Rufli and the King’s Hospital Chaplain Canon Peter Campion along with Diocesan Reader Beatrice Somers.

As is tradition, the choir of the King’s Hospital School, under the direction of Ciaran Kelly, sang at the service, providing the uplifting introit and the anthem, despite their fellow schoolmates having a day off. The parish organist Dr Ronan Conroy accompanied the hymns.

Introducing the service, the Vicar Archdeacon David Pierpoint prayed for all who uphold the law of the land; for all who enter the courts that they may see justice being done; and for wisdom for those who care for the downcast in society. He also prayed that those present be beacons of truth and hope and for the safety of all who keep the peace at home and overseas.

In the context of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the address was given by Rory Montgomery. He was Permanent Representative (Ambassador) of Ireland to the European union from 2009 to 2013 and also Ambassador of Ireland to France (2013–2014) and Second Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach (2014–2016) and Foreign Affairs and Trade (2016–2019).

Mr Montgomery looked at the growth and development of the European Union and examined whether the Judeo–Christian and Graeco–Roman influence on the foundation of the EEC continued to be reflected in its morals and values today.

“The acid test, however, must be whether in its actions Europe acts, however imperfectly, in accordance with its values. I will look briefly at five issues.  They demonstrate, I think, that the Union is still guided by its values and seeks to act in accordance with them. But defining what this should mean in practice, and manoeuvring through political, diplomatic and financial challenges, is really difficult and often falls well short of the ideal,” he said.

The areas he explored included an example where broad consensus can be blocked by a small minority; where values underpin an agreed objective but there are differences on how to achieve that objective (for example development aid); where values can conflict with hostile public opinion (for example migration); where values can be pitted against necessity (for example the EU originated as a peace project but is now developing its capacity to defend itself); and finally he asked what if there is a strong feeling that the Union is not upholding its values at a crucial time (for example in relation to Israel and Palestine).

Mr Montgomery concluded: “Remaining rooted in and guided by values and principles is  enormously demanding. Political, diplomatic,  economic, strategic and social considerations all bear heavily on governments and legislators. Inevitably this can lead to actions which depart from eloquently–expressed values. But it is always necessary to balance the real and the ideal, interests and principles. Indeed different values can need to be weighed against one another. But the answer is surely not to give up and say that our values are worthless and empty formulae which have no practical meaning. I believe that European leaders, parliamentarians, churches, lawyers, civil servants and the public as a whole are deeply attached to them: the challenge is to navigate by these stars while buffeted by the waves and winds.”

With the cathedral’s millennium approaching in 2028, Dean O’Brien gave thanks to God for the legacy of the cathedral’s past and looked to its future.

“May everything we do here continue to honour those legacies as we point beyond ourselves to Jesus Christ,” he stated. “So that a thousand years after Christians first worshipped on this site, a new generation might come through these doors and discover that this monument to a faith once held, remains a living church preaching a living gospel and proclaiming a living Saviour.”

The uplifting service, at which Archbishop Michael Jackson presided, also marked the Dean’s institution as incumbent of the Christ Church Cathedral Group of Parishes, which is connected to the cathedral. Members of the parish, representing the historic churches of St Werburgh, St Michan and All Saint’s Grangegorman, were part of the service and presented the symbols of the teaching and sacramental ministry of their Rector.

Tom was joined in the congregation by his wife Daniela, their son Dylan and daughter Tara–Rose, and their daughter Rebekkah was watching online from Perth, Australia.

Clergy and Lay Readers from across Dublin and Glendalough turned out in great numbers to support the new Dean. The Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Very Revd William Morton was present along with members of the Chapter there. Ecumenical guests included the Very Revd Kieran McDermott, Administrator of St Mary’s Cathedral, Dublin, and the Very Revd Ivan Tonge, PP of Ringsend Parish. Pastor Florian von Issendorff, Lead Pastor of the Lutheran Church in Ireland was also present.

Many of Tom’s former colleagues and friends from his 30 years of service in the HSE were in attendance. Representatives of the parishes in which Tom has served came from Holmpatrick, Howth, Kill O’ the Grange and Raheny and Coolock and many travelled in from Crinken.

There were many reference to the cathedral’s long history. As the service booklet noted: “Prayer has been offered in this place for close to a thousand years. Deans have come and gone; the city around us has changed beyond recognition; but still the daily round of worship continues, and still this cathedral seeks to be a place of welcome for Dubliners, for parishioners and for visitors from every corner of the world. This evening adds another name to that long history, and asks God’s blessing upon the chapter that unfolds tonight”.

In his sermon, Dean O’Brien turned to the Old Testament reading (Haggai 2: 1–9) and said he was drawn to the story of Zerubbabel. He was given an enormous project – they had returned from exile in Babylon and the temple was in ruins. Zerubbabel had to lead a discouraged people and the Dean suggested that today he might be called a project manager. He suggested that every good project manager knows that they cannot complete the project alone.

“You need people who know things you don’t know. People who tell you when you’re wrong. People who encourage you when you’re struggling. People who sometimes believe in you before you quite believe in yourself,” he said. “And when I look back on the road that has brought me here today, I see so many of those people, many represented here today.”

He said that in his journey in the HSE and in ministry, he learned something that Zerubbabel must have discovered, that leadership is never about the person whose name appears at the top, rather it is about those around them and the people that God surrounded them with.

“And now the journey has brought us here. Christ Church,” the Dean said. “For nearly a thousand years Christians have worshipped on this site. And as we approach that millennium, I find myself thinking again about Zerubbabel standing before the temple. What an inheritance. What a responsibility. What a project! Yet after these first weeks here, I already know that I am not undertaking it alone.”

He commended the dedicated cathedral team and paid tribute to his family who, he said, had given so much of themselves to the work of the church and without whom he could not walk the road of ministry.

This commitment people had offered throughout his life brought him to the New Testament reading from Colossians (1: 15–23). He said that the future of the cathedral was not about Dean Tom O’Brien but about the work God is doing in him through his spirit and the many friends He put in his path along the way.

“Everything is about Christ. He is to be encountered in our worship, proclaimed in this city and, I hope, reflected in our care for those who find themselves on the margins,” he stated.

Dean O’Brien continued: “So as we move towards the millennium of this extraordinary place, I do not know everything God will ask of us. Although we have an amazing past, we will not fear the future. I am empowered also to know that I do not attempt it alone. Together we will step forward in faith. We thank God for the past and for the faithful legacies left behind, including those of Dean Dermot and Celia. May everything we do here continue to honour those legacies as we point beyond ourselves to Jesus Christ.”

The General Synod Board of Education (RI) greatly welcomes the announcement in today’s budget that the level of capitation at primary level will increase by €17 million which will provide an additional €68 to the capitation level at primary level and €40 at post–primary level (for free scheme schools). The Board also welcomes increases to funding for increase for SNA and teacher posts, along with the other increased measures. 

Archbishop Michael Jackson, as Chair of the Church of Ireland Board of Education (RI) commented:

”The grant increases announced in today’s budget will ease pressure on schools and families in coping with the day–to–day costs in schools, and will be a great encouragement to Boards, principals, teachers, SNAs, parents and pupils alike. I greatly welcome this timely provision in today’s budget and wish to express our thanks to the Government and the Minister for Education and Youth, Ms Hildegarde Naughton, TD, for recognising the increased financial need in schools.

”The Secretary of the Board, Dr Ken Fennelly, commented:

“The Church of Ireland Board of Education (RI) joined with a range of other education stakeholders in raising this issue in advance of the Budget and we are both relieved and glad that Government has heard the financial concerns which we articulated on behalf of schools over the last number of weeks. We are in daily contact with School Boards and principals so we know how rising costs are affecting school finances. We greatly welcome this €68 increase in primary level capitation and €40 for free scheme post primary schools.  We hope that these financial increases, and last years too, signal a recognition of the necessity to make the tackling of education costs a priority in budget considerations into the future.”