World Aids Day Event; Major renovation of Down Church with Dublin bell; New MU banner dedicated; Choir’s Golden Jubilee Dinner; Clogher Choral Evensong & Installation
1. – World Aids Day Event
Dublin City Council’s Social Inclusion Unit and Office for Integration has organised an event to highlight HIV on World Aids Day 2012. Entitled To Remember and Celebrate, the event takes place on Saturday December 1 at 6.00 pm in St Werburgh’s Church, Werburgh Street (across the road from Christ Church Cathedral). The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Naoise Ó Muirí will open proceedings. Choral and solo music will be provided by Gloria, the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral and Lee Butler. Four Irish traditional musicians will play in the spirit of remembrance and celebration for those who have died and for those who live today with HIV. Members of Positive Now will contribute some reflections. The event is free of charge and open to all. For further information contact Hugh Fahy at E: socialinclusion@dublincity.ie or T: (01) 2223139.
2. – Major renovation of Down Church with Dublin bell
A Thanksgiving Service was held last week at Saint Andrew’s Church, Boardmills to mark the completion of a major renovation project.
The service was conducted by the Reverend Willie Nixon, Rector of Saint Andrew’s, Killaney Parish. The preacher was the Right Reverend Harold Miller, Bishop of Down and Dromore. Frank Fox JP read the lesson and prayers were led by Brian McNeill, a member of the Select Vestry. The service was greatly enhanced by Terry McNeilly, Organist.
The Deputy Mayor of the City of Lisburn, Councillor Margaret Tolerton was a most welcome guest as was Jonathan Craig MLA, his wife Yvonne and their daughter Joanne.
The renovations, project managed by JCP Consulting, who were represented at the service by Richard Turkington, Director, entailed the full replacement of the church roof together with the repairs to defective timbers.
These repairs could not have been carried out without the generous assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund who financed £75,000 of the cost. They were represented at the service by Angela Lavin, Senior Grants Officer. Parishioners and well wishers in the area raised the remaining £25,000 for which the Church is truly grateful.
The Parish of Killaney can be traced back to 1194 and a John de Courcy land grant. The original Church was destroyed in 1641, however services were conducted in temporary premises until the present Church was built in 1867 through the generosity of the Marquis of Downshire.
The Church bell presently installed at Saint Andrew’s was a gift from Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin and is inscribed in Latin “May this bell remain sound, calling the faithful to prayer till the sound of the last trumpet 1724” and attributed to Dean Swift. The bell was recast at that time and the original can be traced to 1555. In 2001, again through the generosity of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the tower and spire were repaired and stabilised and the walls of the church repointed.
Following the service the congregation were entertained to tea in the Church Hall, during which Mr. Gerry Gray, Managing Director of Felix O’Hare and Co. Ltd., Contractors, presented a most magnificent pair of crystal candlesticks to the Church to mark the occasion.
It was a truly memorable day in the history of this landmark Church which is open to the public each Thursday from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm except on Public Holidays. Worship is each Sunday from 12 noon – 1.00 pm.
3. – New MU banner dedicated
Armoy and Drumtallagh Mothers’ Union (Connor) dedicated a new banner when they hosted the Autumn Area Service of the North Connor Mothers’ Union at Drumtullagh in October.
This is the first new banner in the parishes since the union was formed in November 1953. A packed congregation was led by the curate, the Rev Derek Steele and also in attendance were Mrs Moira Thom, Connor Diocesan President, and Mrs Rena Lindsay, North Connor Area chairperson. The evening was supported by other branches of the Mothers’ Union including representatives from Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Portrush, Portstewart, Coleraine and Rasharkin
4. – Choir’s Golden Jubilee Dinner
The Parish Choir of St Paul’s, Lisburn, (Connor) held a Golden Jubilee Dinner at the Ballymac Hotel on Friday November 16. Audrey Graham welcomed some 70 choir members, organists, clergy past and present and guests. Using the words of a poem entitled ‘Memories’ which she wrote especially for the occasion, Audrey recalled many happy memories of St Paul’s Church Choir and also remembered with sadness members who are now departed.
Special guests at the dinner included Peter Cochrane, son of the late Rev Canon Dr Ken Cochrane, who became curate–in–charge of the new district of St Paul’s in May 1962 and rector in January 1965, and the Very Rev John Bond, Dean of Connor, who was the Rev Cochrane’s first curate assistant (1967–1970).
To conclude the 50th anniversary celebrations, the choir extends an open invitation to everyone to join them for a Special Hymn Service on Sunday December 2 at 6.30pm featuring Templemore Silver Band.
5. – Clogher Choral Evensong & Installation
A Diocesan Service of Choral Evensong took place on Sunday 18th November in St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen to formally acknowledge and admit the Revd Bryan Kerr as Canon. This service was also a Thanksgiving Service to celebrate the 350th Anniversary of the Restoration Book of Common Prayer. The preacher was Prof. Steven G. Ellis, BA, MA, PhD, DLitt, MRIA, FRHistS, Professor of History, Head of School of Humanities, NUI Galway and a Diocesan Reader in the United Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry.