Way back in February, long before people had to stop gathering because of the Novel Coronavirus, students from Ashton School, Cork, Bandon Grammar School, and Midleton College were enlisted by the their school chaplains – Drew Ruttle, the Reverend Anne Skuse, and Canon Andrew Orr – to re-enact the fifth day of the General Convention held on 19th February 1870 when the Preamble and Declaration were read for the first time.
Dr Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, came up with the idea of the re-enactment as a Cork event (even though, of course, it happened in Dublin) to mark the 150th Anniversary of Disestablishment, because it was his predecessor, Bishop John Gregg, who proposed the motion and read aloud the proposed Preamble and Declaration for the first time.
A full report and photographs are HERE and HERE
In the midst of all the ‘Corona Virus news” a clip of that re-enactment is published now for your interest and some alternative news:
Videographer: John. Berry
Photographer: Jim Coughlan
Video editing and captions: Drew Ruttle, Chaplain of Ashton School.
The full c. 7 minute video will be posted in due. course for those. who are interested.
The full text of the Preamble and Declaration may be read here: