On Sunday 27th October, a Songs of Praise service was held in the Cathedral Church of St Fachtna in Rosscarbery. The Dean of Ross, the Very Rev’d Cliff Jeffers had invited Peter Stobart to choose the hymns and to speak about them. Peter is the Director of Music at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral in Cork and he drew on his past experiences and varying musical interests in his talk. His first choices discussed early hymns as ways of singing psalms, west gallery choirs and the Wesley family. He then moved onto the composers Herbert Howells and Hubert Parry, and finally the process of selecting hymns and appropriate tunes. The service ended with ‘Abide with me’, noting that, if evening services disappear completely, then so will the opportunities to sing many of the great evening hymns. 

Reflecting on the recent Songs of Praise service, Dean Cliff Jeffers said:

It was wonderful to have Peter Stobart with us last Sunday evening, bringing his musical skills and perspective to our monthly Songs of Praise Service. Over twenty people from seven different parishes enjoyed hearing how our hymn singing tradition has evolved during the centuries from before the reformation up to more recent times.

The next Songs of Praise will be held on Sunday 24th November at 7pm in St Fachtna’s Cathedral, Rosscarbery when the Rev’d Eugene Griffin from Kinsale Union will be the guest speaker.