Now in retirement, the former Bishop of Cork, Dr Paul Colton, and his wife, Mrs Susan Colton, were the guests of honour at a dinner hosted by the Board of Directors and management team of Saint Luke’s Charity and Saint Luke’s Home Cork, on Thursday, 28th May. Saint Luke’s Home, Cork is a 128 bed residential care facility for older people, specialising in dementia care, with a daycare facility and an education centre named Northridge House on its campus.

The charity was founded in 1872, and Bishop Colton is the longest serving President of the Charity and Home since then. More than that, he served as Chairperson of the Board of Directors for most of that time also.

To mark that period of Bishop Colton’s hands-on leadership the Board commissioned a gift that is entirely unique – emblematic of the links of the Charity with Cork and with the Church of Ireland. A section of a wooden beam which supported the tenor bell in St Anne’s Church at Shandon since the bells were installed in 1752, and which was being replaced in the recent restoration work, was salvaged by Keith Starr of the contractors, Hearthstone, and has been specially turned to create a beautiful and bespoke gift for the Bishop by craftsman Ray Timmins.

It features a plinth beautifully turned from the beam, proudly showing the work undertaken by the beam over the centuries with water damage and nail holes still on display, adding to its unique beauty. Fitted to this plinth is a skillfully crafted replica of one of the bells of Shandon.  The gift is completed by a wooden pen, also crafted from the same beam, which rests on the plinth.  As St Luke’s Home has always been part of St Anne’s parish, this gift seems especially fitting and captures the history and essence of St Anne’s Church.

Receiving the gift, Bishop Colton said:

It am truly very moved by this thoughtful and unique gift with its profound connection to Shandon, the icon of Cork. There is nothing else like this anywhere in the world. Thank you very much.

The craftsman who created these pieces is Ray Timmins, whose wonderful mother-in-law was a beloved resident of St Luke’s Home until her sad passing in March.  Everyone is truly grateful to Ray for the skill, creativity and passion he poured into creating these beautiful pieces for Bishop Colton who has left his very definite mark on the development and well-being of the Home and its caring work.

Describing the piece, Ray Timmins said:

The pieces are made from pine, a soft wood, with evidence of historical water damage at the side of the plinth (porous side). The black marks on the bell are the entry and exit points of the old nails holding the beam in place for centuries.

Speeches were made also by director, Alan Campbell, reminding people of the Bishop’s lifelong association with Fota Island (where the reception was held) through scouting, and by the new Chairperson of the Charity, Malcolm Tyrrell, who mentioned how hands-on the Bishop has been, and well-known to everyone in the Home over the years, and approachable by all.

CEO, Tony O’Brien said that he had worked with Paul Colton for 8 years and that he wanted to use these words to describe him at work in the Charity: ‘grounded, hard-working, wise, supportive, setting and expecting high standards’, and one quality he highlighted, in particular, he summed up in the word ‘grasp’. Tony told how he would frequently present the Bishop with a lengthy and complicated document, often complex and highly technical, and reading it in a matter of minutes, he had grasped the key issues from it which needed to be addressed. A tribute was also read from former CEO David O’Brien who was unable to be present.

In response, Bishop Colton emphasised that

This charity is the gospel in action. Our work has changed beyond recognition since I first started to chair the board 27 years ago, and even more so since I first visited the old Home on Military Hill as an 8 year old Cub Scout in the 1960s to sing Christmas Carols for the residents in those times.

The Home has become what it is because of the partnership with the residents themselves, their families, our generous volunteers, donors and fund-raisers, our professional and caring staff and management team, and also you the directors. Everyone of those people has – all of us have – one thing in common – we care – and we care most of all for the residents.