A group of 35 choristers departed from St Fin Barre’s Cathedral on Thursday 24th April for their annual tour. A coach took them to Dublin airport and they boarded a flight to Stockholm, Sweden, where they spent four days taking in a new culture and singing in three cathedrals in the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The Church of Ireland is linked strongly with this church through the Porvoo Agreement and the choir found a very warm welcome throughout the visit. They sang for Choral Evensong in Strängnäs Cathedral to a very appreciative congregation who had turned out on a Saturday afternoon in great numbers for the occasion. The Bishop of Strängnäs, the Right Reverend Johan Dalman was also in attendance, having sped back from Italy to meet the visitors.
The main service on Sunday morning was in the Storkyrkan, Stockholm Cathedral. The choir battled with five hymns in Swedish and sang 6 Easter motets in Latin, German and English. The Reverend Martin Steele, Dean’s Vicar of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, read the Epistle and assisted with the distribution of the bread and wine, helping to make the service feel like a genuine partnership.
The third cathedral was Uppsala, the seat of the Archbishop and Primate of Sweden. The choir sang for one hour in an afternoon concert. Matthew Breen, Assistant Director of Music, was relieved to be able to use an organ that was situated very close to the choir and with good sightlines to Director of Music, Peter Stobart. The choir were on a specially erected stage in the largest of the three buildings they had visited.
Between these musical performances, the choir found time to visit two of Stockholm’s finest museums. The first was a warship built in 1628 which sank almost as soon as it set sail. The choristers were blown away by the scale of the ship and by the artefacts in the museum which helped to tell its story. The second museum was the ABBA Museum, a totally different experience where karaoke and dancing were encouraged, and the choristers did not need telling twice, both the young and the not so young!
The choir arrived home on Monday 28th April, tired but full of stories and having had a fulfilling time away.
On Sunday 27th April, the Rev. Adam Pullen met with the Rev. Dr Sahr Yambasu in the Collegiate Church of St Mary the Virgin to mark the Sierra Leone Independence Day that same day. The Rev Dr Sahr Yamnasu is Methodist Minister for Waterford and Youghal and the Rev. Adam Pullen is the Honorary Chairperson of the Cork, Cloyne and Ross Council for Mission.
Although now ministering in Ireland, the Rev Dr Sahr is originally from Sierra Leone and ministered in the capital Freetown with his wife the Rev Clodagh Yambasu for many years, before moving to Ireland. The Rev. Clodagh Yambasu is now rector of Fermoy Union in the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
The diocese is working in partnership with Christian Aid, the Bishop’s Appeal and the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone to support the Mende people who have been displaced due to palm oil plantations.
The Rev. Sahr Yambasu and the Rev. Adam Pullen.
The Rev. Adam Pullen said:
We hold the people of Malen Sierra Leone in our prayers as they face challenges in their displacement and financial situation. God has given us a beautiful world with enough resources for everyone. We are sorry that in this world of plenty there are still many who go hungry while others have more than they need.
We pray that God may give us compassion to share with those in need and on this day we pray especially for the people of Malen in Sierra Leone, where many have been forced from their homes to make way for the production of palm oil. Through the support of the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone, we pray that their land may produce a harvest that will nourish and sustain them so that they can live in peace and security.
St Anne’s Church, Shandon, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) grant of €30,000. This funding will be used to restore the church’s front doors which are believed to be the original doors, which date back over 300 years.
The doors of St Anne’s are an iconic feature of this historic building, serving as a warm and welcoming entry point for worshippers, visitors, and the local community. Their restoration is a vital step in preserving the church’s heritage while ensuring it remains a vibrant and inviting space.
Rev. Meghan Farr, Priest in Charge at St Anne’s, expressed her gratitude for the grant and emphasised the significance of the doors:
The doors of St Anne’s Shandon have stood as a symbol of welcome and openness for over three centuries. They are not just a physical gateway but a reflection of our mission to embrace all who come through them. This restoration ensures that we can continue to extend that welcome for generations to come.
This restoration is part of a series of works identified in the Conservation Management Plan conducted last year, which was funded by the Community Monument Fund. The plan outlined key preservation and conservation needs for St Anne’s to ensure the longevity of this beloved landmark.
St Anne’s Shandon wishes to thank the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Cork City Council for their support through the BHIS grant. This funding plays an essential role in safeguarding our shared cultural heritage and maintaining the beauty of our historic buildings.
In addition, St Anne’s has recently been awarded €130,000 from the Community Monument Fund under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This generous funding will support Phase 1 works identified in the Conservation Management Plan, which include essential repairs to the timber and metal structures supporting the bells. These elements have begun to show signs of deterioration, and the work aims to stabilise them and prevent further decay—marking a crucial step forward in preserving the structural integrity and heritage of this historic site.
The Select Vestry of St Anne’s is deeply committed to the conservation of this historic church. Additional restoration and preservation works are planned in the coming months and years, guided by the Conservation Management Plan. However, the scope of future projects will depend on securing further grant funding and support through fundraising efforts.
These works will complement urgent repairs to the clock face and mechanism being carried out by Cork City Council, supported by a €250,000 grant awarded to the Council under the Historic Structures Fund. This is part of a broader commitment to revitalising the Shandon area through strategic investment in its rich architectural heritage.
St Anne’s will endeavour to keep the church and tower open to visitors during the conservation works whenever it is safe to do so, in accordance with the guidance of our conservation architect and in line with health and safety guidelines. Information on closings will be communicated through the church website and social media.
Work on the doors is expected to commence this week with updates provided to the community as the project progresses.
The entrance to the church has a pair of imposing historic timber doors, probably built of oak, which are likely to date from early 19th century or even late 18th century, if original. They have substantial iron hinges, brackets, fixing bolts and lockcase which appear also to be original.
The main structure, visible on the inner face of the doors, is of substantial horizontal oak boards in an oak frame.
The proposal is to locally repair the west door of St. Anne’s to halt decay of the fabric and maintain the security of the building.
All works shall be in line with best conservation practice, based on an understanding of the structure and historic building technologies. The repairs will leave a record of works done and will not be artificially aged or otherwise falsify the historical evidence.
The condition of the doors necessitates their removal in their entirety from the existing entrance and removal to joiner workshop for repair and its subsequent refitting.
This involves the careful dismounting, lowering and manual handling out of the building and removal off site. New secure weatherproof temporary screen doors will be provided to the opening while the doors are removed to permit the continued use of the church.
The annual Chrism Eucharist in Cork, Cloyne and Ross was held again this year on Maundy Thursday at Noon in Saint Fachtna’s Cathedral, Rosscarbery, County Cork. People from all over the diocese gathered to celebrate together, to renew their commitment to their ministry, and for the blessing of the oils used in the pastoral and sacramental aspects of their ministry in the coming year.
Following the celebration of the Eucharist everyone enjoyed a light lunch in the narthex of the Cathedral which was prepared and served by the Fishbasket in Rosscarbery and served by parishioners of Ross Union, before heading back to their own places to begin the most solemn three days – known as the Triduum – in the Church’s calendar.
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Expression of Sympathy to the Bishops and People of both Cork and Ross, and also of Cloyne
by The Right Rev Dr Paul Colton,
Church of Ireland
Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
on the occasion of the death of
His Holiness Pope Francis
The Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, has expressed his sympathy and the condolences of the Church of Ireland people of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, to Bishop Fintan Gavin and the people of the Diocese of Cork and Ross and to Bishop William Crean and the people of the Diocese of Cloyne upon hearing the news of the death today of Pope Francis.
Expression of Sympathy and condolences:
It was with immense sadness that I heard the news, earlier this morning, of the death in Rome of His Holiness Pope Francis.
On behalf of us all in the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross I extend our deep sympathy and condolences, together with the assurance of our prayers at this time of grief, to Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross and the people of his Diocese, and also to Bishop William Crean, Bishop of Cloyne, and the people of his Diocese.
I had the honour of meeting Pope Francis in Rome in May 2017 and, like so many others, was affected and influenced by his human gentleness, empathy and humility and, most of all, by his prayerfulness and deep spirituality.
We have all been, I am certain, conscious of and have witnessed his frailty and vulnerability as, with immense fortitude, he endured his suffering but continued resolutely to fulfil his calling and duty. May he rest now in God’s peace and rise in glory.
Bishop Paul Colton meeting His Holiness, Pope Francis, in Rome in May 2017
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