Latest News from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Vacancy – Diocesan Secretary, United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

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‘Father of the Information Age’ – George- Boole – Remembered at Church Service in Cork

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

2015 marks the bicentenary of the birth of George Boole. Boole has been described as the ‘father of the information age.’ He was a largely self-taught mathematician, born in Lincoln, but who was appointed in 1849 as the first Professor of Mathematics at what is now University College, Cork.

Scott, representing all the students at St Michae;s’ Church of Ireland National School, Blackrock, Cork, is presented wiht a Raspberry Pi computer by Professor Barry O’Sullivan, Head of Comptuer Science at U.C.C. at the end of the George Boole Anniversary Evensong. Each student at the school was given a Raspberry Pi computer by the Computer Science Department to mark the Boole anniversaries.

Boole died in Cork in 1864 and is buried in the churchyard of Saint Michael’s Church, Blackrock, Cork. UCC have kindly restored the headstone of his grave, and the 150th anniversary of his death on 8th December was marked last month by a special Evensong sung by the Clerks Choral in Saint Michael’s Church organised by the rector, Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson and Professor Desmond MacHale (Boole’s biographer). Also present were the Bishop, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, and the President of U.C.C., Dr Michael Murphy as well as academics from the mathematics and computer science departments. The preacher was Canon Dr Mark Hucknall, Chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral, who is both a scientist and a theologian.

After teh anniversary evensong, some of the staff from the mathematics and computer science departments at UCC joined the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Mary Shields, and the President of UCC, Dr Michael Murphy, at Boole’s grave in the Churchyard. Also present were Deirdre Clune, M.E.P. and Commodore Hugh Tully of the Irish Naval Service.

Most significantly, at the end of the Service, Scott, a pupil from the parish school, was presented with a Raspberry Pi Computer, by the Head of the Computer Science Department at U.C.C., Professor Barry O’Sullivan. Scott was representing all the pupils of the school, as each of them has been given a Raspberry Pi computer by. U.C.C, Computer Science Department to mark the anniversary.

More photos of the anniversary Evensong:

: l-r Dr Michael Murphy, President of UCC; Professor Patrick Fitzpatrick, Professor of Mathematics, UCC; and Professor Desmond MacHale (Boole’s Biographer and Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, UCC),

: Academics from UCC

: Deirdre Clune, M.E.P., and Cllr. Mary Shields, Lord Mayor of Cork

: The Bishop of Cork, Dr Paul Colton

: The Rector, the Venerable Adrian Wilkinson

: Canon Dr Mark Hocknull

: Boole Anniversary Evensong

Posted in Anniversaries, Church in Society, Church Services, Cork, Diocese, Education, People from the Diocese, Schools in the Diocese | Comments Off

Vacancy for an Incumbent in the Parish of Kinsale Union, Diocese of Cork

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

There is a vacancy in the incumbency of Kinsale Union in the Diocese of Cork.

Kinsale Union of parishes is situated in the south county Cork area. It is centred on the historic and picturesque town of Kinsale, and includes also the villages of Belgooly, Ballinpsittle, and Riverstick.

Kinsale is approximately 30 km south of Cork city, and 20 km from Cork International Airport. It was once a medieval fishing port, and is now hailed as a popular holiday destination and the gourmet capital of Ireland. It is known as a yachting and deep-sea angling centre, as well as a world-class golfing destination. The town, which nestles between the hills and the harbour, is a maze of historic streets (with shops, art galleries, restaurants and cafés), much unchanged in many hundreds of years. The Battle of Kinsale, fought here in 1601, was a turning point in both Irish and European history.

Kinsale has a population of approximately 4,500, which increases during the summer months.

The parish currently has 190 households with 320 adults on the Register of Vestrypersons.

There are three churches: Saint Multose in the heart of Kinsale town, a heritage building of national importance, which dates to 1190; and also Christ Church, Ballymartle, and Holy Trinity, Templetrine.

There is a 4-teacher primary school. Parish organisations include an art club and friendship club

The Rectory which overlooks the town and harbour, is a 4-bedroomed bungalow currently undergoing extensive redevelopment to provide a study/office with separate external access.

Further information from and applications to

The Diocesan Secretary

Diocesan Office, St Nicholas’ House, 14 Cove Street Cork

Fax: (+353 21) 432 0960 E mail: secretary@cork.anglican.org

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Student from Virginia Theological Seminary on Placement in Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Zachary Harmon

This month (January 2015) Mr. Zachary Harmon, a student from Virginia Theological Seminary in the United States, will be on placement in the Diocese, dividing his time between Douglas Union with Frankfield, and Ross Union. This link across the Atlantic, came about through the Rev. Dr. Robert Heaney, a member of staff now teaching at the Seminary. Robert is a native of County Down and began his ordained ministry in the Diocese of Meath, where he served as curate working alongside Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson, who was rector of Dunboyne Union in the Diocese of Meath at the time.

Speaking about this link, the Archdeacon said:

Over the years I have kept in contact with Robert Heaney. When he approached me about taking a student for a few weeks placement, I was delighted to respond to his request. In Douglas we have a long tradition of theological students spending some time with us as part of their training. However this is the first time we have had a student from the United States. I am grateful to the Bishop for approving this placement and to Dean Peters, who will be providing some pastoral opportunities in West Cork. I hope that Zachary Harmon enjoys his time in the Diocese. It might be the start of a very fruitful link between us in Cork, Cloyne and Ross and one of the most highly regarded seminaries in the Episcopal Church in the United States.

Zachary is looking forward to his placement in the Diocese and has written to introduce himself:

Greetings! My name is Zachary Harmon, a seminarian with the Episcopal Church in the United States. I am quite excited to say that I will be in Cork for the month of January and learning more about Anglicanism in Ireland as part of my coursework at Virginia Theological Seminary.

I grew up on the rainy islands and arctic taiga of Alaska. These places could be described as remote since one of the places I grew up was 450 kilometres from the nearest cinema. During most of my childhood I attended evangelical churches, but sometimes my family would attend services at St. Columba’s, a small Anglican mission in Yukon, Canada. My memory of the relational Christianity and liturgy there shaped me.

I later attended college in Oregon and became active in a college based ministry there (Intervarsity). My sophomore year I experienced an amazing semester when I studied and lived at NUI Galway for six months. From that experience I gained a strong interest in the Irish language, trad music and GAA sports which I have tried to keep up in the US. After university, God blessed me with the experience of serving with a Native American-led ministry working with at-risk youth on the Yakama Reservation in the Pacific Northwest. Following these varied experiences, I settled in Oregon working as a court clerk.

My memories of the Anglican mission in Canada and my experiences of a more incarnational Christianity on the Yakama Reservation led me to be curious about the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition. Once I started attending a local church, I was drawn to many different kinds of ministry (from vestry to mission to cross-cultural relationship building). To my surprise, I found myself considering a possible call to ordained ministry as I learned more and more about Anglicanism. I had never considered such a course before, but this direction was strongly affirmed in the discernment process. Thus I am now studying at Virginia Theological Seminary.

I greatly look forward to getting to know the Church of Ireland in Cork this January.

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Epiphany Celebrations in Parishes and Schools of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Last year was the first year in Ireland when many schoolchildren returned to school before the end of the 12 days of Christmas. This was a result in changes by the Department of Education and Skills’ in the standardised school year. Children returned to school on the Feast of Epiphany itself last year, so the patron of primary schools in Cork, Cloyne and Ross – Bishop Paul Colton – asked parishes and schools to find ways of marking the day. The same happened again this year, although on the second day of the new school term, 6th January (Epiphany). Services were again held in schools across the Diocese.

In Saint Luke’s Parish, Douglas, Cork, school-children attended a Service in the parish church, at the end of which a representative from each year group was given a star to lead each class back to school. The stars were then displayed in each classroom.

Stars were distributed to each class group from St Luke’s National School in Saint Luke’s Church, Douglas, Cork

Led by a star back to school in Saint Luke’s, Douglas, Cork on the Feast of the Epiphany.

Parishioners of Carrigaline and Monkstown joined the schoolchildren at the parish school in Carrigaline (Saint Mary’s) for an Epiphany Service which included the traditional blessing of the chalk and the blessing of the lintel of the doorway with the chalk numbers and letters: 20 + C + M + B + 15. The letters C, M, B have two meanings. They are the initials of the traditional names of the three magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They also abbreviate the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ bless the house.” The “+” signs represent the cross and 2015 is the year. 300 pieces of chalk were blessed and all of the children brought home the Service booklet together with a piece of chalk as their ‘written homework’ for that evening.

The Reverend Elaine Murray, Rector of Carrigaline, checks the traditional Epiphany blessing with chalk on the lintel of the doorway.

The Reverend Elaine Murray, Rector of Carrigaline,watched by school principal, Valerie Elliffe, checks the traditional Epiphany blessing with chalk on the lintel of the doorway.

Parishioners and school gather together in Carrigaline to celebrate Epiphany.

In Holy Trinity Church, Crosshaven, County Cork the children from Templebreedy National School (the school is in the churchyard) attended a special Epiphany Service where the focus was on the gifts of the Magi (the wise men) of gold, frankincense and myrrh, as well as on their journey to the crib in the Church porch which features Holy family figures, animals and visitors designed and made beautifully by Yvette MacKeown.