After twenty‐five years of faithful and dedicated service as Chancellor of the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Lyndon MacCann SC has been recognised by Bishop Paul Colton with the presentation of a diocesan plaque in honour of this milestone. As Bishop Colton prepares to retire, Mr MacCann has indicated that he will step back from his role as Diocesan Chancellor.
The role of a Diocesan Chancellor is a vital one in the life of the Church: broadly speaking, the Chancellor acts as the chief legal and administrative officer of the diocese, ensuring that the governance of the diocese is conducted in accordance with canon law and good practice. Lyndon MacCann’s decades of service have meant that he has been the trusted adviser to the Bishop and the person behind the scenes who ensures that the statutory work of the diocese is maintained, reviewed and handed on in good order.
At the Diocesan Synod 2025 Bishop Colton expressed his deep gratitude for Mr MacCann’s steadfastness, his legal expertise and his generous help over the years. In return, Lyndon MacCann gifted Bishop Colton an icon from the island of Patmos, symbolic of the pilgrimage of faith, the vision of Revelation, and the journey that a bishop and his diocese share together.
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The Cork Diocesan Youth Council has launched a Youth Initiative with the aim to assist parishes in developing events for teenagers.
Each parish, or group of parishes, is encouraged to apply to Cork Diocesan Youth Council, for a grant of up to €1,000 to enable the parish to run three youth events during the year 2026. These events must be focused on the age group 12-18 (i.e. secondary school age) and include, if possible, young leaders.
The aim is that these events will encourage on-going parish youth work and help the parishes in running their own events, hence the Youth Council will not be running the events and the parishes are encouraged to enable and provide young leaders to do so. CDYC will run training events to support parishes in enabling young leaders and will provide suggestions as to the type of event to run.
Application forms for project funding are available now and must be submitted by the 15th of November 2025.
Please contact Hilda Connolly at dyo@corkchurchofireland.com to receive your application form and information pack.
There was a Diocesan Come and Sing Choral Evensong on Saturday, 11th October in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork. Around forty people took part, travelling from across the Diocese as well as some coming across the border from Limerick. The event was led by Cathedral Director of Music, Peter Stobart with Matthew Breen, Assistant Director of Music, at the organ. The Rev. Martin Steele took the service.
The psalm and readings were for the Feast of St Philip the Deacon, and the music included Harwood’s anthem O how glorious is the kingdom and the canticles were Brewer in D. Matthew Breen played Bach’s Fugue in D major BWV 532 after the service which received some well deserved applause.
Peter Stobart said:
Once again we had a very enthusiastic group of singers this year, and there was representation from most of the parish choirs across the diocese, including Bandon, Douglas, and Templebreedy. People enjoy the opportunity to sing with the cathedral organ in a larger building than they might normally be used to. I think part of the attraction is also that the singers make new friends on the day and a cup of tea between the rehearsal and service helps this along!
Last Friday, 26th September 2025, an exciting new video resource for the Follow Me Religious Education programme was launched at St Fin Barre’s National School, Cork. Follow Me is a Religious Education Programme for National Schools under the patronage of the Church of Ireland, the Methodist Church in Ireland and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. It is published by the Church of Ireland General Synod Board of Education and you can visit their website here. The programme consists of eight books supported by online materials.
Introducing the new video, which introduces the pipe organ in a child friendly way, Dr Jacqui Wilkinson, editor and author of Follow Me and Assistant Professor in Religious Education at Dublin City University, recalled her first conversation with Peter Stobart (Director of Music in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral) about her idea for a video to introduce children to the instrument. She said:
Many school children only see organs on church visits or hear them played at carol services or other big events. This interactive video titled ‘Pulling Out all the Stops’ introduces primary school children to the different parts of the organ and showcases the many skills of the organist. I want to thank Peter Stobart for taking my seed on an idea and bringing it to life in the wonderful video resource we have today.
The video was directed and produced by Fuchsia Fishbourne from MAINFRAME TV and features Peter Stobart (Director of Music at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral), Matthew Breen (Assistant Director of Music, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral) and children from St Fin Barre’s National School.
Those visiting the school for the launch were Dr Jacqui Wilkinson, who is coordinating the Follow Me redevelopment, Ms Carolyn Good (Follow Me Committee), Dr Ken Fennelly and Mrs Susan Ellis (General Synod Board of Education). They joined members of the school community: Ms Susan Durcan (acting principal), members of the school council and some of the children who featured in the video, Dean Nigel Dunne, Mr Peter Stobart and Mr Matthew Breen.
The video will be freely available to schools on the Follow Me website and has an accompanying lesson pack compiled by Mr Ian Packham (Kildare Place School) and Dr Jacqui Wilkinson.
Earlier in the day, everyone had visited St Luke’s National School, Montenotte to thank Karen Allsopp, SNA in the school, who was commissioned by the General Synod Board of Education to create a set of images for the new 2nd class slide decks in the Follow Me programme. As it was the day after SNA Appreciation Day, it was an appropriate time to thank Karen for sharing her talents. The pupils and staff viewed some of Karen’s artwork during assembly and Karen, Mr Eddie Pepper (school principal) and Ms Shilling were each presented with a framed print of one of Karen’s pictures.
The vibrant and engaging artwork will be featured in specific lessons about God and Easter and will also be available for schools to print as images for display in classrooms or corridors.
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Last Saturday, 27th September 2025, the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross held their Diocesan Synod at Bandon Grammar School.
Diocesan Synod of Cork, Cloyne and Ross 2025 Photography by Gerard McCarthy photography
The day started with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the sports hall. The Bishop was presiding at the Eucharist and members of the choir of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork sang at the service, conducted by their Director of Music, Peter Stobart.
After the Eucharist, everyone enjoyed refreshments in the school dining hall, before the Bishop, the Right Rev. Dr Paul Colton took the President’s Chair at 11am and officially started the Diocesan Synod. The Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Ven. Andrew Orr opened the proceedings with a reading and a prayer. The Diocesan Chancellor, Lyndon MacCann S.C. was nominated Assessor by the Bishop, a post which Mr MacCann has held for 25 years.
The Bishop welcomed all the stall holders, guests, and visitors who had travelled to Bandon, which was followed by a review video of events and appointments from the past twelve months. There was a minute’s silence for all those who had died since the last Diocesan Synod. Lay members elected Mrs Helen Arnopp as a lay representative to the Representative Church Body of the Church of Ireland.
Bishop Colton’s Presidential Address can be read here. As part of his address and to mark his 27th and last Diocesan Synod as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Bishop Colton announced that he and his family have commissioned a bell from Matthew Higby and Co Ltd which he wishes to be a parting gift to the Diocesan Synod and to the Diocesan Council and to be used at future meetings.
Also as part of his address, referring to his Episcopal Visitation in 2024, Bishop Colton presented the report of the Episcopal Visitation to the Diocese – the fifth and last of his formal visitations.
The Very Rev. Susan Green offered impressions of General Synod. The Diocesan Council Report was proposed by Mr Stephen Spillane and seconded by the Very Rev. Cliff Jeffers. The Diocesan Board of Education Report was proposed by the Very Rev. Nigel Dunne and seconded by Mr Peter Stobart. The Diocesan Education Committee Report was proposed by Mr Peter Stobart and seconded by the Rev. Canon John Ardis. The Diocesan Youth Council Report was proposed by Mrs Judith Peters and seconded by Ms Oriel Hosford. The Diocesan Council for Mission report was proposed by the Rev. Tony Murphy and seconded by Dr Simon Woodworth. All reports were adopted unanimously.
Resulting from the ongoing Children and Family Ministry Learning Process, the CFM Convenor in the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Rev. Abigail Sines, presented three parishes with certificate showing that they have successfully completed the Learning Process. This is an initiative that is unique to this diocese.
A private members’ motion concerning Gaza, proposed by Dr Simon Woodworth and seconded by the Rev. Anthony Murphy, drew the most participation of the day and some emotional contributions. A point of order was raised as to whether such motions were properly the business of a Diocesan Synod. The Bishop explained that a Diocesan Synod cannot articulate a view or opinion for the entire Church of Ireland as that is the role of the General Synod, and that a motion such as this is not binding on the Diocese or any member of the Diocese, but he ruled that he was not out of order. He explained that, ‘if passed, this motion sets out the views of those members of the Diocesan Synod present and voting on this occasion and at this time, only.’ The motion was carried by a the majority of synod members.
At the end of the day, the Bishop thanked the members for their attendance and contributions to the Synod and also those responsible for its smooth running: Bandon Grammar School, diocesan staff, the Honorary Secretaries and Treasurers, the Assessor, the audio-visual contractors, and the clergy and musicians who led Holy Communion. He also thanked visitors and stand holders.
The Ven. Andrew Orr and Honorary Secretary Linda Deane spoke at the end of Diocesan Synod to thank the Bishop for his 27 years of service as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
Next year’s Diocesan Synod will be held at Bandon Grammar School on 10th October, 2026.
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