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

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral will be hosting a series of Lunchtime Organ Recitals each Friday in August at 1.10pm. This is the third year in which the cathedral has run such a series, and the second year in which it will be held under the strict health guidelines which churches are following. The capacity is limited to 50 people, seating is by social distancing, and masks are required.

The first recitalist (Friday 6 th August) is Andrew Johnstone, Assistant Director of Music at St Bartholomew’s Church, Dublin and also part-time Assistant Professor of Music at Trinity College, Dublin. His recital is based around the various musical forms of the Magnificat and will include Bach’s fugue on that theme, as well as music by Dutch composer Piet Post, and Rheinberger’s Fourth Organ Sonata.

Professor Gerard Gillen, Titular Organist Emeritus at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin will
perform on Friday 13 th August, and he will continue the Marian theme with music by Louis
Vierne, Naji Hakim’s Mariales and the Flor Peeters Toccata, Fugue and Hymn on ‘Ave maris
stella’.

David Adams, one of Ireland leading organ tutors and Professor at the Royal Irish Academy
of Music, will give the third recital (Friday 20 th August). This will be his first visit to play the
organ in Cork, which is one of the largest in Ireland after its extensive rebuild in 2013 by
Trevor Crowe, one of Ireland’s leading organ builders.

Robbie Carroll will conclude the series on Friday 27 th August. Robbie has been Assistant
Director of Music at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral for two years, and he recently gave a recital on
the cathedral organ as part of the Cork International Choral Festival. He has also performed
recitals this summer in Galway Cathedral and in the Dún Laoghaire Organ Concerts.

The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton and members of the Diocese recently met online with the Bishop of Lichfield, Dr Michael Ipgrave OBE and members of the Diocese of Lichfield to discuss their ongoing relationship. 

The link between Lichfield, in the Church of England, and Cork, Cloyne and Ross goes back to 2018 and since then several possibilities of connecting parishes, cathedrals and schools have been discussed. Upon the outbreak of Covid-19 many of these plans had to be put on hold, but equally, new opportunities have arisen. 

The pandemic and consequent lockdowns have accented the importance of communication and relationships and at the online meeting the parishes of Perton in south Staffordshire, and Carrigaline presented their approach to forming a lasting relationship during these times. The two parishes connected and stayed in communication via virtual pulpit swaps, quiz nights in aid of the Mother’s Union and Christian Aid, and the exchange of Christmas Cards among other things. 

The sharing of prayers across both dioceses is an essential part of this link and  several other ideas about youth work, the eco agenda, charitable giving, and civic connections were exchanged during the meeting. 

Both dioceses are eager to further strengthen their existing link and after praying together, the meeting ended with a final blessing by Bishop Michael. 

As part of the Journey in Self-belief project, the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton, has recently been interviewed by Paul McFadden, a former news anchor for BBC Radio and freelance journalist. The project was created by Maynooth University to encourage self-reflection in the Protestant community in Ireland. 

Bishop Colton talks about commemorating events in Irish history from 100 years ago, drawing on his own experiences as a Protestant growing up in Cork, and on the extensive connections he has within the community he serves. 

He discusses how the close historical proximity to the decade of World War One and the War of Independence causes a ‘rawness still for some people’ and that an awareness for the sensitivity of the subject is essential. He also points out how far Cork has come in terms of ecumenism and that this decade of centenaries is an opportunity for remembrance and reconciliation.

In this spirit, the Bishop explains how St Fin Barre’s Cathedral became a World War One remembrance space from 2014 to 2018 and how recently it was transformed into a neutral commemoration space as part of the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross’s ‘Centenaries, Commemoration and Reconciliation Project’.

At the end of the interview the Bishop says:

“Our population dropped very significantly in this centenary period that we’re talking about, but you’ve got to be what you are and fulfil the calling that you believe has been given to you, regardless of the numbers. And small numbers of people can do significant things and be part of a rich tapestry.”

You can read the full interview here.