Pew Sheet – 25th January 2026

The Rector writes ‘’Today, at the 11am Service, the Confirmation Candidates will be handed a lighted candle by the Sunday Club leaders to symbolise the passing on of the flame of faith. We are very grateful to all the people in this parish who, by the way they behave, prove to be such a powerful example to our young people. Conor Nation, George Creighton, Sam Roser and Zoe Cunningham will be confirmed in St Fin Barre’s Cathednal next Sunday 1st February and we keep them in our prayers as they take on their baptismal vows in their own right.

Our upcoming Lenten Course ‘Come & See’ begins at 8pm on Ash Wednesday 18th February, in the Parish Hall immediately after the 7:30pm Service. We are back to an ‘in person’ Lenten Study which is great but I will also have a Zoom link for those of you who live too far away to come to the Parish Hall. This will be my last Lenten Course (!) so I hope to make it my best! You’ll have to ‘Come & See’! ‘

Healer/Prayer Group News

We will be leaving out blank ‘Luggage/Prayer Tags’ in both churches at the beginning of Lent for you to write any requests for prayer. During the 11am Service on 1st March, the day of the Mothers’ Union Famine Lunch, these tags will be placed on the Prayer Tree (and do please keep on adding requests if needed) Requests will then be incorporated into the daily intercessions of the group. The next Healer/Prayer Service is on May 31st at 5pm in St Mary’s Church. Finally, here is a lovely prayer one of the group shared at the meeting last Monday. It is perhaps especially appropriate for the times we live in, where leaders seem to be becoming the problem, not the solution. Thank you from . Hilary W-P, Clodagh K, Joy K, Peter C, Simon W, Hilary D, Richard D, Elaine M.

Next Tuesday is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day which is an international memorial day held each year on 27th January.

The day commemorates all the victims of the Holocaust, which resulted in the genocide of one-third of the Jewish people of Europe along with countless numbers of individuals of other minority groups, by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945: an attempt to implement its “Final Solution” to the Jewish question.

The choice of January 27th as the date for the annual commemoration aligns with the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland by the Russian Army in 1945. About half of the 6 million victims were killed in German-Occupied Poland. The date was designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 1 November 2005.

In my time here in this parish, I have tried each year on this date, to incorporate the memory into our liturgy or prayers. I feel very strongly that it is vital to remember these horrors. I was so shocked to hear on the radio this week that in a recent Irish survey conducted by a New York based group, 10% of young adults surveyed said that they believed the Holocaust was a ’Myth’ and 50% of all the Adults surveyed didn’t know that 6 Million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust!

This is why remembering to talk about the Holocaust is so very important. Educating ourselves is key. We should never forget what happened then and also we should never forget how it was allowed to happen.

This is where the Holocaust Remembrance Day is vital.

History should not be allowed to repeat itself because we were not bothered to learn from it’s lessons.

Canon Elaine

Saturday 7th February

Heavenly Cocktail Evening with the Rector

Fundraiser in the Parish Hall.

Tickets are €25 and places are limited, please contact Brenda Haubold

087-6976552 to book a place.

The Owenabue Garden and Flower Club, Carrigaline

are celebrating our 50th Anniversary

with a Celebration 5 course Lunch,

featuring a floral demonstration by Lorraine O’Brien AOIFA.

On Saturday 28th February 2026

in the Carrigaline Court Hotel from 10.30 am.

Tickets €50, non members welcome, tickets are limited.

owenabuegardenclub@gmail.com

DIOCESAN MAGAZINE:

If anyone would like to subscribe to the diocesan magazine please let Rowland Newenham know.

Subscription for 2026 is €35,

or €30 for an online emailed pdf copy.

You may hand your subscription to the churchwardens,

you may post your subscription to

Rowland Newenham, Cooleens, Church Road,

Carrigaline P43 FR88,

you may pay by Revolut @rowlandnewenham,

or you may pay online to Rowland Newenham.
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PLEASE PLACE YOUR NAME IN THE REFERENCE LINE OF THE PAYMENT

January

Wednesday 21st

Mothers’ Union 3pm. Parish Hall

Speaker: Jonathan Fleury on his Visit to Australia. Refreshments as always. All welcome

Saturday 24th

Whist Night in Canon McCrea Hall 8pm

February

Sunday 1st

3:30pm Confirmation Service St Fin Barre’s Cathedral

Saturday 7th

7:30pm Heavenly Cocktail Evening Parish Hall

Ash Wednesday 18th

10:30am Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes

St Mary’s Church

7:30pm Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes

St Mary’s Church

8pm Lenten Study ‘Come & See’ Parish Hall

(also by Zoom, link in that week’s Pewsheet Email)

Monday 23rd

7:30 to 8pm Vestry Register Open Parish Hall

Wednesday 25th

8pm Lenten Study ‘Come & See’ Parish Hall

(also by Zoom, link in Pewsheet Email)

March

Sunday 1st

Mothers’ Union Famine Lunch, immediately after the 11am Service.

Random Notes DXVI

The following article was written by David McCall, entitled “History of Haulbowline Theatre”.

Just this morning, I received permission to re-print it from Eoin Gilley of the Great Island Theatre Group.

“The Haulbowline Theatre Group was officially formed in 1963, although theatrical performances on the island of Haulbowline date back to 1956 when a variety of concerts and plays were performed under the title of The Naval Follies.

There was 90% involvement of naval personnel, with some artistes (mostly female) recruited. In late 1962 a young Chief Petty Officer, who had a passion for drama, was stationed on the island. He had already been involved in the theatre in Waterford and Dublin.

This young man would lead the group for the next twenty five years. He retired from the Naval Service as Lieutenant Commander Liam Smith but continued to lead the group after his retirement. Liam directed many memorable plays in the little theatre on the island. He moulded the group into one of the most successful and respected amateur drama groups in the country. He inspired many and this was his legacy to the group”