Parish Notices Sunday 28th April 2019

The Rector writes ‘ As you read this I will be in Utrecht, Holland on a little break with my best friend Noeleen whom many of you will have met when she was down visiting me over the years (she also ran that Children’s Ministry Banner Workshop for me a couple of years ago).

Liam and I lived in Utrecht from the late 80s until the late 90s and both Conor and Aine were born there so it is very much a home from home to me (and Noeleen also spent 3 years in Utrecht !) As well as our friends, I also still have family there, my older sister, her children and grandchildren so there are lots of people to catch up with. I’m very grateful to the Revd Isobel Jackson, who is covering for any pastoral emergencies that crop up until I’m back on 2nd May. Her contact number is (021) 483 1236 should you need her. Thank you also to the Revd Edwin Hunter who is taking both the Services today. The Diocese cover four Sundays a year for me but I rarely take a Sunday off other than during my vacation in August (when I take three in a row!) so isn’t it funny that the Priest assigned to cover today is literally our next door neighbour in St Mary’s Carrigaline! See you all next week! And don’t forget to put the 9th May in your diary for the Annual General Vestry meeting (commonly called the ‘Easter Vestry’ because it must be held within 20 days before or after Easter Day) and also remember 12th May when our five young people (Julie, Philip, Nicholas, Rachel & Rian) will be confirmed at the United Service at 11:15 in St John’s. I know that they would appreciate you keeping them in your prayers in the coming days.’

Meeting at 5:45am at Currabinny Woods Car Park next Sunday 5th May. Bring sandwich & flask for afterwards and wear sensible clothes! Tony Nagle will be our guide.

Owenabue garden and flower club Carrigaline will hold their next meeting on Monday 29 April at 8 pm in St Mary’s School hall ( beside main entrance to the Community school). Oliver Schumann of Mount Venus Nursery, Dublin will give a talk on “Everlasting Perennials”. Visitors welcome. Inquiries to 086 3222615.

Anam Cara Cork, the organisation that supports bereaved parents, is holding a Parent Evening on Wednesday 1st May at 7:20pm in the Clayton Hotel, Silver Springs, Tivoli, Cork. This event is free and open to all bereaved parents regardless of the age your child died, the circumstances of their death, or whether their death was recent or not.

Carrigaline Family Support Centre Coffee Morning Fundraiser. For our Travel Assist Bus Service. Wednesday 1st May. 10.00am to 12.00pm. Carrigaline Parish Centre (Rear of the R.C. Church of Our Lady & St. John, Carrigaline) Tel (021) 4919299. www.carrigalinefamilysupportcentre.ie

Time to think about what is lying around in the Attic or the Garage! It won’t be long now until 25th May and our Parish Féte in St Mary’s School.

29th April Littlies + One 10-12 Parish Hall.

2nd May Alzheimer’s Tea Day 3pm Home of Sheila Green

5th May Dawn Chorus 5:45am Currabinny Woods Carpark

9th May Friendship Club 11am Rectory

Easter Vestry 7:30pm Parish Hall. ALL WELCOME !

12th May Confirmation Service , United Service 11:15am, St John’s Church

20th May Theological Book Circle 8pm Rectory

21st May Rector’s talk on ‘Ecumenics & Ecology’ 7:30pm,

Sacred Heart Church, Monkstown

25th May Parish Fete 10-2pm St Mary’s School & Grounds

30th May Commissioning of Hilary Dring as MU Diocesan

President 7:30pm St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline

22nd – 26th July THE ADVENTURE CRUISE Holiday Club 10-1pm St Mary’s School. Forms now available from Parish Office

Random Notes No. CCLXVII

Many of us drive along the section of road between Glenbrook and Monkstown frequently, but little do we realise that a number of lives were lost in the construction of this section of road. Up until the early nineteenth century, the main road from Passage to Carrigaline was through Carrigmahon, down Ballyfolou in to Rafeen. In 1835 two new sections of road were authorised – Glenbrook was to be connected to Monkstown and Monkstown with Raffeen. Colman O’Mahony, in his book “The Maritime Gateway to Cork” tells us…”The estimated cost of the new road, designed by Robert Shaw, was £2,700. Undertaken in the days when manual labour predominated, the work of excavating and rock cutting between Glenbrook and Monkstown was an immense project. A major task was cutting and laying the road through one of the harbour’s most picturesque features – the Giant’s Stairs at Monkstown. Located where the “cut-and-cover” is now, this position was described as “twelve to fourteen projecting rocks, rising one above the other like a flight of steps, with a rude and ponderous air of regularity resembling a druidical work”. Some 200 men were employed on the road works, during the course of which a number of lives were lost. On Wednesday 29^th July 1835 five workers, standing under a large mound of earth to allow some carts pass on the party excavated pathway, were trapped when it suddenly collapsed. Three died instantly. The Giant’s Stairs fell before the face of gunpowder, but not without incident. Early in December 1835 when a young man named Cochrane was blasting some rock the powder failed to ignite. As he went to investigate, the powder exploded. He was rushed by boat to the South Infirmary where he died after the amputation of a mangled limb.