Pew Sheet – 14th March 2021

The Revd Tony Murphy writes ‘ In 2012 a small group organised an Irish Language Service for St Patricks Day in St Mary’s. To make the service as inclusive as possible translations were made available and the response from those with limited Irish was very positive. After 7 years enjoying the hospitality of Canon Elaine it was decided to make this a Diocesan Wide Service. In 2019 a service was held in Dunmanway and a planned service for 2020 in St Luke’s Douglas was cancelled at the last moment due to the pandemic. Thanks to the hospitality of Canon Elaine a service will be streamed at 10.30AM on Wed 17^th March.

( https://carrigalineunion.org/live-streaming-of-services/).

This year we are planning on more of a Bilingual Service and , in addition, and to e mail the Order of Service.

As our Patron Saint came from Wales we have asked the Welsh Speaking Rector of Mallow Union to join us for a part of this service. The absence of the usual festivities perhaps offers the opportunity to focus on the Mission of Patrick and how we live out his legacy in our time. We trust that you will be able to join us. From 2.00PM a recording will be available on the Parish You Tube page.’

Random Notes CCCLXXI

Coming into our 12th anniversary, Monkstown Chamber Choir recently returned to zoom choir practice on Thursday evenings. Rather than relying on photocopies, we decided to use the full music black hymn books from St John’s Church.

The inscription in these books reads “Presented by Alicia E W Irwin in memory of A E H Irwin for use in the choir. Dec 1961”.

Alicia Craig played the organ in St John’s and married Alexander Eric Hardcastle Irwin in 1930. His father was Rector at Killanully Church, and Joan Gollock told me that they used to cycle a tandem from Killanully to Monkstown.

A E H Irwin died in 1958. Alicia’s brother, Harry Craig, also played in St John’s, and both have discretely inscribed their initials on to the organ console. Kay and I have kept up this tradition!!

It is wonderful that 60 years on, these full music hymn books are being used by the choir. But I also thought about the completely different world that we live in now. What would the choristers of 1961 have thought about choir practice by looking into a little screen from their own homes?

Most of them probably had a wireless radio, but probably didn’t even have a television. Never mind a ‘phone! And local Roman Catholic’s together with Church of Ireland members forming a stalwart Monkstown Chamber Choir? God forbid!!!

Hymn number 372 (in the red book) simply sums it all up:-

“Through all the changing scenes in life,

In trouble and in joy,

The praises of my God

shall still

my heart and tongue employ.”