Pew Sheet – 16th November 2025

The Rector writes ‘I’d like to welcome the wonderful Carrigaline Singers to our 11am Service this week. We are always glad to have them with us and we are already looking forward to our Carrigaline Community Carols on 19th December when they will join us again!

A reminder again that our Advent Talks (online) will begin soon, on Wednesday 26th. I have attached the ‘From every Nation’ PDF to the email this week if you’d like to read the booklet ahead of the talk. I will include the zoom link in next week’s email. Please talk to me if you’d like to know more about these talks. Thank you again to the parish Church of Sanctuary team for organising the talks.

Next Sunday, 23rd, is our annual Gift Day and the special Gift envelopes are available for you. I will be sending out the annual letter by email which details our financial situation during next week. Please do give as generously as you possibly can this year.’

Random Notes DX

The Irish Heritage Trust recently received funding to create an Oral History Project in relation to Fota House and Gardens.

As a volunteer at Fota, I signed up with about ten others to collate this information in association with UCC. The first lecture was during the week and was most fascinating. We listened to some interviews with people over the years.

One particular lady was talking about her experiences as a young girl during the Civil War. Her tone was interesting. And the gaps in her talking said as much as her words. Just listening to her could not have been relayed in transcript. You needed to hear her.

We are good at this in Ireland. We like talking!!

The lecturer was explaining how it is important not to interrupt the interviewee, and keep words like “wow” and “how interesting” out of the equation. He also asked if any of us had conducted any interviews, and a few had. However, I wanted to tell him that I hadn’t officially, but to be honest, many Sunday lunches with the likes of Joan Gollock or Jill Hingston were like interviews with the past. The information that some people have to tell us about the past is really fascinating. The last maid at Fota, who stayed with Dorothy Bell until she died in 1975 was Patty Butler. Patty only died a few years ago, but the detail of life and work in Fota that she was willing and able to provide was invaluable.

RCE

Carrigaline Union of Parishes are delighted to host a Whiskey night on 21st of November 2025. @8pm. Introduced and run by Liam Murray, President of The Cork Whiskey Society, and presented by Conor Ryan. The International Ambassador for Pearce Whiskey. Tickets are available from Brenda Haubold on 087-6976552. @ a cost of €25 per person.

Numbers are limited so booking is essential.

If anyone would like to donate a prize for the Raffle on 22nd November , the Charity Whist Drive for St Luke’s Home, please let Henry Forbes know. Thanks you.