Pew Sheet – 3rd July 2022

The Rector writes ‘ We are delighted to welcome the Revd Julia Cody from our link parish of Perton , Diocese of Lichfield in the UK. She is spending about 10 days in Cork and will be travelling around our diocese getting to know more people in the far flung corners of the West and East of our county.  I hope that many more parish links develop out of her stay with us.  As I mentioned last week, she will join us for the 10:30am Wednesday Service of Holy Communion this week (6th) and hopefully many of us will be there to welcome her.  She is staying in Currabinny so you might see her knocking around. Do say hello if you do! ‘

Music Notes 03/07/2022

Hymns at St Mary’s

581    Here I am, Lord

310    Spirit of the living God

608    Be still and know

643    Be thou my vision

I am always interested when I see women’s names associated with a hymn. Our final hymn today names two women: Mary Byrne and Eleanor Hull. Mary Byrne (1880-1931) was born in Dublin and educated first at the Dominican convent and later at the National University established by John Henry Newman (the National Concert Hall now occupies the building).

She was a scholar of old Irish and translated the 8th century Irish poem which inspired this hymn.

Eleanor Hull (1860-1935) was born in Manchester into an Irish family. She was educated at Alexandra College and the Royal College of Science. She was immensely proud of her Irish heritage and spent her life promoting the Irish language and culture.

She published books on early Christian Ireland and the Cuchulainn saga amongst others. She versified Mary Byrne’s translation of the early Irish text and it went on to become one of our best-loved hymns.

The lovely traditional melody ‘Slane’ was collected by Patrick Weston Joyce and published in 1909.

Bébhinn 087 228 5965

bebhinnmuire@gmail.com

Random Notes CDXXX

James Alexander had a liking for cumbersome book titles. In 1800, while based in New Ross, he published this one,

“Some account of the fist apparent symptoms of the late rebellion (1798) in the County of Kildare and the adjoining part of the King’s County with a succinct narrative of some of the most remarkable passages in the rise and progress of the Rebellion in the County of Wexford, especially in the vicinity of Ros.”

By 1809, while living in Rosscarbery, this one had appeared,

“The witty parson and the twelve highwaymen, a narrative, moral and entertaining, in which are introduced two seasonably and uncommonly well applied sermons delivered to the banditti with strange effect by the Reverend and facetious Mr Dodd of Dedham.”

In 1814 he was based in Glanmire and wrote this,

“An amusing summer companion to Glanmire, near Cork, being a picturesque delineation of the beautiful village, together with certain perspects of the surrounding country to which are added strong sketches of the manners of the inhabitants and some useful observations and reflections.”

  (How long-winded can you get?!)

MMPC