Pew Sheet – 7th June 2026

The Rector writes ‘Most of you have already heard (thanks to zealous local politicians!) that we have been awarded the magnificent grant of slightly over €13,000 to install Solar Panels on our Parish Hall. I would like to especially thank John & Valerie Andrew for all the work they have put into the CCAP application and all of the follow up involved for this grant. As you can imagine, the process is labyrinthic and John deftly negotiated his way! As an Eco Congregation, it is very fitting that we will have Solar Panels installed but it will also be a very much needed help with our annual energy bills so really a win/win for the Parish and the environment.’

CCAP is the Community

Climate Action Programme

Christian Aid Week 2026.

A sincere thank you to all who supported Christian Aid week through donations or raffle tickets. To date, over €700 has been raised and that money will all go to help families in Nairobi in Kenya to produce food in small urban spaces to help feed their families and to sell any excess at markets so they can earn enough to support their children’s education.
(From Peter & Stephanie)

Please remember to pot up any spare plants you may have for the plant stall at the church fete. Also, any unwanted garden tools and planters would be very welcome. Contact: Hazel Fleury at 0868157822.

June

Sunday 14th Sunday Club Prizegiving

Saturday 20th Parish Fete

Sunday 21st Sanctuary Sunday

July

Sunday 12th Choral Evensong in St John;s Church 7pm

August

Sunday 30^thUnited Service in St Mary’s Church,

followed by Parish BBQ.

Random Notes DXXXI

Herewith illustrated is a photograph of a not uninteresting cast in plaster, the image surrounded by the following inscription, ‘Lady Gregory, T.S,S. fecit, MDCCCCXXII’ taken from a bronze medal, sculpted by the French/American medalist, Theodore Spicer-Simson (1871-1959).

The medal, some three inches in diameter, bears a portrait in profile of Isabella Augusta, Lady Gregory, dramatist, folklorist, foundational member of the Irish literary revival, and co-founder, with her neighbour, Edward Martyn, of Tulira Castle, and William Butler Yeats, of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

Lady Gregory was born in 1852, one of the many daughters of Dudley Persse (1802-1878), of Roxborough, nr. Loughrea, co. Galway. In 1880 she married, as his second wife, Sir William Henry Gregory (1816-1892), of Coole Park, nr, Gort, co. Galway, by whom she had one son, William Robert Gregory (1881-1918). Regrettable it is to have to record that within nine years of Lady Gregory’s death in 1932, the Gregory seat of Coole Park, long famed for its literary associations, was demolished in 1941, and today but the filled in basement remains. Roxborough, Lady Gregory’s childhood home is now also no more, being today but an ivy enveloped ruin after having been destroyed by fire c.1922.

On the reverse of this casting is a note ‘With my very best wishes for Christmas & the New Year, Colin’, this almost certainly being in the hand of, and from Colin Smythe (b.1942), of Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the well known bibliographer, and publisher of many books relating to Irish literary figures, including Lady Gregory.