Pew Sheet – 7th May 2023

The Rector writes ’It was so lovely to have the Finnish Choir with us last week.

One of the members said to me on the way out that it had been her favourite part of the trip thus far! We shouldn’t underestimate what a warm welcome can mean to visitors to our church. Thank you to everyone who helped on the day. The spread over in the parish hall was fantastic.’

Music Notes 07-05-23

Hymns at St Mary’s

326 Blessed city, heavenly Salem

557 Rock of ages cleft for me

627 What a friend we have in Jesus

693 Glory in the highest`

The composer of the tune for our opening hymn today was Henry Purcell (1659-1695). He began his musical training in the Chapel Royal at Windsor where he was a boy chorister. His musical talent was spotted early and he was kept on after his voice broke in 1673 working as a composer and assistant to the keeper of the instruments. After a stint as organist at Westminster Abbey, he returned to the Chapel Royal in 1682 as one of three organists on the staff. He was a prolific composer of all kinds of music: instrumental, vocal, and operatic. His music is still popular today, one example is the score of the film ‘Kramer vs Kramer’ in 1995.

The tune ‘Westminster Abbey’ has been adapted from an opera of Purcell’s called ‘King Arthur’. John Wesley adapted it for his hymn ‘Love divine, all loves excelling’ which we often sing to the Welsh tune ‘Blaenwern’.

Bébhinn 087 2285965

bebhinnmuire@gmail.com

Random Notes CDXXV

A recent acquisition by the compiler of this note, and illustrated herewith is a handsome and most interesting print, taken from the ‘The Building News’, dated 7th July, 1871.

Entitled a ‘Design for Cork Cathedral, submitted by Edwd. W. Godwin, Archt.’, the design by the well known English architect, Edward William Godwin (1833-1886), author of a number of buildings in Ireland including a few Churches in co. Donegal, Dromore Castle, co. Limerick, and Glenbeigh Towers, in co. Kerry, was presumably one of the sixty-eight entrants submitted in response to the competition for the new Cathedral of St. Fin Barre announced in 1862, the winner of which , announced in February, 1863, was the noted, well known and brilliant architect, William Burgess (1827-1881), and a friend of Edward Godwin.

K.L.R.

Shamrocks for our Link with Perton Crochet Workshop on 20th May in the Parish Hall 9am till noon.

Gerlene Kennedy will have yarn and patterns available in bundles at the United Service in St John’s on the 30th of April to give to those who want them ahead of then… or you can get some on 20th itself. You can also bring along any finished shamrocks on 20th which can then have safety pins secured on the back… and there will be coffee and cake!

Summer Outing/Lunch on Wednesday 17th May

Venue: The Bosun Restaurant, Monkstown at 12:30pm

Cost: €31.50 for a three course lunch. All welcome! Please contact Deirdre 086-2612442 before May 10th to book a place for lunch

Update on Bicentennial Events

Next Sunday 14th May, we will launch our very own Bicentennial Chocolate Bars! Made by the delicious local O’Connail Chocolatiers, based right beside the church in Carrigaline, with a black and white print of Dorothee Robert’s beautiful painting of St Mary’s Church on each wrapper.

The 100g bars cost €4 each and will be available at the back of both churches during the remaining months of the Bicentennial year.

Don’t forget to gather stuff for our Parish Fête on 24th June. You can contact Tracey on 087-3481864 if you have any questions about the Fête or if you need to organise collection of items.