Pew Sheet – 7th September 2025

The Rector writes ‘I discovered that some of you did not see the notice about the upcoming Confirmations which appeared in the middle pages of last week’s Pewsheet so I have bumped it up to the cover page this week!.  It is a very important notice as once the classes start in November, we won’t be able to include any additional candidates and they would have to wait until a new Bishop comes.

As the Bishop intends to retire in the Spring of next year, the Confirmation Service will take place at 3:30pm on Sunday 1st February in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral for parishes of Cork City Rural Deanery.  Please let the Rector know before end of October if you would like to be confirmed in February 2026. Our own parish preparation will begin on 6th November. (classes will be from 5pm to 6:30pm each Thursday)

As the ‘Whist Season’ will soon be restarting, Henry Forbes and Barney Deane will hold some Whist Training sessions in the Parish Hall. Please check with them about dates

HARVEST SUPPER TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM HENRY FORBES

September

Monday 8th

Men’s Coffee, 10am in Carrigaline Court Hotel

Wednesday 17th

MU Opening H.C. Service 3pm St Mary’s Church

 Refreshments as always afterwards and a chance to catch up. All welcome! 

Thursday 18th

Charting a Future with Confidence Diocesan Roadshow  8pm Parish Hall 

Friday 26th

Voices for Gaza Concert  7:30pm St Mary’s  

Church. Fundraising for MSF in Gaza

Saturday 27th

Diocesan Synod Bandon Grammar School

Sunday 28th

Animal Blessing Service 11am St Mary’s

October

Saturday 4th

Harvest Supper  7:30pm  Canon McCrea Hall

Sunday 5th

Harvest Thanksgiving Services 9:30/11am

Random Notes DI

Illustrated herewith is a most interesting photograph of the short lived Post Office on the island of An Blascaod Mor (the Great Blasket),  off the west coast of county Kerry.

The island, so very well known today, principally on account of its literary associations, Tomas  O’Criomthain, Peig Sayers, Muiris O’Suilleabhain, etc. once sustained a population of close to two hundred persons, a population that over a relatively short period of time during the twentieth century declined steadily, until late 1953, it by then having dropped to under two dozen, the decision was taken to remove the remaining population to the mainland, and abandon the island to its fate.

The An Blascaod Mor Post Office opened on Monday,16th June, 1941, with Sean Sheain i Chearnaigh appointed postmaster, and it was he, for the but brief twelve years of its existence remained so until the Post Office finally closed its door on Monday, 23rd November, 1953.

Illustrated herewith also is the upper part of a letter written from the island by the Postmaster to the late Michael Leonard of Liverpool, bearing three strikes of the An Blascaod Mor datestamp, dated 23rd October, 1953, together with two impressions of the Post Office mail bag seal. A small piece bearing a single strike of the datestamp dated 16th October, 1953, is also illustrated,

                                                                                                                                                                                                 K.L.R.