The Church of Ireland Historical Centenaries Working Group is holding an evening of presentations and an opportunity for discussion to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme in the Music Room of Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, next Wednesday evening at 7.30pm.
The keynote speakers will be Dr Gavin Hughes, a visiting research fellow at Trinity College, Dublin, who will speak on Irish Battalions and the Long Battle of the Somme, and the well-known writer and historian Turtle Bunbury, who will speak on Irish Personalities who Ventured onto the Somme Battlefield. The talks will be chaired by a senior UK Government official and will be followed by an opportunity for questions and answers with the speakers, followed by refreshments, and all are welcome to attend.
Dr Hughes will focus on the military exploits of the Volunteer 'Service' battalions of the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) Divisions, alongside the veteran 'Regulars' and will consider their military impact through documentary evidence and surviving archaeological traces. Turtle Bunbury's presentation will consider a wide range of individuals who either ventured onto the battlefield or flew above it both on July 1st and through the latter stages of the long drawn-out battle.
Admission to the event is free. It would be helpful if those wishing to attend would indicate in advance by emailing: press@ireland.anglican.org
To commemorate the rich cultural and historical heritage of St Mary's cathedral, Limerick, the cathedral community will host its first Heritage and History Weekend Festival today and tomorrow. The festival opens at 10am today with guided tours of the cathedral, flower displays and an artefact exhibition, which all take place throughout the weekend. At 5pm the Cathedral Choirs of Kilkenny, Waterford and Limerick will give a concert which will include Schubert's Mass in G and Parry's I was Glad. Concert tickets cost €10 (€8 concessions) and will be available at the door.
Tomorrow the festival opens at 11.15am with Festival Eucharist at which the preacher will be Fr Martin Browne OSB from Glenstal Abbey. This will be followed by a free concert by the Limerick Wind Ensemble who perform Mozart's Gran Partita K 361 at 3pm. Festal Evensong will take place at 7pm and this will mark the closing of the festival.
Tomorrow RTÉ will televise Morning Worship with the parishioners of the Athy union of parishes, led by the Revd Olive Donohoe, while on South-East Radio the Sunday Service will be from the Enniscorthy & Monart union of parishes. Bishop Jered Kalimba, from Shyogwe diocese in Rwanda, will preach in Whitechurch, Co Dublin, reflecting the parish's on-going mission link with Shyogwe diocese while in Mogorban, Co Tipperary, the preacher at a Service of Thanksgiving to mark the 200th anniversary of the parish church will be the former rector, Dr Philip Knowles.
Tomorrow afternoon at 3.30pm the Archbishop of Dublin will preside and preach at the St Doulagh's Open Air Service at Balgriffin where the music will be provided by the Dublin Conservative Club Male Voice Choir and the 1st Dublin Company Boys' Brigade Brass Band. The Archbishop will also launch an appeal fund for the repair and restoration the church which is believed to be the oldest place of worship in Ireland still in regular weekly use.
In St Patrick's cathedral, Armagh, on Wednesday evening there will be a service to mark the centenary of the Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland. The address will be given by Prof Michael Wheeler.