September arrived, and with it the long-awaited rain that the farmers were praying for after the unusually long hot summer. Grass is now growing quite speedily, but it’s lovely to see the flowers coming back to life, and the fields and verges turning green.
Congratulations to Michelle O’Leary (nee Gardiner) and Alan O’Leary on the safe delivery of their baby daughter Abigail. A ninth grandchild for John and Jean Gardiner (Doneraile). Mum and baby are doing well, new life is always good news!
Bicentenary celebrations for St Mary’s Castletownroche took place on the 5th and 6th of September. On the Saturday, the assembled guests were treated to an excellent talk on the history of St Mary’s given by Mrs Cressida Annesley Williams and her father Patrick Annesley of Annesgrove. Cressida gave us a most informative slide show featuring drawings of the original church on the site and the present one. Patrick gave us his interpretation of the stained glass East Window which was given in memory of four young men from the parish who had died in the First World War. On the Sunday afternoon there was Choral Evensong led by Dr Ian Sexton and the Clerks Choral. The preacher was the Bishop elect, the Ven. Andrew Orr. Both events were well attended. Many thanks to those who organised the weekend’s events, and those who prepared and served refreshments. Our congratulations to all the parishioners on this milestone event. May God continue to bless them in the future.
Here in Mallow Union, August ended with a United Service on the 30th in St James’s Church and a celebration in the form of a Baptism, as we welcomed into the church Róise Frances Berkley, daughter of Amy and Mathew and granddaughter of Margot Bolster and Kevin Keane. It was lovely to welcome back to St James’s Róise’s sister Saoirse and their dad who were both baptised in St James’s two years ago.
September saw the start of our Harvest Festival services in the Union, beginning with St James’s, Mallow on Sunday 27th (preacher Rev Andrew Coleman). In October, Doneraile parishioners will welcome Dean Susan Green as their preacher on Sunday 11th at 3pm. Castletownroche parishioners will welcome Diocesan Reader Joanna Griffin on Sunday 18th at 3pm. All are welcome to these services, a full report on these will be in the November issue of this magazine.
Mallow Arts Festival took place on 22nd to 26th July. This festival is one of the highlights of the artistic and cultural year in North Cork and St James’s Church were delighted to be able to host concerts on four evenings in the week, also a number of daytime concerts and events in the church and the Parish Hall. We are honoured to work in partnership with the Mallow Arts Collective and see it very much as part of our outreach into the community.
Culture Night on Friday 18th September was celebrated in Mallow with two free concerts in St James’s. Kantos String Quartet played Beethoven, Janáček, Swan Hennessey and Caroline Shaw at 7.30pm, and at 9pm Cór Maigh Ealla (Mallow Choir) gave us An Evening of Popular Melodies featuring Shona Murphy and Natasha O’Brien.
In Doneraile, ‘Art for the Heart’ invited local people and visitors to Doneraile Park and Town for an afternoon of free events celebrating Doneraile’s culture through storytelling, music, dance, and puppetry.
Flower Festival – The Association of Irish Floral Artists (AOIFA) will be holding a National Flower Festival in Doneraile hosted by the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Mary’s Church of Ireland on 3rd & 4th October. The theme is “Making Connections: A Celebration of Community, Heritage and Friendship”. Both churches will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm each day. Entrance fee is €10. Proceeds will be in support of Breast Cancer Ireland. The weekend will conclude with a Songs of Praise service in St Mary’s Church on Sunday 4th October at 4pm. All are welcome.
HOLY BAPTISM
AUG 30 In St James’s Church, Mallow – Róise Frances Berkley, daughter of Amy Keane Berkley and Mathew Berkley