Confirmation –

If you are about 12 years or older and would like to be Confirmed in 2012, It is now time to talk to the rector – telephone or talk at church. Four young people have already signed up! Confirmation will take place in Piltown Church on Sunday, 17th June 2012 and classes will begin at the end of February 2012.

Bishop’s Visit –

This Sunday visit when Bishop Michael celebrated Holy Communion and had an opportunity to meet parishioners went very well; there were a few hiccups, which only reminded his Lordship of what parish life can be like! – he misses this part of ordained ministry and takes it all in good humour. Well done to those who made the effort to join him in worship and brought their children to meet him. This is so important and essential to their growth within the Church- keep it up on those Sundays when we do not have a celebrity!

Baptisms, Marriages & Funerals –

By appointment with the Rector only – for weddings, you must make contact more than three months before the proposed date of wedding.

School Applications –

Applications for enrolment in St Mary’s Parochial School, Western Road, Clonmel must be in before 1st March 2012 – to apply telephone the school at 0526127876 and speak to Joan or Ms Wallace.

This is our parochial school, under Church of Ireland management.

Information Evenings –

For many “the diocese” is a faceless entity that “takes our money” and has little relevance to us . In our
diocese we are endeavouring to unite those two entities; The Diocese of Cashel & Ossory and the Diocese of Ferns which form our Bishopric. And, after 800 years or thereabouts, we have it in our sights; very evident in the growing interaction betwen those on the east of the Blackstairs Mts & those on the west!

Our latest venture was two information evenings on the management of property. I have spent almost 20 years working in this area of diocesan life. I sat on the panel in Kilkeeny &, almost a week later, attended the evening in Bunclody, Co Wexford, my “home” country! Others did the same things and we all have got to know each other better and have learned that attendance brings support, interest, friendship and a desire to work together!!!

Grants from the Secondary Education Committee –

This committee operates under the auspices of the Church of Ireland and administers the government block grant granted to “Protestant” secondary schools.

Application under this scheme should be submitted before 28th February 2012 – for further information talk to the school you your child will attend from September 2012 or the Rector.

Select Vestry Meeting –

Next meetings –Tuesday, 6th December 2011 & 12th January 2012 @ 8.00pm in Old St Mary’s.
Please, if you cannot attend phone/email your apology at least 24hrs beforehand to the Secretary.

BAG PACK –

Thank-you to all those who helped with our bag-pack. We raised €800, which is very good indeed!

Thank-you George for encouraging us.

School Board of Management –

Our new Board has met and begun the work we willcontinue to do over the next 4 years.
The Board consists of members in four categories:

1. Patron’s representatives : The Rector & the Rev Canon George Cliffe
2. Teachers: Miss Wallace & Mrs Brennan
3. Parents representatives (elected by parents): Mr Harry Everard & Mrs Susan Luke
4. Community Representatives (usually parishioners) – mrs Viv Levie & Mr Ken Harris

Each member has a specific role on the Board, which spreads the load.
Gender equality is an essential element of composing the Board.

Whist Drive

Whist Drives – The season is progressing well with lots of people enjoying an
evening’s relaxation & social interaction once a month .

Donations of prizes welcome! All welcome!

Friday, 9th December 2011 @ 7.45pm
Friday, 13th January 2011 @ 7.45pm
Friday, 10th February 2011 @ 7.45pm
Friday, 9th March 2011 @ 7.45pm

Retirement of the Town Clerk –

One of the 1st people I encountered when I arrived in Clonmel was Billy Doyle, Town Clerk. During the last, almost, five years we have worked together at trying to improve our historic town walls, promote the town through Walled Town Day, which he so successfully incorporated into Feile Cluain Meala. He is a gentleman with a “gra” for Clonmel that is infectious, a keen eye for opportiunity and an amazing ability for detail. John & I were privileged to be invited to the Civic Reception given in his honour and to be part of the celebrations that followed.

We welcome Mr Ger Walsh, his successor, and wish him well and assure him of our co-operation as he takes up the reins of this historic position in difficult times.

St Mary’s Parochial School –

Happy Christmas to everybody from the Board of Management, Teachers, Joan & pupils of our school, We are looking forward to our school play, which will take place in the GAA Centre, Western Road on Wednesday, 7th December @ 3pm. And most of all, we are looking forward to hte Christmas holidays!!!!!

Free Concert-

St Mary’s Church Senior Choir & Clonmel Writers Group, entertained a full church at Old St Mary's Clonmel, on Thursady, 1st December with wonderful Christmas music, poetry & prose.

Among the offerings from the Writers’ Group were reminisences of worldwide and local events of the past & more recent times, humour and that wonderful sense of what comes from deep within us.

There was no charge, but donations were asked for C.A.R.E. who do so much for htose coping with cancer; especially down in Wellington Street here in Clonmel.

The attendance was treated to Christmasy refreshments afterwards. Thanks George for your help!

Tús –

Our application for Tubrid & Tullaghmeelan is progressing! The participaants at St Paul’s & Kilcommon are doing well!
There are high hopes of guided tours at St Paul’s next Summer! - And tidiness & access at Tubrid.

Safeguarding Trust & Youth Work –

Our triennial evaluation of our panel & our compliance with Safeguarding Trust has taken place and we have a little tidying up to do, but we are compliant.
The membership of the panel will change shortly after new members are vetted by the Gardai & trained. However in those areas where we were questioned about youth work we had mostly blanks. We need volunteers to get some youth activities going. If you are interested in helping set up Sunday School or some other type of activity for our young people, talk to the Rector.

We have the facilities in Clonmel, Cahir & limited facilities in Fethard – we need help, but most of all we need to bring our children together to learn, play and become enthusiastic members of our Church – come on volunteEr, encourage your friends to join you and make our parish a more lively and friendlier place for our young people!

I have been sending text messages reminding parents of the 4th Sunday family service, but I don’t have a mobile number for every family – text me at 0862750735 or email me at frydayb@gmail.com and your family will receive a monthly encouragement to worship!

Glengall Memorial –

The final report went to the Heritage council on 30th November & we hopefully will receive our grant before Christmas. The final figure was just over €8,500.

A lot of money for the repair of an ornamentalkerb.

We now must look to find the balance after the €6,000 grant.

Pidgeons in the Belfry-

Well, not anymore! About ten intrepid parishioners, clad in protective clothing, masks and gloves, braved the heights of the belltower in Old St. Mary’s, shovelled pidgeon “calling cards” out, removed the detrius with wire-brushes and shovels and closed off as many entrances as possible over two Saturdays.

By the time you read this, another posse will have entered the tower and sealed off all entrances and, hopefully, prevented any further quantities of rich manure from being available to mad gardeners.

Congratulations!

To the parishioners of Cahir whose efforts, in this case, particularly the Rev Arthur Carter, has secured the prize, in its category, in the Tidy Burial Grounds Competition. The maintenance of this cemetery is partly funded by the County council, who own it.

Involvement with the Arts Council –

On 18th November, the Arts Council held a daylong choir training day for schools in South Tipperary. The Director of the National Youth Choir came and put about 100 secondary school students through their paces – it poured outside and almost scuppered lunch in town, but inside the dulcet tones and enthusiasm of those teenagers filled the building in a way that was unimmaginable. At 3pm, they sang the three pieces they had toiled at to an appreciative audience form their own schools. It was magical and it is what we should be about. We are going to do more of this!