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!

Select Vestry Meeting –

Next meeting – Wednesday, 30th November 2011 @ 8.00pm in Old St Mary’s, Clonmel

Please, if you cannot attend phone/email/text your apology at least 24hrs beforehand to the secretary.

Singing Group –

Fridays,4th & 25th November – 8pm at Old St Mary’s, Church of Ireland, Clonmel

- New voices are always welcome –whether you want to sit near the organ or not! We practise well known hymns etc and learn new ones

– the addition of bass/alto etc would enhance our efforts!

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.

BAG PACK –

This annual fundraiser takes place on Friday, 18th November (6-9pm) & Saturday, 19th November (10am-6pm) in Dunnes Stores, Oakville.

We need to fill all the check-outs.

To book your slot, telephone George at 0868799150

Place 4 U Cafe

Cafe for the active ageing
Venue – Morton Street, Clonmel.
Opening Times --- Monday to Friday ---- 10 am to 12.30 pm

more details on the Parish events page

School Board of Management –

Our Board of the last four years has now completed their term of office.

Our thanks goes to the Rev Arthur Carter, Philip Quigley, Daphne Bain, Vivienne Levie, Roy Johnston and our two teachers, Ms Wallace & Mrs Brennan for their diligence and good management of our school.

At their recent meeting, the parents elected Daphne Bain & Harry Everard to represent them on the new Board. The Rev Arthur Carter has decided not to continue as Bishop's nominee on the new Board and Canon George Cliffe has agreed to take up that position.

Our special thanks goes to the Rev Arthur who with his wide experience of matters educational and his wisdom provided an valuable contribution to discussions on the many matters that confront school boards today. Ken Harris has agreed to represent the wider community & the parish, in particular. The new board will become operational on 1st December 2011.

Quiz Night –

Thank you to all those who took part and did we have fun!

George Barry provided the questions in a different format than usual which made for a more challenging, but better way.

Thank-you againto those who supported us by supplying a vast array of prizes.

Fás –

On 31st December 2011, Fás as we know it will cease to exist and a new entity called Solus will be put in place.

Our Fás participants will continue to be with us under the new arrangement, but it will be more focused on those things FáSs was supposed to be about.

As preparations are put in place for this change, those who have been on such schemes for a lot longer than they should have been are being let-off; a further increase in those who have no longer any useful employment to go to every day.

Free Concert-

The Clonmel Writers Club & St Mary's Senior Choir , for some years, have held a free concert of music, poetry & prose at the Main Guard in Clonmel on the 1st Thursday in December to promote a better awareness of Cancer Care in our community. For a number of reasons, they are moving their venue to Old St Mary's Church.

I hope many of you will support this evening as we try to open Old St Mary's to a wider community. There will be a box or some such container at the back of the church on the night for anybody who might wish to make a donation.

Old St Mary's Church of Ireland, Parish Church, Clonmel, Thursday 1st december 2011

Tús –

This the new government initiative to provide one year's training and work experience for those unemployed.
The candidates are chosen at random from the live register and placed in areas of work in the community for which they either have some experience or an aptitude in a particular area of work that might be available.

Two participants have begun work at Kilcommon cemetery & St Paul's Church, Cahir.

Each will work 19 1/2 hours per week for one year. An application has been made for a participant for Tubrid churchyard, which is in dire need of being cleaned up and having the headstones transcribed onto our database. There is also a possibility of getting some help with Tullaghmeelan church & churchyard.

Services in the Irish Language –

At the recent clergy conference some of us met with Ms Caroline Nolan of Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise.

She has been employed to encourage dioceses to use the Irish language in worship. For many years, a monthly service as Garilge has been conducted in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.

Twenty clergy met with Ms Nolan, recorded simple prayers & responses which will shortly be available to Church members so that they can learn them as a preparation to partaking iinn the services which will shortly be arranged to take place monthly in the cathedrals of our dioocese – there will be one service per month and they will be conducted by one of the team of nine who have volunteered for this new venture.

Select Vestry Meeting –

Next meeting – Tuesday, 18th October 2011 @ 7.30pm in Old St Mary’s. Please, if you cannot attend text/phone/email your apology at least 24hrs beforehand, if possible.

Singing Group –

Fridays, 7th & 28th October - New voices are always welcome –whether you want to sit near the organ or not! We practise well known hymns etc and learn new ones – the addition of bass/alto etc would enhance our efforts! 8pm @ Old St Mary's Church of Ireland Parish Church, Clonmel

Holy Matrimony –

Congratulations to Albert Allison, Dublin, formerly of Dundrum, Co Tipperary & Niamh Dougan who were married in St Patrick’s Church, Inishlounaght (Marlfield) on Saturday, 17th September 2011. Canon Tom Breen officiated, assisted by the Rector.

Confirmation 2012–

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. Two young people have already signed up! Some more might help the Bishop to decide to come to us, rather than have us go to Lismore!!!!

Thank-you –

To Bernard Prendergast who has refurbished the Donoughmore graves at Tullaghmeelan and done other much needed jobs in the parish.

We Welcome –

The Rev Dr Stanley Monkhouse to Portlaoise Parish and the Rev Peter Tarleton to Killeshin. Our congratulations & best wishes go to the Rev Maria Jansson, Wexford, as she prepares to move to Waterford as Rector & Dean.

Course in Christian Studies

A diocesan course accredited to NUIM which can be studied as: 1. For one’s own interest 2. Training for Diocesan Readership Beginning September 2012 For further information – ask the Rector!

Butler/Charteris Weekend, Cahir –

This took place on the weekend of 3rd & 4th September 2011 and included a lecture in the castle Great Hall by the Dean of St Patrick’s, Dublin, a tour of the Swiss Cottage, unveiling of plaque to the late Col Charteris at the AFC, town walk and Evenong in St. Paul’s where Jenny Davis sang three pieces by Mendelssohn, Mozart & Handel. There was a very good attendance with descendants of the Col present.

Harvest Thanksgiving, Tullaghmeelan –

This took place on Sunday, 11th September 2011 with the Rev Elaine Murray, Bishop’s Vicar and Curate of Kilkenny preaching. Refreshments were served in the Community Hall, Newcastle – our first parish function there. Thank-you to those who decorated the church so beautifully and did great work in the churchyard.

Sodor & Man Ministry Conference –

The Rector, with two diocesan readers, attended our link diocese’s ministry conference at Lancaster University, England from 19th – 22nd September 2011. We went by ferry and road and did our little bit to strengthen the ties between our two dioceses. We were treated royally, I preached at one of our Eucharists and we learned a lot and got new ideas from the escellent speakers engaged for the conference.

IUNVA Post House –

The Rector took part in the blessing of the Irish United Nations Veteran Association’s new post-house in the Station-Masters House at the raiway station in Clonmel on Sunday, 11th September 2011. Banna Cluain Meala took part.

Quinquennial Inspection & Rural Dean’s Inspection –

Both these inspections took place on Thursday, 17t September 2011. The Diocesan Architect attended at the Rectory and found the house to be in good repair – there are a few jobs to be done, but nothing major. Rev Peter Cole-Baker, acting as Rural Dean, inspected the churches, registers and checked the silver – this took all day. Silver missing since the two thefts has been recorded and will be communicated to Church House.

Flowers & Cleaning –

Please ensure that you pass on the church keys for these activities when your month finishes!

Festival Cluain Meala –

This weekend was a hugwe success and the concert by Banna Cluain Meala with Michael O’Suilleabhain in Old St Mary's was a sell-out (or similar as it was free!!!!)

Select Vestry Meeting –

Next meeting – Tuesday, 18th October 2011 @ 7.30pm in Old St Mary’s, Clonmel. Please, if you cannot attend phone/email your apology at least 24hrs beforehand, if possible.

Whist Drives –

The new season has begun and we had 8 tables plus one in September. Donations of prizes welcome! All welcome! Friday, 14th October 2011 @ 7.45pm Friday, 11th November 2011 @ 7.45pm Friday, 9th December 2011 @ 7.45pm Friday, 13th January 2011 @ 7.45pm Friday, 10th February 2011 @ 7.45pm Friday, 9th March 2011 @ 7.45pm

Envelope Scheme –

A good number of parishoners are now involved in this scheme. It is important that each envelope is filled weekly! – they will be counted periodically and the missing envelopes will be sought. New members of the scheme are very welcome – the more that take part, the less fundraising we will need! Be aware that “special collections” will not be included in your envelope.

Weddings –

At the moment bookings for weddings in St. Patirck’s Church, Inishlounaght for 2011 are reaching their final dates for 2011. There are some bookings for 2012 already in place.

Glengall Memorial –

The work has begun after many delays due to the architect and Heritage requiring different types and quanities of concrete for the foundations. It did seem that one part was trying to increase the costs! The Diocesan Architect was asked to adjudicate on the matter. One post and a few more links have been found and will be repaired by a qualified blacksmith. This project has taken a disproportionate amount of time and energy

Holy Trinity, Fethard –

The re-decoration is complete! What a transformation!! The church looks so much friendlier and warmer. The font is now in a prominent place as it should be. It is now a fit place for worship and the repaired and supplemented heaters work!!!! All we need are people! You will be made most welcome!

Dogs in Burial Grounds –

We have an increasing problem with people walking their dogs in our churchyards for the purpose of those essential daily runs to relieve themselves. This causes offence, it is a health & safety issue, and an inappropriate use of burial grounds. If you must take your dog walkies in a graveyard, bring your scoop and little bag and take your pet’s deposits home with you for disposal. If you find somebody using a churchyard for such purposes, ask them politely to take their pets leavings home with them.

Thank-you –

To the person who organised the mulching of the tree trimmings left at St Mary’s Hall. The Fas workers did a brilliant job spreading the mulch on the flower beds.