Clogher Titanic commemoration recalls Rector’s son; Mid–Africa Focus Event; Obit: Billy Neely 1935-2012; Christ Church Cathedral Past Choristers Association; Church leaders visit Derry bomb targets; Vandals target Moville Parish Church; Coalisland teens offered ‘free drugs’; Police refute claims ‘meth’ circulating in Coalisland; Makeover for Ferrycarrig church
Clogher Titanic commemoration recalls Rector’s son
As part of the many Titanic commemorations marking the centenary of the ship’s maiden and only journey, there will be an evening marking this disaster in St Andrew’s Church, Scotshouse. On Saturday the 28th of April at 8.00 p.m. Currin parish look forward to welcoming the well–known historian Dr Alicia St Leger from Cork to speak about the Titanic.
The talk is entitled: ‘The Story of the Titanic’. Dr St Leger is responsible for the new Titanic Exhibition in the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum in Belfast. She is an excellent speaker and deeply knowledgeable about the Titanic and has been involved in many commemorative events that have recently taken place in Cobh.
The talk will take place in St Andrew’s Church, Scotshouse where there is a memorial plaque to Ernest Waldron King, a former rector’s son who was one of the many Titanic victims. Mr King was a purser on board of the Titanic and his body was later recovered and laid to rest in Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada. As well as a stimulating and interesting talk, the evening also promises some musical entertainment: Miss Gemma Humphries on the accordion and Master Daniel Soden playing the bagpipes.
Mid–Africa Focus Event
CMSI – On Monday 30th April, CMS Ireland will host a Mid–Africa Focus Evening in its Belfast Offices. The evening will include contributions from CMS Ireland Mission Partners, Rory and Denise Wilson, and from Emmanuel Ntazinda, the newly appointed Bishop of Kibungo Diocese in Rwanda.
Rory and Denise recently returned from Uganda with their son Gideon for a period of Home Assignment. As part of the focus event, they will share stories and news of their life and work at Kiwoko Hospital.
Rory, originally a GP from Bangor, is the Medical Superintendent at Kiwoko and is responsible for all the medical care that takes place in the hospital, as he works alongside a team of local Ugandan doctors.
Denise, from Ballymoney, previously worked with Fields of Life, both in Uganda and in Ireland. She now works as a Clinical Instructor with the Nursing School in Kiwoko and also provides pastoral support to the students at the hospital.
The event on 30th April will also feature a Skype interview with the Rt Revd Emmanuel Ntazinda – the new Bishop of Kibungo Diocese, Rwanda. Bishop Emmanuel was consecrated in February following the retirement of Bishop Josias Sendegeya and he is keen to continue developing the partnership between Kibungo and Ireland.
The event promises to be an informal, informative and inspiring evening of fellowship and sharing. Refreshments will, of course, be provided.
CMS Ireland’s Focus Events highlight the work of the Society’s Global Partners in particular places. They offer a chance to join with others who have an interest in mission and to hear stories together of how God is transforming lives through His church in other parts of the world.
www.cmsireland.org.
Obit: Billy Neely 1935-2012
Billy was by far the most exceptional talent ever to sing as a boy in the choir at Belfast Cathedral. He was born on 7th July 1935 as William Callin but was raised in Belfast by the Neely family from whom he took his name. As a child he had a stutter and it was thought that singing lessons might help cure the problem. He went for lessons to Miss Nan Shaw who discovered his fine singing voice and found that his stuttering had ceased. When he was eleven years old Billy joined the 24-strong treble line of Belfast Cathedral choir whose revered choirmaster was Charles J Brennan. The boys rehearsed on Tuesdays and Saturdays and the full choir joined them for practice on Wednesday nights. This enabled the Cathedral to provide two sung Services each Sunday, some of which took the form of major works. Bach’s St Matthew Passion and Brahms’ Requiem were two such that Billy sang.
At the same time another musician, Arthur Martin, was conducting a boys’ choir which Billy joined in 1948. The BBC in Belfast had already given Billy some air on radio and the workload was increased by regular winning appearances at the many music festivals of the day. Remarkably, he won the Senior Lieder Class at Belfast Music Festival competing against adult sopranos. Fortunately his “Röslein dreie in der Reihe” by Brahms (sung in German) was recorded in 1950 by the BBC and is now on CD. Expression seemed to come naturally to him and his singing had what pianists call “touch”. Billy also recorded for HMV, usually accompanied by Gerald Moore, and was a regular artist at Abbey Road long before the Beatles!
He was just 15 when his career as a boy soprano came to its inevitable end but he wasn’t finished with music. In 1954 he won a three-year scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music to study theory, harmony, composition and piano. It was here that he met his future wife, Jenny. They married in 1960 and made their living in France with their combined love of antiques and textiles.
Billy died on 13th April 2012, eighteen months after Jenny. They are survived by their son John his wife Jane and their three children Samuel, Jacob and Alice; and their daughter Deborah her husband Richard and their three children James, Antonia and Sophie.
Christ Church Cathedral Past Choristers Association
The second reunion of the Christ Church Cathedral Past Choristers Association will take place on Saturday June 16. The event is a relatively new initiative aimed at reconnecting those who have been part of the cathedral’s long musical past. All former choir members are warmly invited to attend.
A rehearsal will begin at 2.00 pm before Evensong at 5.00 pm when the past choristers will sing alongside the present Cathedral Choir. After the service, the Dean will kindly host a reception for all participants in the crypt.
All former choir members are welcome to join in the rehearsal and sing evensong. Those who might prefer not to sing are welcome to the service and reception afterwards.
Please contact Victor Coe at pastchoristers@cccdub.ie or by writing to him at Christ Church Cathedral Dublin Past Choristers, Christ Church Cathedral, Christ Church Place, Dublin 8. The association is also on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/pastchoristers.
Church leaders visit Derry bomb targets
U.TV – The Reverend Ken Good, Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, and Fr Michael Canny, spokesperson for Catholic diocese of Derry, made the visit on Tuesday evening. Dissident republicans are being blamed for the planting the explosive device under …
http://www.u.tv/News/Church-leaders-visit-Derry-bomb-targets/fd30363c-53f0-4d03-8a00-34c6dd26576f
Vandals target Moville Parish Church
Derry Journal – Vandals who pelted stones at Moville’s Church of Ireland last week destroyed irreplaceable windows which are over 150 years old, the ‘Journal’ has learned. The incident, which happened sometime between Easter Sunday evening and the morning of Friday …
http://www.derryjournal.com/news/local/vandals-target-church-1-3741653
Coalisland teens offered ‘free drugs’
U.TV – Church leaders have been involved in the talks aimed at uniting residents against dealers. “It’s not just free drugs,” Church of Ireland minister Rev Andrew Rawding said. “We’ve had parents say it’s free alcohol that their children are given first and
http://www.u.tv/news/Coalisland-teens-offered-free-drugs/4e9b1c2a-fc3d-4ef8-9c61-6a65cce5f300
Police refute claims ‘meth’ circulating in Coalisland
BBC – On Monday night, more than 100 people attended a public meeting at the Church of Ireland hall in the town to discuss what they believe is an escalating drug problem. Fr Byrne said it was the third in a series of public gatherings to try to deal with …
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17737998
Makeover for Ferrycarrig church
New Ross Standard – The church in the National Heritage Park in Ferrycarrig which is receiving a brand new look as part of the redevelopment around the park. THE SMALL Church in the Irish National Heritage Park, Ferrycarrig, is getting a brand new look as a part of …
http://www.newrossstandard.ie/lifestyle/makeover-for-ferrycarrig-church-3083054.html