03.10.2016
Former Church of Ireland Librarian and Archivist, Dr Ray Refaussé’s career to be honoured on October 15
A seminar marking the retirement of Dr Raymond Refaussé as Librarian and Archivist of the Representative Church Body (RCB), along with the presentation of a Distinguished Service Award by the Archives and Records Association UK and Ireland, will be held in the atmospheric and historic surroundings of the Music Room at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on Saturday 15th October 2016, 10.30am–1pm. The event, ‘Keeping the Records Safe: A Career in Retrospect’, is being organised in Dr Refaussé’s honour by the Library & Archives Committee of the RCB.
Having served as Assistant Librarian in the Department of Manuscripts, Trinity College Dublin, between 1976 and 1981, Dr Raymond Refaussé (pictured) was appointed the first Church of Ireland Archivist at the RCB Library in 1981, and following the retirement of the Librarian three years later, became the first Librarian and Archivist in 1984, a position he held until his retirement in June 2016. He has been succeeded by Dr Susan Hood.
During his time at the RCB, Ray established and professionalized the archives of the Church of Ireland in Ireland, including securing an agreement with the Public Records Office of Ireland (now the National Archives) that the RCB Library was the appropriate place of custody for Church of Ireland parish registers. Over 1,100 parish record collections, thousands of manuscript collections, papers of diocesan, cathedral and other central administrative records of the Church at all levels have been secured, stored and catalogued during his tenure. The use of this material has been heavily promoted through the establishment of an exemplary publication scheme since the early 1990s.
The seminar to mark Dr Refaussé’s retirement will be opened by Archbishop Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh, and will include keynote presentations by Bishop John McDowell, Bishop of Clogher, and Professor Raymond Gillespie of the University of Maynooth. Further contributions will be made by Dr Kenneth Milne (Church of Ireland Historiographer), Steven ffeary–Smyrl (Irish Genealogical Research Society), Canon Adrian Empey (former Principal of the Church of Ireland Theological College) and Dr Elizabeth Mullins (School of History, UCD). Pre–booking is essential, as places are limited, so please contact: rrseminar@rcbdub.org or Tel. +353 (0)1–4923979.