The candidates, supported by their families and friends and their rectors, came from the parishes of: Drumcondra; Santry, Glasnevin and Finglas; Christ Church Cathedral; St Paul’s Glenageary; CORE St Catherine’s; Celbridge and Straffan with Newcastle–Lyons; Kill O’ the Grange; Powerscourt with Kilbride; Tallaght; Stillorgan and Blackrock; Leixlip and Lucan; Rathmichael; and Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla.

The service was sung by the Cathedral Choir and the readings were from Numbers 11: 24–30 and John 20: 19–23.

In his sermon the Archbishop said that it was essential that those being confirmed were comfortable with themselves, with Jesus Christ and in the church, and that they would know they would feel welcome in any church. He urged them to rejoice on the day of the birth of the church that they have been given the choice by Jesus Christ to go and be as he is and do as he does.  

A series of intensely competitive matches saw players from Wicklow Parish emerge both victorious and vanquished. The parish entered two teams, one of which included the only member of the clergy in action in the tournament, the Revd Jack Kinkead. Indeed, had things gone awry, the parish could have been without two key players on Sunday morning as Wicklow’s organist Klaas de Vries was also playing.

The parish brought home the much sought after Diocesan Hockey Challenge Cup which was presented to Dublin and Glendalough in 1995 by the then Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Donald Caird. They also returned to the Diocese of Glendalough with the less salubrious, less coveted Archbishop’s Chamber Pot, the wooden spoon prize.

Whitechurch Parish showed much promise bringing strong hockey credentials to the tournament including the umpires, and Jane Connolly and Gail Garry who joined the Diocesan Secretary Ian Walshe on the organising committee.

Holy Trinity Rathmines brought a large team with plenty of rolling subs and strong players and had there been award for best turned out team, they would have won it with their sharp branded polo shirts. Definitely ones to watch in future tournaments.

Archbishop Michael Jackson was on hand to present both the cup and the chamber pot. He thanked Ian Walshe for taking up the competition and giving it new life and new legs. He said the revival showed a promising start and the foundations were laid for future years.

Ian thanked all the umpires, Lucy and Josh Kelly and Mark Garry, for their hard work. The Archbishop’s Cup had been sitting on a shelf in the diocesan office for a number of years having last been lifted by Christ Church Bray 14 years ago. However, the search for the chamber pot involved some detective work, Ian recounted. Stillorgan were the last chamber pot ‘winners’ but a call to the Rector, the Revd Kevin Conroy, initially drew a blank. Persistence paid off and the chamber pot was recovered and dusted down in time for the big day.

Players were rewarded for their efforts in the heat with pizza and cake afterwards as thoughts turn to training for next year’s event.

There are more photos on our Facebook page:

We, the members of the Dublin City Interfaith Forum express our shock and deep sorrow at the tragic death of Yves Sakila and extend heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the Congolese community in Ireland.

We join the growing calls for a full, transparent, and independent investigation into all the circumstances surrounding his death. Justice is a moral obligation in every society, especially when a human life has been lost in such distressing circumstances. Every person is created with inherent dignity and worth, and that dignity must always be protected.

At this painful time, we also call for compassion in our public discourse and in our treatment of one another. Fear, anger, or suspicion can never justify the loss of our shared humanity. The images and reports emerging from this incident have caused profound concern and anguish across many communities, particularly among people who already feel vulnerable to racism, exclusion, or unequal treatment.

The Forum’s Chair, Archbishop Michael Jackson said, “Compassion requires us not only to mourn with those who mourn, but also to listen carefully to the fears and experiences being voiced by minority communities in Ireland today.  As Scripture reminds us: “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).”

Our faith traditions teach us that love of neighbour is not optional but fundamental. Jesus said: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31). In honouring that commandment, we must stand together against hatred, racism, and the devaluing of any human life.

May Yves rest in peace, and may truth, justice, and healing prevail for all affected.

Dublin City Interfaith Forum

19th May 2026

The Archbishop of Dublin’s Personal Assistant,

Archbishop’s Office, Church House, Church Avenue,

Rathmines, Dublin 6.

Email:abpsecretary@dublinchurchofireland.org

‘Benjamin Culme, DD, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin 1625–1657: An Overlooked Dean’ by the Revd Robert Kingston was launched in the Deanery of St Patrick’s on Tuesday evening (May 19). The book, which appears to be the first to be written about Dean Culme who served as Dean for 32 years in the turbulent time leading up to the Cromwellian take over, is published by Hinds and is available on their website www.hinds.ie.

Standing in the dining room of the Deanery, Dean Morton observed that if Dean Culme didn’t live in the exact building, he lived on the same site and it was fitting to gather there for the launch. He said history was alive and well and told the packed room that only that morning the cathedral had received a letter addressed to another former dean, Dean Jonathan Swift.

“A good book informs us, challenges us, inspires fresh interest, stimulates further scholarship, corrects misconceptions and helps us understand why history and the lives of the individuals within it took the course they did,” he stated. “Ably researched and written, this book is a delight. Robert is known and admired and over many years of faithful ministry has combined pastoral wisdom with the instincts of a meticulous historian. During his time in Virginia, Co Cavan, where Benjamin Culme was said to have served, Robert began to research the life of a churchman who had all but disappeared from memory.”

Dean Morton said that Culme was not a household name and left behind no satirical legacy, as Jonathan Swift did – still receiving mail – nor did he achieve lasting fame. But he guided the cathedral through years of extraordinary upheaval and his memorial described him as ‘patient in adversity’. He suggested that the book was a significant contribution to the history of St Patrick’s Cathedral and a moving tribute to the enduring power of steady and faithful service, showing that no life devoted to faithful service is ever lost.

The Revd Robert Kingston, who is currently Chaplain of The Mageough in Dublin, said that the book was the culmination of a lot of research. He urged readers not to think of it as serious scholarship. “I regard it as being an account of a fascinating treasure hunt all of which began with Jim Hartin who taught history in the [Divinity] Hostel,” he explained.

In 1985 Robert served in Virginia. As the registrar of Kilmore Diocese he had all the subscription lists none of which mentioned Benjamin Culme. However, George Hill historian of the Plantation time in the early 1700s had Culme down as the first Rector of Virginia.

“That led me on to doing a parish history which sat until retirement. Then it occurred to me that all through my life I had been crossing Culme’s path, or he’d been crossing mine. In [the various] parishes there was always some hint of connection with him,” he commented.

The author thanked Ross Hinds for taking a chance on his book and his wife for encouraging him to seek publication, Dean Morton, St Patrick’s historian Albert Fenton and the Friends of St Patrick’s for their support along with the book’s designer and all who supported the launch.

“When I started to look at this about 12 years ago, I went to Ray Refausse in the [RCB] Library and asked him for information on Culme. He came back to me and said there was nothing about Culme. I said great, that’s the sort of history I like to write about – nobody to contradict me if I am wrong. I’m hoping that within another year or two there will be books on Culme profoundly disagreeing with every word I’ve written. I feel that I will have made it if that happens – history is not something fixed it is something that develops in our understanding. The important thing is to start where people were at and the situations they were in to see the decisions they had to make,” he concluded.

During their visit, the choir sang at the Eucharist in the Church of England’s Bucharest Chaplaincy, the Church of The Resurrection. At this service Canon Arbuthnot preached and renewed his friendship with the Chaplain of Bucharest, the Revd Dr Nevsky Everett. 

The choir also sang at a gathering in the Irish Ambassador’s Residence, as well as performing a concert at the Romanian Atheneum. 

This concert was organised by the Irish Embassy and all involved in the choir tour were very grateful for the warm welcome and organisation provided by HE Brendan Ward, Irish Ambassador to Romania and graduate of the University of Dublin.

Canon Arbuthnot commented: “Once again, the chapel choir proved themselves to be exemplary representatives of Trinity College, Dublin, the Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough, and the wider Church of Ireland. Their presence helped engender cultural links between Ireland and Romania and we are very grateful to the Ambassador for all his assistance in organising the tour and for his friendship throughout the visit. This was a bittersweet occasion for us in the life of the chapel, because this tour marked the last engagements of many of our choir members, our choir conductor, and organ scholar. We are grateful for all their contributions to the life of the chapel during their time with us and we wish them God’s blessing as they now leave the walls of our ancient college for the wide and fertile pastures of the outside world.”

The primary purpose of the Synod is to enact legislation for the whole Church of Ireland. Bills, which are proposals for legislation, are considered and become Acts or Statutes if approved. Less formal proposals are submitted as motions which, if approved, become resolutions. The Synod also receives reports from various Committees and Boards, which are debated by the members. Committees of the Synod are normally elected by the Synod for a three–year term of office.

Bills

Four Bills which were enacted by General Synod 2026. Bill No 1 amends aspects of the clergy disciplinary process outlined in Chapter VIII of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland. Bill No 2 provides clarity and compassion by aligning Constitutional provision and Dignity in Church Life financial provision for when clergy find themselves in a situation where they cannot continue in ministry due to long term ill health. Bill No 3 introduces a mechanism to address situations where “an intractable breakdown of relationships” has occurred between an incumbent and members of his or her parish through no particular fault of either party. Bill No 5 amends Chapter XVI of the Constitution in relation to safeguarding to remove reference to specific policies so that the Constitution does not become out of date. Bill No 4 fell before Synod began.

Youth Ministry

Bishop Pat Storey (Meath and Kildare) at her last General Synod before she retires this summer, proposed the report of the Church of Ireland Youth Department of which she is president. She outlined CIYD’s new three year strategy which was launched at Synod and said it demonstrates the hope and vision carried by the staff. The central thrust of the vision, she said, is: to engage, equip and empower the Church of Ireland, its youth leaders and its young people to grow in Christ, nurture lifelong faith, and sustained transformative youth ministry across the island of Ireland.

RCB Report

Proposing the report of the Representative Church Body, Hilary Prentice highlighted its mission and strategic priorities which are summarised in the Executive Strategy for 2026–2028. This document is available to view on the Church of Ireland website.

Mrs Prentice pointed out that the delivery of the RCB’s strategy and operations was dependent on income that the RCB withdraws each year from RB General Funds. For 2025 the maximum Total Return income from General Funds was €8.4 million compared to €7.3 million in 2024. The increase in income reflects a strong performance from the investments of RB General Funds over the previous eight years, she said.

She reported that during 2025, despite global events, financial markets remained relatively positive. The Total Return income is supplemented by parish contributions. Given the solvency of the Clergy Pensions Fund, she expected that the Clergy Pensions Solvency Levy will no longer be needed from parishes. However, the contribution from parishes towards Safeguarding would have to be increased.

Explaining what the financial resources were spent on she outlined the following: the Church of Ireland Theological Institute; Pioneer Ministry; RCB service delivery which includes Safeguarding, Property and Trusts, Investment Management; Clergy Pension Fund administration; Library and archives; HR; and Climate Change.

Education

The Board of Education expressed its deep concern for the welfare of principals, teachers, staff and governors due to the state of funding in education in Northern Ireland. Proposing the report of the Board of Education (NI) the Revd Catherine Simpson highlighted a recent report which stated that 91% of teachers, including principals, were stressed, anxious and near burnout. The board is also concerned by the increasing issues of mental health affecting all in the education system from head teachers to the youngest pupils.

Seconding the report and highlighting education matters in the Republic of Ireland, Canon Harry Gilmore marked the 50th anniversary of Boards of Management in primary schools. He also noted that Dr Ken Fennelly was representing the Church of Ireland at the National Convention on Education, the first meeting of which took place recently and which operates to a broad agenda.

Speaking to the report, Archbishop Michael Jackson said that the Convention is an interesting concept. Of the 160 members, he noted that four are from a faith based background, among them Dr Ken Fennelly. He urged all with responsibility within a Church of Ireland national school to respond to the survey so that positive and confident information from our sector can be presented to the organisers of the convention.

Covenant Council

The Covenant Council, which supports the Covenant relationship between the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland, is preparing for the next period of shared life between the two churches. Canon Dr Maurice Elliott explained that many of the early aspirations had been achieved and approaching the 25th anniversary of the signing (in 2003) of the Covenant, the council is keen to develop an update list of priorities for the next period of shared life, he stated.

Standing Committee

The vast range of work carried out by Standing Committee during the year was outlined by Richard Codd. He singled out the establishment of the Wedding Venues Working Group and the Working Group on Clergy Tenure, and the work of Bishops’ Appeal, the Children’s and Family Ministry, the Disability Working Group, the Central Communications Board and the Safeguarding Board. Seconding the report, Canon Harry Gilmore observed that while it was too early to see a trend developing in the recording of the annual Church of Ireland census over the past three years, there has been no downward trend for attendance.

Council for Mission

The Council for Mission brought news of their successful global partnerships to General Synod. Continuing to foster relationships throughout the Anglican Communion, Sarah Taylor (Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh), proposing the report, said this year they welcomed the Revd Frank Bernardi from Tunis who spoke of his experience of sharing the Gospel in North Africa. The council, in conjunction with CMS Ireland, is sending the Revd Mike Buchanan, Curate in Rathfarnham, to Egypt in the coming weeks.

Commission on Ministry

Outlining the activities of the Commission on Ministry, the Revd Lesley Robinson (formerly of Dublin) highlighted a number of new events including two major one day Church Growth Conferences and a new pilot initiative – the Clergy Support and Wellbeing Programme (THRIVE) – which will promote an understanding of stress, dealing with conflict in ministry, building resilience and rekindling vocation. Another new initiative will support Archdeacons  in their heavy workload with diocesan duties added to their parochial duties. Speaking to the report in relation to vocations, Canon Gillian Wharton (Dublin) observed that the pathway to ordination had become very academic and may now be out of reach for some. The Revd Jane Burns (Dublin) also spoke on this issue and said, as a relatively recent ordinand who did not have an initial degree, it was important to recognise the huge support given by the staff of CITI.

Pioneer Ministry

The Church of Ireland now has 14 Pioneer Ministry Hubs – at least one in every diocese – and 14 licenced pioneers have begun their training since the start of the project. Proposing the report of the Pioneer Ministry Council, the Revd Ian Horner revealed that new pioneer communities have been established in a diverse array of contexts and there are eight applications for new projects and pioneers for 2026.

National Director of Pioneer Ministry, the Revd Robert Jones (Dublin), shared some learnings from the first three years of the project. “There is a genuine sense of renewed spiritual yearning, people are searching and Pioneer Ministry is meeting people where they are at,” he said. They had also learned that the pioneer ministries cannot work along and need parishes to walk alongside them to flourish. He said there is a sense of unity in the diversity of the ministries and that macro and micro pioneer ministries are equally important.

Liturgical Advisory Committee

The work of the Liturgical Advisory Committee on long term projects and in responding to more immediate liturgical needs of the Church was outlined by the Revd Adrian Dorian (Raphoe). He spoke of the ‘Journeys’ resource for use with children and the Take a Minute prayer cards along with projects of the music subgroup on the Canticles and singing the Psalms.

Marriage Council

The Marriage Council was highlighted by the Revd Carlton Baxter who commended the work of their marriage counsellors who are in demand. The online marriage course proved a great success and the clergy couples retreat was well subscribed, he said. Dr Catherine Smith (now of Dublin Diocese) appealed to clergy to use the resources of the Marriage Council and to refer people to their services, especially the counselling sessions (six free counselling sessions are offered per couple). She also asked them to advertise their courses and seminars.

Christian Unity and Dialogue

Proposing the report of the Commission on Christian Unity and Dialogue, Bishop Andrew Forster observed that unity may not be the most visible part of Church life but it is one of the most important in an increasingly fractured world. He said that in communities across the island there was a desire to build the Kingdom of God across denominational boundaries. Seconding the report, Archdeacon Katharine Poulton (Meath and Kildare) looked forward to the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Belfast from June 27 to July 5.

You can read full reports of each of these items on the General Synod website – www.churchofireland.org/synod/2026/news

You can read the Archbishop of Armagh’s Presidential address on our website here: 

https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/05/07/general-synod-2026-ai-and

Archbishop John McDowell delivered his Presidential Address to the to members, meeting this year in the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, County Down.

Against a backdrop of a world which he said had become “atomised and angry” through new forms of digital communication and networking, the Primate said that the vocation of the Church of Ireland is to witness to an alternative truth and to march to a different drum beat.

This witnessing and discipleship, he noted, is done primarily through the Church’s  parishes. He also focused on issues which he believes will test discipleship and faithfulness in the days and years to come – artificial intelligence and the rise of the Christian right.

“In a world which is dominated in almost all its doings by the often sinister ambitions and networks of a very small number of very rich men who are infinitely more powerful than any Celtic chieftain or medieval magnate or elected Chief Minister, we have both the structures and the resources to march to a different beat and to create different societies,” he stated.  

He continued: “The parish is the place that is big enough to require everyone to pull their weight and small enough for that mutual giving and receiving which is at the heart of communion; to be places that stand out in the world and which can change the landscape and the horizon.”

AI

The Archbishop said that social media was supposed to have democratized the world but instead it has concentrated power in the hands of a few “grotesquely rich men”.

Their current emphasis on the development of AI is being heralded as a great leap forward in the liberation of humankind. But the truth is, he said, that such liberation only binds us further.

“I say this is ‘the truth’ on purpose: for we should be confident in the very existence of ‘truth’ and ‘fact’ – neither of these things can be artificially generated. Artificial Intelligence may relay information to us based on incredible calculations of probability and suitability, but we should not allow efficiency and convenience to become the primary values against which we measure whether this information is worth the resources expended to generate it. The costs are human and social as well as environmental, of course.”

AI integration is dangerous, not because it is manipulated by the powerful, he suggested, but because it is increasingly accepted by us as the logical choice.

He pointed out that Christianity is understood as an individual’s relationship with God, lived out in community. This, he stated, was wholly personal. He said that opportunities and challenges in the future would be to stick to the difficult path of deep and costly human relationships sustained by a closeness to God in prayer and moral discernment.

Migration

Archbishop McDowell said that our attitude to migration in Ireland, both north and south, is one of the great touchstones and tests of our Christian authenticity.

“It is possible to take a wide range of views on immigration policy which may be broadly consistent with belief in Christ and in the particular form of human equality which is articulated in the New Testament,” he said. “But it seems to me that there is a fairly simple imperative when it comes to the ‘stranger that is in your midst’, and that is to welcome him or her and to care for him or her,” he stated.

He decried statistics from the PSNI in Northern Ireland which in 2024–25 pointed to the worst recorded levels of racist violence since monitoring began in 2004. Meanwhile, in the Republic of Ireland Garda hate crime data showed a sustained multi year increase of racially motivated incidents.

“That increases in migration should be seized on by the extreme right who are bereft of any other ideas is not surprising, although it is less edifying when mainstream parties equivocate in the face of the horrendous violence which migrants suffer. However, from the Churches’ point of view, the more worrying development is the rise of the so–called Christian Right. These groups emphasise what they claim to be the undermining of ‘Christian civilisation’ or ‘Judeao–Christian’ values and the discrimination which they say Christians are subjected to. And they use the Cross – the very epitome of powerlessness, and what a very advanced ‘civilisation’ inflicted on Jesus – as some kind of symbol of their dominance and superiority,” Archbishop McDowell stated.

He asked which aspect of discipleship in Jesus Christ is being exercised by “baying outside a hostel while terrified children are inside. How is parading around the streets draped in a national flag representing the mind of the God of all the nations?”

You can read the full text of the Archbishop’s address here.

For the first time since 2019, General Synod will return to meeting in person for three days with business continuing tomorrow, Friday May 8, and Saturday May 9.

The venue this year is the Slieve Donard Hotel which was opened in 1898 by the Belfast and County Down Railway to bring tourists to the growing resort town nestling below the Mourne Mountains.

The ‘new castle’ was built in 1588 just south of the River Shimna, replacing a previous fortification, and was replaced around 1830 by a hotel – the Annesley Arms. The building subsequently became the town’s public library and now houses its leisure centre and tourist information centre.

The General Synod Service of Holy Communion will be held in the hotel at 12 noon today. The preacher will be The Most Revd Pat Storey, Bishop of Meath and Kildare.

The business of Synod will get underway at 2pm this afternoon. The provisional timetable is available at https://www.churchofireland.org/synod/2026/timetable/day-1

Synod starts with the Presidential Address by the Primate, Archbishop John McDowell. A total of five Bills will be considered by members of General Synod this year and will go through their initial stages today.

An audio broadcast of the proceedings at General Synod is available here: https://www.churchofireland.org/synod/2026/audio-broadcast

Throughout Synod there will be news updates and photographs available on the Synod website: https://www.churchofireland.org/synod/2026/news/

Having approved the nominations of the Curates, Archbishop Michael Jackson encouraged people to pray for them as they prepare for ordination.

“Across the United Dioceses we are delighted at the prospect of welcoming two curates assistant,” he said. “Esther and Cennis are coming to parishes which are in the process of developing their range of ministry and community involvement at home and abroad. We pray for them both as they prepare for their ordination and for the grace of God in their life and work.”

Esther is currently serving her intern year in St Mark’s, Dundela, Belfast, and will join the Rathmichael church family later in the summer.

Announcing the appointment the Rector of Rathmichael, the Revd Sean Hanily, told the congregation that “it has been a joy to get to know Esther in the journey of discernment with her in recent weeks. I have been truly amazed at how clear and strong her calling to Rathmichael is. I am very much looking forward to having her serve alongside us as we continue to grow and reach out to more people in our fast–growing area. This is a very exciting time for us all, and I know that Esther will be made feel as welcome and at home in Rathmichael as I have.”

Esther writes: “There are times when God surprises us. At the beginning of the year, as the curacy process began, I could not have foreseen where I might serve as curate. The process of visiting and discernment has been stretching and fulfilling. It is with excitement that I embark on this next season, serving in a new parish and new diocese. I look forward to both learning from and contributing to the parish life of Rathmichael.”

Cennis is currently serving his intern year in Navan in the Diocese of Meath and Kildare and will come to the Parish of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla in the summer.

Originally from Nigeria, Cennis held the role of Parish Reader in his home parish of Trim and Athboy in Meath Diocese. He is married to Kechi and they have four daughters Divine, Chiamaka, Michelle and Ashling.

Rector of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla, the Revd Colin McConaghie said: “I am looking forward welcoming Cennis to the parish following ordination in June and I am excited by the gifts Cennis will bring along with his warm and friendly personality”.

Speaking of his appointment Cennis said: “I am delighted to be joining the parish of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla as a Curate. Having completed part of my ministerial training in this parish during my first year of the MTh programme, I already have a sense of its warmth and welcome, which has drawn me back. I am particularly encouraged by the parish’s commitment to worship, fellowship, and outreach. I am excited about the opportunity to serve and learn in such a vibrant parish setting.”