church of ireland

SAINT BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH

October 21, 2022 by Infomatique

STRANMILLIS PARISH IN BELFAST

This was my first to explore Stranmillis area of Belfast in detail. I visited again in 2021 and 2022.

I photographed this attractive church in June 2016 and I was in as really bad humour as it rained all day and when I tried to gat a bus from Stranmillis I had to stand at the bus stop for more than an hour and on arriving in the city centre I realised that I could have walked in less time than I waited for the bus.

There is an amazing number of churches in Belfast but in many cases it is difficult to discover their history. All that I can find out about this church is that it may have been built in 1931 or 1932 and that it is Church Of Ireland [Note: 1926 Tenders invited for New Church Builidngs, St Bartholomew’s Parish]. The Church of Ireland is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion which has 70 million members in 164 countries. The Diocese of Connor, in the Province of Armagh, is one of 12 dioceses on the island of Ireland.

I visited their website and on selecting the History Tab found no information relating to the past.

Stranmillis (from Irish an Sruthán Milis) is an area in south Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is also an electoral ward for Belfast City Council, part of the Laganbank district electoral area. As part of the Queen’s Quarter, it is the location for prominent attractions such as the Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens. The area is located on Stranmillis Road, with Malone Road to the west and the River Lagan to the east. Its name, meaning “the sweet stream” in Irish, refers to the Lagan, whose waters are still fresh at this point, before becoming brackish as the river flows onward toward its mouth in Belfast Lough.

Stranmillis Road begins at the junction of University Road, Malone Road and College Gardens, heading uphill and southwards past Friar’s Bush Graveyard and a small shopping district, before descending towards the River Lagan. The route then swings to the west around the outside of Stranmillis College and uphill again, before rejoining the Malone Road. The north end of Stranmillis Road contains many shops and restaurants, while the south end of the road is mainly housing.

The Malone and Stranmillis Historic Urban Landscape featured on the 2010 tentative list of sites proposed for addition to the List of World Heritage Sites of the United Kingdom, as an area of architectural interest featuring examples of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

ST PATRICK’S BALLYMACARRETT CHURCH OF IRELAND PARISH CHURCH

September 6, 2022 by Infomatique

NEWTOWNARDS ROAD 2019

This image demonstrates just how much the Harland and Wolff cranes Samson & Goliath dominate the Belfast skyline.

According to contacts in Belfast the Newtownards Road is generally safe and well lit at night. One potential flashpoint is the interface with the nationalist Short Strand neighbourhood. Though fairly well kept and safe during the day, it is best to avoid this area at night.

According to a local that I had a chat with this large Church of Ireland Parish Church was rebuilt after the War to the original plans, having been destroyed in the Blitz.

Here is an extract from the churche’s mission statement: Due to the extensive redevelopment and the ’Troubles’, the demography of the area has changed enormously in recent years and is still grappling with regeneration. This may explain why I found the area to be more than a little bit confusing.

Ballymacarrett or Ballymacarret (from Irish Baile Mhic Gearóid ‘MacGearóid’s settlement’) is the name of both a townland and electoral ward in Belfast. The townland is in County Down and the electoral ward is part of the Titanic district electoral area of Belfast City Council.

The ward was created in 1973 with most of the population coming from the former Pottinger ward. The ward was slightly enlarged in 1985, taking in part of the Island ward.

The ward consists of two distinct districts : Ballymacarrett itself, which is almost entirely Protestant, and the Short Strand which is almost entirely Catholic, with the two separated by a peaceline. Consequently, in the 2001 census, the Roman Catholic community background figure was 51%.

Set in the shadows of the Harland and Wolff cranes Samson & Goliath, large numbers of local men worked in the shipyard during its heyday. The area is also well known for ‘Ulster’s Freedom Corner’, a series of loyalist murals.

Ballymacarrett and the nearby Newtownards Road played a key part in what became known as the 2011 Northern Ireland riots. At first, the riots were only located in the area and were known as the 2011 East Belfast riots but by July, the riots had spread to other parts of the region.

3D MODEL OF CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL

June 27, 2022 by Infomatique

3D MODEL OF CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL

I have not seen this model of the cathedral before today and I cannot find any reference to it online so any information would be appreciated.

Christ Church Cathedral, more formally The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the (Anglican) Church of Ireland. It is situated in Dublin, Ireland, and is the elder of the capital city’s two medieval cathedrals, the other being St Patrick’s Cathedral.

The cathedral was founded in the early 11th century under the Viking king Sitric Silkenbeard. It was rebuilt in stone in the late 12th century under the Norman potentate Strongbow, and considerably enlarged in the early 13th century, using Somerset stones and craftsmen. A partial collapse in the 16th century left it in poor shape and the building was extensively renovated and rebuilt in the late 19th century, giving it the form it has today, including the tower, flying buttresses, and distinctive covered footbridge.

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Sony E-Mount Bundle with 64GB SDXC Extreme Memory Card, IR Remote, 3-Piece Filter Kit, Wrist Strap, Card Reader, Memory Card Case, Tabletop Tripod

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens comes with all the manufacturer accessories and a Sigma 4-year USA warranty along with a 18-piece bundle which includes a Sandisk Extreme 64GB SDXC card, 3-piece filter kit, memory card reader, memory card case, mini tripod, wrist strap, lens cap keeper, lens pen, dust brush, air blower, 3"x5" lens tissues (50), empty bottle, standard microfiber cloths (2) and large microfiber cloth.
Bright f/1.4 maximum aperture excels in low-light conditions and also affords increased control over depth of field for achieving selective focus effects.
Two aspherical elements and one high-refractive index element are used to limit distortion and spherical aberrations and also contribute to greater overall sharpness and accurate rendering.
A stepping AF motor benefits both photographers and videographers with its fast, precise, and near-silent performance while a rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a smooth and pleasing bokeh quality.
Compatible with all Sony E-Mount APS-C mirrorless digital cameras such as a6600, a6500, a6400, a6300, a6100, a6000, a5100, a5000, a3000, ZV-E10 and NEX. Will also work on full frame a9, a7R, a7S, a7, a1 if set to APS-C mode.

Last update on 2023-01-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

ST LUKE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD NEAR DOUGLAS VILLAGE CORK

June 3, 2022 by Infomatique

ST LUKE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD NEAR DOUGLAS VILLAGE CORK

In May 2022 I visited this church and graveyard for the second time and the weather was beautiful.

In August 2021 I got the 216 bus from St Finbarr’s Cemetery and the bus driver suggested that I should photograph St. Luke’s graveyard in Douglas so I remained on the bus. I did not pay sufficient attention to the driver’s instructions so I had some difficulty finding the Graveyard but I eventually found Churchyard Lane.

Initially I thought the graveyard occupied both sides of the road but there was a big difference between both sections and it soon was apparent that the section near the church was Church Of Ireland while the other section was Catholic.

The Church Of Ireland section [St Luke’s] featured many broken columns (rare in Catholic cemeteries) as representations of lives cut short. The Virgin Mary was confined to the Catholic section [Douglas Graveyard] and there were many examples to be seen. Both sections were maintained but the CofI section was way more attractive and in much better condition.

St Luke’s graveyard is an important part of the history of Cork city, with many well-known Cork figures buried here. Next to the spire is a monument to John Arnott, (1814-98) who founded Arnotts in Dublin. Businessman, philanthropist and former Lord Mayor of Cork (1859-61), he worked throughout his life to develop the industry and resources of Ireland. In the last 30 years of his life, he gave an average of £1,500 per year to public charity.

Another resident of the graveyard is Richard Caulfield, antiquarian and librarian, whose local history publications are still valued. One of the older graves belongs to the Besnards, a prominent Huguenot business family. By 1783, Julius Besnard owned the flax mills in Douglas. Besnard also helped to build the church that stood on this site from 1785 to 1874. 2 The first Rector of the new Douglas parish, Canon Samuel Hayman, (a noted antiquarian) is also buried here.

The great and the good were not the only ones to be buried here. Following the closure by Cork Corporation of graveyards within the city boundaries in 1870, city residents had to bury their dead in the suburbs. By the nineteenth century, urban graveyards were dangerously overcrowded, and ‘garden cemeteries’ began to be built outside many European cities. These burial grounds were not attached to a parish church and the graves were part of a landscaped park, with trees and pathways. In Cork, Fr Mathew had led the way, founding St Joseph’s Cemetery in the former Botanic Gardens in the 1830s. Interestingly, the planting and regular arrangement of St Luke’s graveyard is more like a garden cemetery than a parish burial ground. Its orderly layout dates from the 1870s, when the graveyard was remodelled at the same time as the new church was built.

The new church building, like the old, was built on an east-west orientation, with the chancel at the eastern end, so that the congregation could face towards the east. This was a typical orientation for a Christian sacred building. Maps from before the before the 1870s show that the graveyard once extended out from the eastern and western ends of the building. However, the bulk of the eastern end of the graveyard was divided from the church by a road, now called Churchyard Lane. In this eastern end was a watch-house, built to house a man who would guard the graves from robbers or, even worse, resurrectionists, who sold corpses to medical schools for dissection. The location of this watch house suggests that the majority of burials were in the eastern end of the cemetery. We can surmise that there were burials along the longitudinal sides also because a contemporary illustration of the eighteenth-century church shows a monument alongside it. But the construction of the new church saw a radical shift in the layout of the graveyard.

There are four World War I casualties buried here, and one from World War II. The contribution of women to the war can be seen in the Humby grave, where Private J. Humby is buried alongside Miss F. Humby, who worked for the Voluntary Aid Detachment, a nursing division.

The lodge house by the gate was built for the sexton, who was employed as a caretaker to the church and gravedigger for the graveyard. The house was built for Mr Thomas Morris, who was sexton from 1879 to 1912. His terms of employment were 14 shillings a week, with residence, and 2 tons of coal.

I will discuss the Catholic section at a later date.

NEW WILD GEESE MUSEUM IN LIMERICK – ST MUNCHIN’S CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD

May 5, 2022 by Infomatique

NEW WILD GEESE MUSEUM IN LIMERICK – ST MUNCHIN’S CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD

I was unable to visit Limerick in 2020 because of travel restrictions and when I visited Limerick last September this churchyard was closed to the public.

In the past I have complained that it always rains every time I visit Limerick, even at the height of summer. This year I took a huge gamble on the weather and forecast the day before I travelled to the city was that it would constantly during the week but it only rained for a few hours on my first day and for the duration of my visit to St. Munchin’s Church (Church of Ireland).

When I visited today [19 April 2022] I discovered that it was now operating as the “Wild Geese Museum” [explained below] which was officially launched as part of the 2021 Limerick Bastille Day Wild Geese Festival on 9th July. I also visited on the 20th. but had problems with my camera so I did not manage to photo the interior of the church as I had planned.

A joint project by the Limerick Civic Trust, the Limerick Museum and the Consular Agency of France in Limerick (French Embassy) this new museum celebrates the city’s rich Wild Geese heritage by giving an overview of the history of those who left Ireland over the centuries and went on to fight in foreign armies across Europe and the world.

The term Wild Geese was originally coined to refer more specifically to the 14,000 Jacobite soldiers and their families who left Limerick, led by Patrick Sarsfield, following the signing of the Treaty in 1691. The majority of them, including Sarsfield, ended up joining the French army of king Louis XIV. Many of them, and their descendants, settled and prospered in France (a significant number of them, known as the ‘wine geese’, in the Bordeaux engaging in wine production) greatly contributing to strengthening the links between France and Ireland.

The museum tells their story and features a wide range of objects from the collections of the Limerick Museum which had never been put on display before.

I must admit that I had, up until a few years ago, believed that Munchin was not a real name, maybe because I had confused it with the word munchkin. I learned that I was wrong when I came upon St. Munchin’s Church across the road from King John’s castle.

St. Munchin’s Church (Church of Ireland) built in 1827. Designed by The George and James Pain who gave the building a Gothic style. The four pinnacles at the top of the tower provide this church a distinguished aspect. The church is situated in King’s Island, between the Bishop’s Palace and the Villier’s Alms Houses. It was built in 1827 and was renovated in 1980 by the Limerick Civic Trust. It was a used for a period by the Island Theatre Company and is now used, until this year, as a store for Limerick Civic Trust.

Mainchín mac Setnai (fl. late 6th century), also anglicised to Munchin, was allegedly the founder of the church of Luimneach (now Limerick), Ireland, and a saint in Irish tradition, acquiring special eminence as patron of Limerick City. Both his origins and the date of his association with the city are debated.

Through his father Sétna, Mainchín is alleged to belong to the Dál Cais, given a pedigree linking him to the ancestors of the O’Brien dynasty. His tutor was the Corco Mruad saint Mac Creiche according to the Life of that saint. Mainchín is said to have founded Luimneach when Ferdomnach, king from the Dál Cais, granted him land at Inis Sibtond.

A major problem with the above is that the Dál Cais themselves are unknown by that name before the 930s and are believed by scholars to be the descendants of a Déisi population which migrated into the region at an uncertain period. Before the Dál Cais the greater region appears to have been dominated for a time by another people entirely, the Uí Fidgenti, who eventually found themselves much displaced by the Dál Cais in the second half of the 10th century and following, although after having previously overrun many of the Déisi themselves in the very same territories.

It has been argued that his appearance in Limerick is actually due to his adoption by the later Norse there, with whom the O’Donovan family, late representatives of the kingdom (although of uncertain origins themselves), were closely associated.

In fact no “successors” of Mainchín in Limerick are known before the 12th century and so his existence there cannot be verified before then.

In the Martyrology of Donegal, Mainchín’s feast day occurs on 29 December. In Bruree, his feast day is commemorated on 2 January, but this date may have been erroneously taken from that recorded for St Manchán (Manchéne) of Min Droichit in the Félire Óengusso. The Roman Martyrology also lists January 2 as Mainchín of Limerick’s memorial.

The origins of St Munchin’s parish can be traced back to the Treaty of Limerick of 1691. Originally called St Lelia’s parish, the name was changed to St Munchin’s in 1812. There are currently churches in the parish named in honour of both saints.

St Munchin’s parish is one of the five original parishes in Limerick City along with St John’s, St Michael’s, St Mary’s and St Patrick’s. However with the growth of Limerick City in the last 40 years, the area of St Munchin’s has been reduced greatly due to the creation of new parishes. In 1964 the parish of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was created, from the south eastern part of St Munchin’s parish. [I assume that this creation of new parishes applies to the Roman Catholic Church and not to the Church Of Ireland]

In 1970 the parish of Christ the King in Caherdavin to the west was created and six years later to the north of the old St Munchin’s parish, the parish of Corpus Christi in Moyross was created. The population of the parish is around 10,000.