CHURCH OF IRELAND NOTES
For Saturday 11th August 2001
From: The RCB Library
Email: RCB Library
Outreach and Archives
The use of archival and manuscript material in Irish history is, happily,
no longer a novelty. The 'new history', pioneered by Professor T.W. Moody
and Professor R.D. Edwards, emphasised the importance of returning to
original source material rather than relying on myths, assumptions and blind
prejudices. The results, while not perhaps sudden or dramatic, have,
nonetheless, significantly changed the face of Irish ecclesiastical history.
A subject which was once more propaganda than truth, more confessional than
catholic, more the preserve of the zealot in holy orders than the young
enquiring mind has become a vibrant, open-minded field of enquiry which is
attracting the attention of more and more researchers.
A consequence of this new interest has been to encourage the churches to
pay more attention to their archives and, in particular, to make them more
accessible. All the main Irish churches now have an archival dimension and
increasingly they are supplementing this with lecture programmes,
publications, exhibitions and media exposure.
However, one of the best form of outreach remains broadcasting, in any of
its forms, but especially television. Church archivists have exhibited an
increasing willingness to cooperate with programme makers, and directors and
producers, in turn, have come to appreciate the curatorial concerns of
archivists. It is no longer the struggle that it once was to prevent
presenters from mauling archives, to convince technicians of the potential
damage from exposure to high light levels, and even to secure from resentful
programme makers the promise of a credit.
A recent example of successful cooperation took place earlier this week
when Dr Susan Hood from the Representative Church Body Library brought a
parish register to Tullynally Castle where United Productions of Bristol are
making a historical documentary series for BBC television about the Duke of
Wellington. Sir Arthur Wellesley, as he then was, was baptised in St Peter's
Church, Aungier Street, and married in St George's Church, Temple Street.
His bride was a member of the Pakenham family, who now live in Tullynally,
and the register was used to tell the story of the marriage of the Iron
Duke.
The use of ecclesiastical archives in such a context emphasises that
church records are of value for much more than the history of religious
institutions for the church, even today, lives in the real world.
Tomorrow (Sunday) the services in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, will
be sung by the St Mary's Singers from Southwell, in Nottinghamshire, while
in St Patrick's Cathedral the visiting choir will be the Southwark Singers
from London. The Bishop of Tuam, Dr Richard Henderson, will visit Aasleigh
while in Clonmacnoise the summer round of services continues at 4.00 pm. At
St Doulagh's Church, Balgriffin, one of the few medieval parish churches
still in use, there will be an Open Air Songs of Praise at 3.30 pm.
On Thursday the lunchtime recital in St Ann's Church, Dublin, will be
given by David Leigh, Assistant Organist in St Patrick's Cathedral. In Co.
Cork the final concert in the Annual Festival of Classical Music will be
given in St Barrahane's Church, Castletownshend, by the Christ Church
Baroque Chamber Ensemble.
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, has appointed a Public Relations
Officer. Sheila Kulkarni, who has trained in arts administration, has been
working in public relations and development in the Chester Beatty Library.
Her functions will be to make the work of the cathedral known to a wider
audience and to foster and develop links with the parishes and business
corporations. She will begin work in Christ Church on 1 September.
Church of Ireland Notes appear in the Irish
Times whose web site may be found at
http://www.ireland.com/ |
