Temple Hill Burial Ground – a book by Seán McCrum about the Quaker burial ground in Blackrock, Co Dublin – was launched in Blackrock Library on Saturday 15th December.

The book, which is accompanied by two CDs, explores the unique environment and history of Temple Hill Burial Ground through text, colour photography and sound recording.

It features essays and related articles by Seán McCrum. These include an interview with Christopher Nuzum who has worked on revitalising the burial ground over many years.

Doreen Kennedy, photographer, has contributed a series of atmospheric images, reproduced in full colour.

Artist Anthony Kelly visited the burial ground over a three year period exploring its rich sensory environment through sound recording.

The first CD features a detailed conversation between Christopher Nuzum and Seán McCrum. The second features a composition interweaving voices (including stonemason Michael Roe and Christopher Nuzum) with an evocative series of nature recordings made by Anthony Kelly over three years in Temple Hill.

The book and CDs cost €15 altogether and may be purchased from www.fapointrecordings.com

Temple Hill Burial Ground is in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Many local people know where it is, but very few know anything about it – whose burial ground it is, its history or its appearance.

Many people are very curious to know more – hence this publication. This is a Quaker burial ground, which has been used since the mid-nineteenth century. It has been continuously landscaped. There are many mature trees. It is a safe place for wildlife. It is a peaceable place to visit.

We hope that this publication gives you a sense of the place. If you are able, you can visit it during Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s annual Summer Heritage Festival.

More than 200 members of the public joined Dublin Quakers making white poppies and creating an art installation in Merrion Square, Dublin, on 11 November 2018.

This was to commemorate not only the 9.7 million soldiers and 10 million civilians who died during World War 1, but all who have died as a result of military violence at all times.

A short period of silent commemoration was held at 11am followed by a variety of readings of poetry and prose written by people who were involved in combat as well as by civilians.

The Dublin Quaker Peace Committee, which organised the event, found the response of passers-by “extraordinary”.

“We decided to make white poppies because we wanted our focus to be on individuals, not governments or politicians or generals,” said Seán McCrum, convenor of the Dublin Quaker Peace Committee.

“We felt that we should come up with an event that would commemorate Armistice Day 1918 in a way that would make it very clear we are commemorating all of the individuals who suffered, whether they were military or civilians. And it was very important civilians be remembered because they are totally forgotten about,” he said. “The white poppy is a statement of peace as opposed to the red poppy which has become embroiled in UK politics.”

You can read an excellent article about the event in The Irish Times here.

It was the second time for the Dublin Quaker Peace Committee to host such an event. In 2016 they held a similar event in Merrion Square to commemorate the last day of the Somme when many Irish people were also lost.

The following statement was made in 1661 by early Quakers and we believe it is as valid now as it was then: ‘We utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fighting with outward weapons, for any end or any pretence whatsoever.’

You can see more photos on our Facebook page here.

The Clerk of Ireland Yearly Meeting, Heather Bewley, represented the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Ireland at the Presidential Inauguration in Dublin Castle on 11 November 2018.

Heather read the following prayer:

Heavenly Father,

We ask you to bless all those in public office. We give thanks for these men and women who take on such responsibility, and who serve the community with integrity and respect for all. May they seek your guidance in their work and know the support of those they represent.

With rapid changes taking place world-wide, we pray that our politicians are aware their decisions may effect both our environment, and the sustainability of the whole world.

We remember today the ending of World War One, but cannot forget the many countries where there is still fighting.

We pray that oireachtas members will continually strive to make Ireland a country of inclusion, equality, justice and peace, and be proactive in promoting these goals at European and International level.

Dublin Quakers invite members of the public to an event on 11th November from 9am to 3.30pm in Merrion Square – readings and silence around 11am.

The Clare Herald have kindly given us permission to post Féidhlim Harty’s article about Friends visit to the Orchard and Wetland during IYM 2018.
Click on the link below to read the full article.

Quakers visit Community Orchard & Wetland in Ennis

On 2nd September 32 people gathered at Ballymurrin Quaker Farmstead, Co Wicklow, for a Meeting for Worship and lunch. Thanks to Christopher Moriarty of Monkstown Meeting for this report:

Three hundred and fifty years ago, on an April day in 1668, a baby boy named Robert was born on a farm at Ballymorenbeg near Wicklow town.  His father, Ambrose Judd, had emigrated from England and in 1667 married Ann Eves.  He was ‘was convinced of the blessed truth’ in 1672.   Their farm remained in Quaker ownership for many generations.

Its buildings were acquired in 1994 for a family home by two Dublin architects, Philip Geoghegan and his wife Delphine.  They carefully restored the exterior, re-developed the rooms for 21^st century life and, at the same time, became immersed in its Quaker past.

That led them many years ago to visit the Friends Historical Library in Dublin and enter a happy relationship with a succession of archivists.  In 2017 Philip suggested to the Library folk that the great anniversary might be celebrated by holding a Meeting for Worship in the homestead.

Sunday 2^nd September 2018 was a sunny day and 32 Friends and Attenders exchanged their regular meeting places for a memorable visit to Ballymurrin Quaker Farmstead.  It began with Meeting for Worship in the largest room – with an overflow into the garden behind it.  Several neighbours joined us for their first experience of a Quaker Meeting and a variety of birds supplemented the vocal ministries.

After the Meeting, Philip gave an outline of the history of the farm and we set off on the short walk to Ballymurrin Quaker Burial Ground, which the first owners had set aside for the purpose in the 17^th century.

The little plot is surrounded by trees on three sides, with a stone wall and an arched entrance for the fourth.  Most of the 240 interments listed in the records are unmarked – they had been made prior to the 1860s when Friends decided that stone memorials did not, after all, conflict with Christian belief.  Four graves in one corner do have headstones which, surprisingly, don’t conform with the permitted simplicity standard of uniform size and minimal inscription.  They were erected between 1870 and 1895 and all commemorate members of the Pim family.

Amongst the visitors on 2^nd September was Jonathan Pim of Rathfarnham Meeting.  Twenty years ago Jono and his late brother Brian had found the burial ground to be an impenetrable jungle of brambles.   They arranged to have these cleared and for the ground to be maintained by regular mowing, an initiative that transformed it to its present state of a shaded park.  Trees they planted have grown well – in spite of living in competition with invading sycamores.  A seed sown on the occasion was the possibility of having stone tablets, with the names and dates of all those buried, carved and attached to the wall.

After inspecting the Burial Ground, we returned to the farmstead for a sumptuous lunch, a walk around the buildings and garden and a look at the beautifully illustrated leaflets on the background that Philip has written and printed.  They include a paper on William Bates, who had lived at Ballymurrin for 10 years up to 1681.  Like many other contemporary Quakers, he emigrated to America, settling in Newton, New Jersey.

Visitors are welcome to Ballymurrin throughout the summer but booking in advance is essential.  Go to the website Ballymurrin Quaker Farmstead to make arrangements.

‘Quaker Women and Social Justice: Learning from their Experience’ is the title of a six-week online course that will take place from 5th November to 16th December 2018.

Julianna Minihan and Martin Layton will be co-tutoring the course, which will look at social and economic concerns of some British and American Quaker women activists in the 1800s and early 1900s.

Follow the link for details >> https://www.woodbrooke.org.uk/item/quaker-women-and-social-justice-learning-from-their-experience/

Seán O’Flynn of Cork Meeting delivered a thought-provoking and challenging talk during the Ministry and Oversight session at Yearly Meeting in Limerick.

We received many requests to make the script of the talk available on the website.

Many thanks to Seán for sending the script to us. You can read it here >>

What cans’t Friends say in Ireland in the twenty-first century?

‘Living Our Faith Daily: the practice of testimony’ was the title of the public lecture delivered by Ben Pink Dandelion of Birmingham University and Woodbrooke at Ireland Yearly Meeting in Limerick Institute of Technology on 20th June.

His talk took a Quaker perspective on what it is to try and be a ‘mystic in the midst’ – to try and lead an authentic spiritual life amongst our daily concerns and attachments.

Testimony in the Quaker tradition refers to the way our faith is expressed in everyday life and so living our faith daily is about the practice of that expression.

The Quaker testimonies include Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community and Equality. Some would add the testimony to Sustainability too.

Ben spoke from his knowledge of Quaker tradition as well as his own experience in reflecting on how we can best inhabit our spiritual aspirations.

You can read the full text of Ben’s talk here >> ‘Living Our Faith Daily: the practice of testimony’

Religious Society of Friends in Ireland statement, 21 July 2018:

Quakers in Ireland agree to same sex marriages in their meetings for worship

The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Ireland has agreed to the holding of same-sex marriages in Quaker meetings for worship, currently legal in the Republic of Ireland.

If any Quaker Meetings, solemnisers or members do not wish to participate in meetings for worship for same sex-marriages as a matter of conscience, there is no obligation to do so. This is to facilitate the range of views held within the Society.

The decision was reached at the Society’s Yearly Meeting – its annual conference – which took place in Limerick Institute of Technology from 18-22 July 2018.

Quakers have a diversity of views on marriage between people of the same sex taking place in a meeting for worship because of the range of their theological, spiritual and biblical approaches but we are united through love for one another.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) is a Christian denomination founded by George Fox in England in 1652. Quakerism was introduced to Ireland by William Edmundson in 1654 and there are approximately 1,500 Quakers today in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Quakers hold testimonies on Simplicity, Truth, Equality, Peace and Community that all members are encouraged to live out in their daily lives. There are no clergy and meetings for worship are based on silence with everyone present welcome to make a vocal contribution if they feel moved to do so by the Holy Spirit.

Contact:

Quaker Office, Religious Society of Friends in Ireland, Stocking Lane, Dublin 16.

Email: office@quakers.ie

Tel: 01 4998003