Enniscorthy Friends have launched a new website for Quakers in Wexford. The site has some interesting pictures of historic Friends burial grounds and meeting houses in County Wexford – as well as a regular blog which this month is looking at the restoration of the Enniscorthy Meeting House ‘American’ organ.
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Quaker Youth in Ireland Yearly Meeting, June 2011
This article appears in the September-October 2011 issue of The Friendly Word the Irish Quaker bi-monthly magazine.
CAROLYN MCMULLAN, Youth Coordinator, Ireland Yearly Meeting, reports on a years activities:
On 1st July 2010 Ireland Yearly Meeting had their first Youth Coordinator take up post. This meant starting from scratch with the Young People aged between 10-30 years of age. The database which has now been set up tells us that there are just over 500 members and attenders within this age group.
My overarching aim is to raise the profile of our Young Friends in Ireland, to empower, enabling them to feel valued and a real sense of identity with The Religious Society of Friends here on this island.
How was I going to achieve this considering there were very real anxieties from many parents and some Meetings who did not know this new Youth Coordinator and there was a sense of too little too late!
First Objective – Youth Clubs
My first objective was to work on setting up some Youth Clubs I spent a lot of time working with parents and older young people to recruit helpers to enable the clubs to run effectively.
Over the year there have been 3 monthly youth clubs started up in various parts of the country. There are also 2 youth groups which meet every 2-3months. The regularity of these events reflects the wishes of the young people involved in the groups and my availability to organise and run them.
There has also been a worship and bible study evening on the first Sunday in the month. This was at the request of Young Friends.
The numbers of young people who have attended these occasions vary from 5 to 27.
Second Objective – Visit Meetings
It is planned that each Meeting be visited by the Youth Coordinator twice in the 3 year term. To date 16 Meetings have been visited. This has been an opportunity for members and attenders to meet with the Coordinator and find out what is happening with young people and how the youth of that Meeting can become involved.
Two Monthly Meetings have asked the Youth Coordinator to speak to them abou how things are going and how they can get involved in supporting the work being done.
Third Objective – Residential Events
The goal was to be involved with any existing or new residential events for young people in IYM. There have been a number of overnight events throughout the past year. These include Senior Moyallon Camp, Churchtown weekend, Over 18’s, JYM(arrangements and actual event), Yearly Meeting Youth Programme, Junior Moyallon Camp and Leadership Training Weekend.
Fourth Objective – Work with Individuals
Part of the role has been to meet with individuals on a one to one basis just to touch base and bring encouragement both socially and spiritually. Involvement in planning and running group occasions has taken priority this year. None the less, if a young person asked to meet up the time was always made available.
Fifth Objective: Leadership Training Course
The Leadership Training was developed to help equip older young people to lead in a servant-hearted manner and yet be aware of health and safety and child protection issues. From the feedback it would appear to have been very helpful to all who attended. It is hoped that training of this nature will be an ongoing process throughout the 3 year term.
Sixth Objective: Programme for Young Friends at IYM
This proved to be a really successful time where we had loads of fun while addressing how we Quakers do business as well as playing many games and attending some of the main YM sessions. I know the more mature folk really enjoyed having up to 29 young people attending.
This has been a busy yet productive year, where a number of young people who were not actively involved in The Religious Society of Friends have been willing to attend get-togethers that have been organised.
The first year has been a time of learning, where the young people have openly expressed what it is they want from the Youth Coordinator. It has been my desire to implement their wishes to the best of my ability. I would hope that over the next 2 years there will be a strong network of Young Friends throughout Ireland who have a strong sense of Quaker identity and are committed to both the spiritual basis and social witness of the Religious Society of Friends in Ireland.
Understanding Limerick: Social inclusion and Change
Limerick Quakers invite you to attend a public meeting about inequality in Limerick and what can be done about it. The meeting will be addressed by Dr. Niamh Hourigan, lecturer and Head of Graduate Studies in Sociology at University College Cork.
The meeting will be held at Limerick Quaker Meeting House on the 5th of October 2011 at 8pm. Further details are contained in the Understanding Limerick brochure (PDF, 868kb).
Irish Quaker Faith in Action – New Project List
Irish Quaker Faith in Action (IQFA) give practical and spiritual support to the Christian concerns of Irish Friends; desiring to be guided to do God’s work in helping build His kingdom on earth. A new list of IQFA supported projects is now available in the Blog section.
Quaker Marriage – history and current practice in Ireland
This article about Quaker marriage by J Glynn Douglas gives an account of how the unique nature of Quaker weddings developed over the centuries and of present day practice following recent changes in legislation in both jurisdictions of Ireland.
Quakers in Ireland – Leinster Quarterly Meeting
A report is available in the Members’ Section. The meeting on 25th June was held as usual in Enniscorthy Meeting House The attendance was 48. The topic presented in the afternoon session was Recollections of Memorable Irish Quaker Women.
Irish Quakers in glass-making – historical lecture
John M Hearne will present the Irish Quaker annual historical lecture at Quaker House Dublin on Thursday 16th June at 8.o pm. An exhibition of Quaker manuscripts will open at 7.30 before the lecture and light refreshments will be served after it. Open to all.
Details on this attachment 2011-HistoricalLecture-A4b
Munster Quarterly Quaker Meeting 19th June
- At Quarterly Meeting at Limerick Meeting House, the topic for discussion will be Working with traumatised children in Gaza.
- AGENDA
11:00 Meeting for Worship
12:00 Coffee
12:15 Working with traumatised children in Gaza.
Presentation by Richard Kimball & Joe Fenwick
13:15 Lunch
14:15 Business Session
Business may include:
MQM Education Committee
Patron Minute of Record
IYM Coordinators Group
MQM Nominations Committee
Lord, lead me where You would have me go. Grant me strength to follow.
And grace to follow gladly.
Lord, show me the work You would have me do.
Grant me the will to undertake it and the skill to accomplish it.
A prayer by Jo Philips
-
Leinster Quarterly Meeting 25 June 2011
At Quarterly Meeting at Enniscorthy Meeting House the afternoon session will be Recollections of memorable Irish Quaker women
Venue: Enniscorthy Meeting House
DATE: Saturday 25th June 2011
11.30 Meeting for Worship
12.15 Leinster Quarterly Meeting Business
1.30 Picnic Lunch
2.30 A panel of speakers to include:
I Rosalind I Matthews, Monkstown PM
Richard S Harrison, Cork PM
Robin B Goodbody, Monkstown PM
will introduce the topic
Recollections of Memorable Irish Quaker Women
4.30 Tea (by kind invitation of Wexford Friends)
Those not in membership and wishing to attend the business session please notify the Clerk on the day.
Childrens Agenda
At 2.15pm punctually Children will be brought by minibus to the Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig (www.inhp.com) where they will enjoy themselves ‘where Ireland’s heritage comes alive with sights and sounds from 9000 years of Irish History’.
There will be a charge of €10 per child. Parents must inform the clerk Valerie O’Brien (086) 2254358 or (valerieannobrien@yahoo.ie) by Monday 20th June of children who will be coming.
Parents will be required to sign a Parental Consent Form before their children can be included in the outing.
Irish Quaker Faith in Action Funded Projects 2010-2011
Irish Quaker Faith in Action (IQFA) has funded the following projects between June 2010 and June 2011:
Masizame Children’s Shelter, Prettenberg Bay, Republic of South Africa. Since 1992 this early childhood development centre has been caring for deprived children from the streets and from dysfunctional families. Masizame aims to get these disadvantaged children back into main stream education and society. IQFA provided €2,000 in June 2010 to extend the shelter to accommodate the increased number of children (120 in June 2010).
Cork Penny Dinners: 4 Little Hanover Street, Cork, has been providing a nourishing mid-day meal to hungry diners in return for a small coin for many many years. In June 2010 IQFA gladly supported this entirely voluntary charity by providing funds to upgrade a bain marie. Take a look at Cork Penny Dinners excellent website for pictures and news.www.corkpennydinners.ie
Afri: 134 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7. In June 2010 Joe Murray, Afri Coordinator applied for funding from IQFA for the cost of the production of an information booklet on depleted uranium and towards the cost of holding two public meetings. IQFA gave €2,300 towards the cost of producing the booklet. The booklet, with a foreword by Denis Halliday, has been published and politicians, including every TD has received a copy.
Relebohile: Day Care Centre, Tumahole, Parys, 9585 Free State, South Africa. Relebohile means “we are grateful”. It was established in July 2007 by a German organisation and run by Murray and Margaret McMillan since 2009. The centre received €2000 for Christmas food hampers, school uniforms and other school needs, books, emergency food aid, blankets and medicines. The centre cares for 220 orphans (June 2010) on a daily basis providing food twice a day and other supports.
Let Agogo: (meaning ‘Flowing Milk’) Dairy Project, Haiti, a Christian Aid project in association with local partner Veterimed, received €4,500 in 2010. Also in 2009, thirty women were provided with loans to purchase a cow. A small dairy supplies locally produced pasteurised milk to schools; training is offered to breeders; herds are vaccinated; technician training in agroforestry and other agricultural techniques is also provided; Although damaged by the earthquake the work continues and IQFA will again support the project in 2011.
Mutoto Friends Church, PO Box 365, Mbale, Uganda received £stg.500 in June 2010 in respect of an appeal following a landslide which happened on 1st. March 2010. More than 340 residents of hamlets on the slope of Mount Elgon were swept away. Many people lost everything and the funds were to provide essentials.
La Source Centre, Madagascar was founded in 1990 and registered since 1996; La Source is a specialised school and training centre for children and adolescents with learning disabilities. The centre is non-residential and families are consulted and helped so that there is an integrated approach to the child’s training and support Activities include communication and general life skills, basic numeracy and literacy, adapted sport, vocational training in vegetable growing, poultry rearing, crafts. A bakery funded by IQFA in the past is currently inoperative because of high cost of ingredients. IQFA sponsored twelve children’s fees in 2010 which amounted to €2634.12
Maitiú Ó Murchú
Clerk – July 2011
quakers-in-ireland.ie 
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