On Christmas Day Dublin South FM presented an hour-long broadcast entitled Our friends in Dublin. Their presenter Mary Lavin had spotted the poster announcing the 150th anniversary of Churchtown Meeting and decided to investigate Dublin Quakersand their faith and practice. During the previous summer she had interviewed a number of Dublin Friends and this was the result. To hear the podcast click on
www.dublinsouthfm.ie and scroll down to Our Friends in Dublin.
Category Archives: Notices to Members
General announcements and notices to members. You need to be logged in to the members area to read these notices. Click on the title to read the notice.
The Palestinian/Israeli situation: talk by Ian Bell
Seeking Peace in a Difficult Place –
A hard task to follow
Saturday 20th October, 2012
At Churchtown Meeting House
10.30am- 1.00pm
Last May, Ireland Yearly Meeting Peace Committee co-operated with Dublin Monthly Meeting Peace Committee and Churchtown Meeting to arrange a seminar at Churchtown Meeting House. We discussed the situation in Palestine and Israel.
The four speakers there gave quite differing views on the subject. It was important that this breadth of thinking was equally shared and respected. These talks were followed by a general discussion, followed by lively discussions in groups.
Friends there made it clear that they would like to see this followed up by other meetings. To help us to address an often contentious and emotive subject, we all felt that the input of qualified information and experience was vital.
With this in mind, we are arranging a further meeting, again in Churchtown Meeting House, for 20th October, 2012.
Ian Bell, a non-resident-in-Ireland Friend of Lisburn Meeting, with wide experience of the Palestininian/Israeli situation and other international problem areas, has been asked to speak to us. Ian has spoken widely on the subject to many people in many places throughout the British Isles and beyond.
He was an ecumenical accompanier in EAPPI [The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel].
As well as talking about his own experiences, he will put them in the context of what EAPPI seeks to achieve, why, the rationale of its methods and their effectiveness and its selection process. He has wide international experience in his career. Why did EAPPI seem a good project for him to become involved in?
Yourquestions and your part in the open discussion are absolutely central to this event. So please put Saturday 20th October into your diary.
The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) brings internationals to the West Bank to experience life under occupation. Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) provide protective presence to vulnerable communities, monitor and report human rights abuses and support Palestinians and Israelis working together for peace.
The World Council of Churches set up this programme in 2002 in response to requests from Palestinian Christians to people of goodwill around the world who wish to see the realities of occupation for themselves.
It is managed by the Religious Society of Friends from Friends House in London.
10.30-11.00am – coffee
11.00 a.m. – Ian Bell
12.00 – open discussion and questions. Finishing at approximately 1.00 p.m.
Tea and Coffee will be provided. Please bring your own lunch.
Quaker vigil at Eurosatory Arms Fair in Paris on 9th June 2012
Join European Quakers in Paris at the International Arms Trade Exhibition on June 11-15, 2012
Europes Largest Defence and Security Industry Trade Show
Europe’s largest Defence & Security industry trade show “Eurosatory” takes place in Paris every two years. In protest of this event, for many years Quakers have maintained a vigil.
The Quaker Vigil
Simon M. (16 year of age) writes: “The 2010 vigil was awesome. We came together from Germany Switzerland, France, and England. During the day of the opening of the exhibition, we stood in front of the Metro stop completely dressed in white to greet the visitors, most of whom were wearing black or were in uniform. We had prepared banners with slogans such as ‘If war is the answer, we need a new question.‘ and signs of weapons crossed through, and postcards to hand out. Quakers from Paris prepared meals for us. And there was plenty of time for sightseeing.”
Photos of the 2010 vigil are on the FWCCEMES website.
Information about the Eurosatory Arms Fair can be found on their website.
How Can I Join the Quaker Vigil?
Participants must be over 18 (younger participants must be accompanied by adults who are legal guardians).
Accommodation: €30-50 triple/double/single room.
Programme :
Saturday, June 9th 2012 – Travel by train to Paris
Sunday, June 10th 2012 – Sightseeing in Paris
Monday, June 11th 2012 – International Quaker Vigil at the Eurosatory Arms Fair
Tuesday, June 12th 2012 – Return home by train.
Anyone wishing to stay longer is more than welcome to do so.
For more information contact:
Bernhard Klinghammer Kaliweg 31, 30952 Ronnenberg, GermanyEmail: b.klinghammer@gmx.de
Quaker Service in Ulster – Annual Report
The mission of Quaker Service in Ulster is to play a practical role in reducing violence, suffering and disadvantage by providing services which support, value and empower people. Their beautifully illustrated annual report 2010-2011 (pdf, 3.1 mb) gives an inspiring outline of their current work. (Please note that this is a large document so takes a little while to open up).
Meeting For Worship Broadcast Now Available Online
You can now listen to Meeting for Worship from Ballitore Meeting, County Kildare using the RTE Player.
The meeting for worship was broadcast on Sunday 30th October 2011 and includes a wide ranging discussion of Quaker faith and practice.
Magdalene Laundries – Public Meeting, Limerick, Wednesday 9th November
A Conversation on Experiences in the Magdelene Laundries
This public meeting will be held in the Quaker Meeting House, Limerick at 8pm on Wednesday 9th November 2011.
Speakers include
Pauline Goggin who has recently been speaking to survivors of institutional abuse, including some survivors of the Magdalene Laundries living in London
Evelyn McGlynn who has completed her degree and master’s theses in Limerick College of Art and Design on the Magdelene Laundries.
A former resident of the Good Shepherd Laundry now living in England
This meeting is open to the public and everyone is welcome.
Further Information: Magdalene Conversations Information Leaflet.
RTÉ Broadcast from Ballitore Meeting 30th October
The Religious Service on RTÉ Long Wave 252 on Sunday 30th October 2011 at 10.45am will be conducted by Quakers and will feature a discussion by Friends at Ballitore Meeting House, County Kildare.
The silence of a Quaker meeting for worship is not appropriate for radio. But an essential part is vocal ministry and on this occasion the voices of Friends rather than silence will take over.
The service will be available on RTÉ Radio long wave 252 in Ireland and Europe. The programme will also be available worldwide through the internet via Radio 1 Extra Stream and on Radio 1 Extra on DAB digital radio in the greater Dublin area, Cork and Limerick.
We will provide details of the downloadable podcast as soon as these are available.
Leinster Quarterly Meeting 20th November 2011
Leinster Quarterly Meeting will be held at Churchtown Meeting House on Sunday 20th November 2011.
The discussion at this Leinster Quarterly Meeting will be ‘Learning from Young Friends’. The speakers are Carolyn McMullan (Youth Coordinator), Orla Reaper-Reynolds (Youth Committee), Ciara Harrison (Youth Committee).
Families are encouraged to attend. There will be activities for children, both in the morning and afternoon. Please email the clerk of Leinster Quarterly Meeting Catriona Phelan if your children hope to attend.
Those not in membership and wishing to attend the business session please notify the clerk on the day.
The programme for the day is as follows:
11.00am Meeting for Worship
12.00pm Leinster Quarterly Business Meeting
1.30pm Lunch (Bring a packed lunch – Tea/Coffee provided)
2.30pm ‘Learning from Young Friends’
4.30pm Tea (by kind invitation of Churchtown Friends)
October 2011 Quakers In Ireland eNewsletter
The Quakers In Ireland website is pleased to announce a new monthly eNewsletter for Friends in Ireland. Each month, the newsletter will contain a digest of news, announcements, events and articles from the News and Events Section of the Quakers in Ireland Website.
The October 2011 Quakers In Ireland eNewsletter is now available on the website. You can also sign up to get the email sent directly to your email once a month.
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.
quakers-in-ireland.ie 
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