Sunday, April 5th – Easter Day – proved to be a busy time for Revd Stan but also the most fulfilling day in his entire ministry. It started at 7:00 am when Stan was chief celebrant at the annual ecumenical Dawn Service which was attended by fifty people beside the Boat Club in Clifden. A very particular word of thanks goes to Simon and Edwina at the clubhouse for providing an early morning breakfast to everybody, which was a friendly occasion filled with fellowship. The day itself was to prove to be one of those very magnificent Connemara days, with warm sunshine and light breezes. Following this lovely start to the day, Stan was again chief celebrant at St Mary’s, Roundstone, where seventy people gathered – a wonderful show of support by the many visitors who come west for their holidays. Then Stan, once again, celebrated Holy Communion at Christ Church, Clifden, at 11:30 am where the congregation of one hundred and ten people gathered for the Easter celebration. Omey is pleased to welcome all who come to join with us and who bring such warmth and encouragement to our western outpost. The message is clear, the Church of Ireland is very much alive in Omey Group and growing in strength and confidence. St Mary’s and Christ Church both looked beautiful with their splendid displays of colourful flowers, and our thanks go to all those who helped with these preparations.
We offer a warm welcome to Tomás and Carol Little who have decided to move from their home roots in Colorado to Clifden. They both have a love of singing, including Gospel music, and Tomás is a specialist in keyboards, harmonica, flute and mandolin with a range of styles covering Trad, Country, Soft Rock and Gospel. We will have music!
For those of you who might follow the Boat Race, this year’s event on Saturday, 11th April will be of particular interest to us in Connemara. The Cambridge crew – which is the heavier and favourite – will see Henry Hoffstot making his second consecutive appearance. Henry’s family have a house in Moyard and have been regular visitors from the US for many decades. Constantine Louloudis will be stroke of the Oxford crew and making his fourth appearance having been a winner of the past three contests. Constantine has been an annual guest of Nick Tinné – himself an Oxford Blue and the fourth in a long line of family ‘Blues’ – for the past fifteen years. Nick is putting his money on the dark blues!
Ann Henning Jocelyn, our local playwright, is proud to present her latest Play, ‘Only Our Own’ which opened in the West End and which will be performed In Galway on April 16th and 17th in An Taibhdhearc, Middle Street. Box Office ring 091 – 562024.
Congratulations to our resident artist, Margaret Irwin (Mo West), who featured in a superb article by Lorna Siggins in this weekend’s edition of the Irish Times Magazine. Mo’s latest retrospective exhibition opens at the Leinster Gallery, Dublin on Thursday, 16th April, the day before her 89th birthday, and we wish her continued success.
The Annual Easter Vestry for Omey Parish (Clifden/Moyard) will take place on Monday, 14th April at 7:30 pm in Christ Church and all parishioners of this parish are urged to attend. There will be a very brief meeting of the Select Vestry in Christ Church at 7:15 pm prior to the Easter General Vestry.
The Annual Easter Vestry for Moyrus Parish (Roundstone) will take place on Thursday, 23rd April at 4:00 pm in St Mary’s.
A very special concert by the St Cecelia Singers, the Dublin-based mixed voice choir, will be held at Christ Church on Saturday, 18th April at 8:00 pm. The performance will include Choral works from the Renaissance to Contemporary music. Tickets €10 (including Wine Reception 7:30 pm). Watch out for further details.
Last, but very definitely by no means least, we extend our warmest congratulations to Stan and Rosie on the birth of Adam, their latest grandchild and brother to twins Jennifer and Sinead and to Lisa, and our very best wishes go to proud Mum and Dad, Claire and Jude. A little bird tells me that Adam has already been to his first Hunter trials.