The United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough

08/09/2026

In June 2026 two new Deacons were ordained to serve in Dublin and Glendalough. The Revd Cennis Chikezie is serving as Curate Assistant in the Parish of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla with the Rector the Revd Colin McConaghie. The Revd Esther Simpson is serving as Curate Assistant in Rathmichael Parish Church with the Revd Sean Hanily.

Now on our website, in the early days of their curacies, they reflect on their call to ordination and their hopes for their new ministry.

Both Esther and Cennis speak of their life-long faith and they both speak of the importance of others in helping them to hear God's call to ordination.

You can read Cennis's story here: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/09/08/a-call-heard-through-others

You can read Esther's story here: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/09/08/a-very-strong-inward-nudge

08/09/2026

Celebrating two centuries of growth, Sandford will host a harvest celebration of Faith, Flowers and Community in October.

Sandford 200, Two Centuries of Growth: A Harvest Celebration of Faith, Flowers and Community, with displays by the parish and local community. Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th October, with official opening on Friday 2nd at 7pm. All welcome. The United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough Church of Ireland

07/09/2026

Are you one of the hundreds of people who have been Confirmed in Dublin and Glendalough since 2017? If you are, CIYD (the Church of Ireland Youth Department) wants to hear from you.

CIYD is launching a major Confirmation Survey for EVERYONE who was Confirmed throughout the Church of Ireland since 2017. They want to hear as many experiences as possible: what was the preparation like, how did you feel about the service, what difference did Confirmation make to your faith? The survey is completely anonymous, there will be no way to trace individual answers, so you can be as honest as you like.

CIYD wants to get as big a picture of Confirmation as possible so as to improve it for the next generation. The research will seek to identify the ideal age to get Confirmed; the most impactful preparation; and what other things influence the faith of teenagers in the Church of Ireland. The more they know, the more Confirmation can be even better for those people being Confirmed over the next few years.

The survey will only take five minutes to complete and if you are a parent or guardian of a young person who has been confirmed since 2017 please pass the survey on to them. You can access it via the QR code below or from our website - https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/09/07/ciyd-launches-major-confirmation-survey

07/09/2026

Concepts of identity and otherness and their impact on social cohesion were the focus of Archbishop Michael Jackson’s sermon to members of the British Irish Association yesterday morning (Sunday September 7).

The service in Pembroke College Chapel in Oxford was part of the annual conference of the British Irish Association (BIA) which took place in Oxford over the weekend. The BIA annual conference brings together a wide range of people – senior politicians and government officials, businessmen and women, academics, faith leaders, writers, former paramilitaries and community workers – to discuss matters of mutual concern.

The Archbishop noted that there is a “density of Irish difference” as illustrated by the famous blackboard in hit television show Derry Girls which details numerous ‘differences’ between Protestants and Catholics.

Bringing in the broad theme of the 2026 BIA meeting, identity and otherness, he said that knowing who we are and having a confident sense of our identity is what those with children hope to instil in them.

Otherness, he explained, can range from a straightforward fact to a fascination with understanding those who are different from us and we from them. This can extend further to excessive Othering of human beings, he added.

He said that while individual identity is a vital component in self–understanding, it needs to move towards relationship, community and social sacrifice.

You can learn more on our website and read the Archbishop's sermon in full here:

Concepts of identity and otherness and their impact on social cohesion were the focus of Archbishop Michael Jackson’s sermon to members of the British Irish Association yesterday morning (Sunday September 7). The service in Pembroke College Chapel in Oxford was part of the annual conference of the...

04/09/2026

In two years’ time, the diocese of Dublin and its cathedral of Christ Church will mark one thousand years of continuous Christian worship within the catchment area of the Liffey bounded by the Dublin mountains to the south and the plains of Fingal to the north, yet it will only be one of several anniversaries being celebrated over the next four years.

The Friends of Christ Church would like to invite all those with an interest in Dublin, the church, its long and chequered history, architecture, music and liturgy, as well as in the common fellowship of community, to join their organisation to help mark these landmark dates and their importance for Dublin city and diocese, as well as Christ Church cathedral.

You can read all about the cathedral's forthcoming milestone anniversaries and the history of the Friends of Christ Church Cathedral on our website: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/09/04/friends-of-christ-church-welcome

01/09/2026

The first decade of the Church of Ireland Centre at Dublin City University was celebrated yesterday (Monday August 31) with a special gathering at DCU’s All Hallows’ Campus in Drumcondra.

The gathering recognised all the centre’s achievements over the last 10 years and honoured everyone who had supported its work. It also marked the final day of the Church of Ireland Centre’s first Director, Canon Professor Anne Lodge, whose term of office came to an end yesterday after 10 years. The appointment of the new Director, Dr Jacqui Wilkinson, was announced today.

The Church of Ireland Centre (CIC) was established as part of the DCU Institute of Education in 2016 as a result of the incorporation of the Church of Ireland College of Education into DCU in line with changed State requirements. It provides an agreed pathway within the DCU Bachelor of Education programme for the CIC intake.

To mark the milestone anniversary, a report on the first decade of the CIC, complied by Canon Prof Anne Lodge, was launched.

You can read the full story and download the Report on the First Decade of the Church of Ireland Centre, DCU on our website here: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/09/01/church-of-ireland-centre-at

01/09/2026

Dr Jacqui Wilkinson has been appointed Director of the Church of Ireland Centre at Dublin City University. She succeeds Canon Professor Anne Lodge whose term of office has come to an end after 10 years in the role.

Dr Wilkinson’s term of office begins today (Tuesday September 1) and her appointment has been welcomed by the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd John McDowell, and the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson. They also thanked Professor Lodge for her contribution to the Church of Ireland Centre, the 10th anniversary of which was celebrated yesterday.

In a statement the Archbishops said: “As Professor Anne Lodge steps down as Director of the Church of Ireland Centre at Dublin City University we wish to thank her for her unique contribution in that role. In her pioneering role Professor Lodge has embedded the Centre in the life of DCU and has consolidated its position within the school sector which it serves. We are very grateful to Professor Lodge for her diligence, scholarship and professionalism.

“We wish also to welcome Dr Jacqui Wilkinson into the role of Director of the Centre. Jacqui will be known to many within the Primary Education sector in the Republic of Ireland not least through her work on the Follow Me Patron’s Programme for Religious Education and through her lecturing at the Centre over the past number of years.

“The Centre is at the core of teacher formation within the Reformed Traditions in Ireland and plays a vital role in maintaining and passing on our ethos. In addition the Centre’s specialism in Small School teaching across every tradition is another valued aspect of our contribution to the common good in many rural communities across Ireland.

“This is an exciting time for Jacqui, for the Centre and for the education community and we pray for her and wish her well as she begins her new role today”.

You can read the full report on our website: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/09/01/new-director-appointed-to-church

01/09/2026

Drop in to the Church of St George and St Thomas Parish (Church of Ireland) next week where there will be a space to pray and reflect.

NEXT WEEK the doors will be open for space to pray, reflect, and simply be.

24-7PrayerIreland & Tearfund Ireland are curating prayer stations to help guide us through beautiful & sometimes tough themes like justice, climate, gender inequality Jesus as Mediator, Jesus as Our Guide, and more for this Global Week of Prayer. 🌍✨

Pop in to explore the stations, sit in the quiet of the sanctuary, and / or chat with a few of us during the week! 🙏 We're open Sept. 7-11! 🗓


Church of Ireland 24-7 Prayer

01/09/2026

Parishioners of St Patrick’s Church, Powerscourt, embarked on an exciting journey on Sunday (August 30) when the sod was turned on ‘The Nest’.

The Nest will provide a vibrant new space for worship, community and connection in Enniskerry. It will be located, nestled amongst the pines, next to the church.

Construction on the new hall starts this week and on Sunday amid a joyful parish celebration, the steering group of Chris Chambers, Ric Pasquali and Robert Neill turned the first sod.

They were assisted by the Rector, the Revd Cathy Hallissey, with the magnificent silver trowel which was used in the laying of the foundation stone for St Patrick’s Church in October 1857. Historian Judy Cameron said the trowel had not been used since the foundation stone was laid by Lord Powerscourt, Mervyn Wingfield, during his 21st birthday celebrations.

Adding to the morning’s excitement, the large crowd also welcomed home local farmer Michael Keegan who had just completed his epic journey from Mizen Head to Malin Head raising awareness and funds for two su***de charities, 3TS and Pieta House.

Michael undertook the 690km ‘Miles of Hope’ journey on his grandfather’s historic Deutz D40L tractor. Charlie Keegan won the world ploughing championships with the tractor in 1964 bringing home the first ever world ploughing title to Ireland.

You can read more on our website: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/09/01/powerscourt-parishioners-turn-sod-on

28/08/2026

The Crinken Church Shankill family came out in force yesterday evening (Thursday August 27) to say farewell to their much loved Rector Canon Tom O'Brien and the whole O'Brien family. Tom has been appointed as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral Dublin.

There were laughter, tears and an impressive quantity of traybakes at St James’s Church for an evening which saw tributes paid to the O'Briens from across the parish.

You can read all about it on our website: https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2026/08/28/crinken-bids-farewell-to-a