Newsletter September 2025

Parish website:  www.traleedingle.ardfert.anglican.org           

https://www.facebook.com/Tralee-and-Dingle-Group-of-Parishes-680304582052423/

Rev Jim Stephens @ 087 0529107   Email: stjohns.ashestreet@gmail.com

Rev Willa Goodfellow  083 3864483

Sympathy

It was with sadness that we gathered in Ballymac Church on Saturday the 9th August for Stella Linehan’s funeral service. While Stella had been unwell earlier in the year, she had made a good recovery and was looking well and had been in church a few Sundays earlier.

We will  miss her in Ballymac Church where she was such a  faithful parishioner, She always ensured that it was ready for worship when her turn came around. We extend our sympathy to John, Ann and Winnie and their families and to her wider family and friends in their sadness and loss.

We extend our sympathy to the extended Groves family on the death of their nephew and cousin Robert Hollway who died unexpectedly in Belfast. His funeral took place in St Bartholomew’s Parish Church, Stranmillis Road, Belfast on the 15th August. A service was held in Ballyseedy Church on the 16th to give his extended family in Kerry an opportunity to come together to remember him and to pray for those who love him on their loss. He is survived by his mother Chrissie nee Groves late of Ballymac and his father  frank, his brother Paul and his children Mischa and Adam and their mother Tara and extended family and friends.

Roses.

Once again it was a delight to welcome five of the Rose Contestants, their escorts and entourage to St Johns for the Sunday Morning service on the 17th of August.

We were also joined by the Kerry Chamber Choir who supported our own singers and organist.

The Roses who attended were all from Ireland on this occasion, Carlow, Limerick, Wexford, Down and Meath.

It was a wonderful weekend in Tralee and we were delighted to welcome visitors to our church which we are now keeping open for a number of hours during the day via or tourism project.

We were delighted with the attendance and the Parish centre was buzzing afterwards as people mingled, chatted and enjoyed refreshments. Many thanks to all who contributed to the service, prepared the hall for the refreshments and catered for our guests in teach an tSolais afterwards.

Re-enactment of the treaty of Dingle

A Reenactment of the signing of the treaty of Dingle took place in St James Church on Sunday 17th August at 11am.  Group of visitors attended from Spain and after the signing which took place in period costume the group then headed to Smerwick harbour.

The treaty of Dingle was signed in St James Church in April 1529.

Service in St James.

Our final graveyard service of the year will take place in St James on the 9thSeptember at 7pm.

It will be an opportunity to give thanks for recent work on the site and provide parishioners and friends with an opportunity to see these works and the new visitor sign that has been put in place.

 

Baptisms

Victor Brendan Gleasure was welcomed into the family of the church at service in St Johns on the 9th August. Victor is the son of David and Eve who live in Limerick.

At the morning service on the 10th, we welcomed Tyler and Zoey Hurst in the Christian family. Congratulations to their parents Cheyenne and Ryan from Tralee. We rejoice with both families and pray Gods blessing on them as they raise their children within the family of the church.

Colette Grace Hagan Grennan was welcomed into the family of the church at her baptism on the 29th August. Colette is the daughter of Richard and Katie who were married in St Johns and the great-grand daughter of Pat and the late Autie Boyle of Tralee. Katie, Richard and Colette live in Florida.

 

Visitors to Tralee and Ballymacelligott.

A group of visitors from Maynooth who attend the New Life Church in Pearce street in Dublin joined us for part of the morning service in Tralee and later in Ballymac where they sang two hymns. The first was the well-known hymn what a friend we have in Jesus and then a hymn in their native language.

It was probably the first time that Tamil was heard in Ballymacelligott Church.

 

Vistors from Skreen and Achonry Union in Sligo,

The Rev Andy Pierce and 23 of his parishioners spent the weekend in Tralee, They visited Dingle and Slea Head and attended St Johns on Saturday evening for a tour of the church which was given by David Tough.

The office of Compline was read in the church prior to enjoying a meal with parishioners in Teach an tSolais.

We gathered in St Johns on the Sunday morning for Holy Communion at which Rev Andy Preached.

Many thanks to Olive Flynn who coordinated the weekend and the food in the hall.

Thankyou also to those who supported her in this endeavour.

 

Harvests

The first of our Harvest Thanksgiving services will take place on Sunday morning the 28thof September at 11.15am in St Johns and the second one will be held in Kilgobbin that afternoon at 3pm

The preacher will be Fr Richard Downing. The collection will go thru Bishops Appeal to support the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza which is run by the Anglican diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

 

Return to School, College and Training

We congratulate all those who have received their leaving cert results recently as they take their next steps to college, training, work  or to a year out.

We wish all those starting both primary and secondary school every good wish as they begin and continue their educational journey.

 

Fund raiser in St James.

The Dingle Classic film society will  screen ‘Il Positino’ in St James on the evening of the 18th  September @8pm .The funds raised will go towards the refurbishment of St James.

 

Architecture Kerry Week

A Seminar on Coastal Peripheries  will be held in St James on the 25th September @ 6.30pm.

Concert in St Johns,

Féile an Fhómhair with Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich in concert on Saturday 13th September at 7.30pm.

Tickets on www.eventbrite.ie

 

Community News.

"Breast Cancer Awareness Month takes place October 1st-31st.

For further information, please log onto www.breastcancerireland.com."