WELCOME
Welcome to the Cashel, Ferns, Ossory Mothers' Union website. The website will carry news, articles and photographs of Mothers' Union events throughout the United Diocese and also All-Ireland news.
The website will be regularly updated and if any Branch wishes to have an event, article or photograph published on the website please forward it to our Diocesan Secretary, Margaret Jacob. Email: cfomothersunion@gmail.com
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CONTACT DETAILS
Cashel, Ferns, Ossory
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Secretary: Cecily Jones
News Updates
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Latest News
Dates for your Diary
- 8th April @ 7 p.m. ~ Festival Service, Kiltegan ~ W91 DC44 ~ St Peter’s Church, Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow (NOTE CHANGE OF DATE)
- 20th April ~ Spring Council ~ Dolmen Hotel, Carlow @ 10.30 a.m.
- 17th - 19th May ~ Getaway Weekend ~ Hotel Minella, Clonmel ~ see newsletter for further details
- 23rd June ~ International Widow's Day ~ Service & Supper
- 9th August ~ Mary Sumner Day ~ Diocesan "Big Hymn Service" for Mums in May
- 26th October ~ Autumn Council ~ Dolmen Hotel Carlow @ 10.30 a.m.
- 7th November @ 11.30 a.m. ~ Holy Communion Service in St. Mary's Church Carlow, ~ R93 YW77 ~ St. Mary's, Church, Carlow, Co. Carlow
Lesley Bayley
The Diocesan President of
Cashel, Ferns, Ossory Mothers' Union
Theme for 2024 ~ Transformation - Now!
A Letter from the Diocesan President ~ Lesley Bayley
Dear fellow members,
On the 2nd of March members for throughout the island of Ireland came together in St. Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny to officially launch the triennial fundraiser – Mum’s in May, the theme for this year being ‘Big Hymn Sings’. Thanks to Kay Clarke (AI Unit Coordinator for Faith and Policy) and Margaret Jacob (AI unit Coordinator for Fundraising and Communication) for all their hard work in organising this event and to members of the Kilkenny Branch for their hospitality afterwards. (Full details can be found elsewhere in the magazine). During the year each diocese will hold their own‘Big Hymn Sing’ fundraiser and CFO’s will take place on Friday the 9th of August – Mary Sumner Day.
There are still a few places available for our Retreat/Weekend Break Away in the Hotel Minella, Clonmel. If you would like to go, then please let me know before Friday the 26th as names must be confirmed with the hotel by that date.
Our postponed Festival Service takes place in St. Peter’s Church, Kiltegan, on Monday the 8th of April, and everyone is welcome to attend. Please bring your branch banner for the procession, and tray bakes and biscuits would be appreciated for the refreshments afterwards.
Spring Council will be on Saturday the 27th in the Dolmen Hotel, Carlow, starting at 10.30am. Having our meeting on a Saturday is a new experience for us, but this was agreed in order to accommodate those members who would otherwise need to take a day off work to attend. All subscribing members are entitled to attend, please let Cecily Jones know if you will require lunch at a cost of €15pp, by Monday the 22nd.
As Mothers’ Union continues to encourage branches and churches to RISE UP against domestic abuse, we hear from St. Patrick’s (Connor Diocese) who recently achieved the bronze award. The parish of Saint Patrick’s, Broughshane, recently became the first church in Ireland to achieve the bronze award in the RISE UP challenge. By sharing what St. Patrick’s did, Cathy Doig Social Policy Rep. for Northern Ireland and Branch Leader of Broughshane, says she hope that others will also be encouraged to respond to the challenge.
The simple steps we took were:
- We sent an email to Emily Brailsford at riseup@mothersunion.org letting her know we were taking part in the challenge.
- RISE UP posters, and other All Ireland Mothers’ Union materials were displayed in the church porch, as well as the church hall, toilets, and meeting rooms.
- On Advent Sunday, the Rector, Reverend Dr Andrew Campbell signed the church pledge committing us to pray regularly for those affected by domestic abuse. The parish had always included suitable prayers during the “16 Days of Activism “- now these prayers are used once a month.
- A guest speaker from the nearby Women’s Aid refuge addressed a visitor's night, hosted by the Mothers’ Union branch. During this, we asked her what items were most needed and as a result a Christmas pyjama appeal was launched in the parish which led to 68 pairs of women’s and children’s pyjamas being donated to the refuge. Having made contact with theManager of the refuge, we hope to continue to support them in practical ways.
- We completed the assessment form https://tinyurl.com/Riseupassess None of this was difficult, most of it we had already been doing for some time, and this would be the same for many of our parishes so why don’t you take the RISE UP challenge too? To find more information about the RISE UP Against Domestic Abuse challenge visit our website at
www.mothersunion.org/riseup or contact Jacqui at muchangingthestory@gmail.com
Congratulations to St. Patrick’s, Broughshane, perhaps one of CFO’s branches or churches will be next to receive an award. We continue to support refuges within the diocese and as part of ourongoing domestic violence advocacy and campaigning we will again join with Garda Carol Byrne, for the ‘Garda Go Purple Day’.
With every blessing,
Lesley xx
085 8890029 cfodpmothersunion@yahoo.com
Dates for your diary:
- Festival Service – Monday April 8th in Kiltegan at 7pm
- Spring Council – April 27th in the Dolmen Hotel, Carlow at 10.30am
- Retreat/Break-Away – May 17th-18th Hotel Minella, Clonmel
Click on the image below to download the
April 2024 Newsletter
Click on the image above to bring you to
the All-Ireland website to read all about
The Triennial All-Ireland Mothers'
Union Conference 2023
Click on the image above to view a video of the work
of Mothers' Union in Ireland created for
The Annual Gathering in Belfast 2022
Click on the image above to download a poster re
grants available from CFO Mothers' Union
Mothers' Union Video
Click on the Mothers' Union emblem below to see the video highlighting the work of Mothers' Union which was filmed at the Triennial Conference in Termonfeckin in March 2017
The video features members of Mothers' Union from around Ireland telling all about the organisation and the many different projects supported by Mothers' Union both here at home and in Third World Countries.
One of the clips features our very own Joan Blake who can be seen knitting a matinee jacket and talking about the Mothers' Union Knitting Project
Below also is a link to the main Mothers' Union
Facebook Page
The All-Ireland Facebook Pages
Click on the image above to to bring you
to a page on the All Ireland Website
with a Report on the Getaway Weekend 2023
Click on the image below to bring you to the
All-Ireland You Tube Channel
SPIN AUTUMN 2023
The latest edition of Spin is now available
to download.
Click on the image below
Cards & Gifts
Available from
* MU Enterprise *
Naomi Besanson currently has
cards available to purchase plus cards to suit many other occasions.
Please contact
Click on the image above to read the Easter Letter from
Sheran Harper
Dates for your Diary
2024
- 8th April @ 7 p.m. ~ Festival Service, Kiltegan ~ W91 DC44 ~ St Peter’s Church, Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow (NOTE CHANGE OF DATE)
- 20th April ~ Spring Council ~ Dolmen Hotel, Carlow @ 10.30 a.m.
- 17th - 19th May ~ Getaway Weekend ~ Hotel Minella, Clonmel ~ see newsletter for further details
- 23rd June ~ International Widow's Day ~ Service & Supper
- 9th August ~ Mary Sumner Day ~ Diocesan "Big Hymn Service" for Mums in May
- 26th October ~ Autumn Council ~ Dolmen Hotel Carlow @ 10.30 a.m.
- 7th November @ 11.30 a.m. ~ Holy Communion Service in St. Mary's Church Carlow, ~ R93 YW77 ~ St. Mary's, Church, Carlow, Co. Carlow
The Mothers' Union Harvest Service Portlaoise took place in Saint Peter's Church, Grattan Street, Portlaoise, Co. Laois on Sunday 5th November.
Click on the image above to view a video of the service
Click on the image above to view a video of the service
Click on the image above to download the
Booking Form
Mothers’ Union Holy Communion Service
April 2024
11th April
Holy Communion Service in Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh Diocese
at 11.00a.m
in
St. John's Church, Longford (Church Street, Longford Town. N39 KP59)
June's Walk in Kilkenny
June Butler's first walk in the Diocese took place in Kilkenny on Thursday 8th June. We are very grateful to Florrie Carter and her team in Kilkenny Mothers' Union for all of the time and effort they put in to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Those participating enjoyed a lovely walk over the new bridge, by the river and on to the Castle Grounds before returning to the cathedral. Pat Nolan accompanied us on the walk giving an interesting account of all of the historical areas we passed. Sam Harper met up with us en route and provided same lovely ice-cream for refreshments. Some of the walkers had other commitments and were unable to continue on the walk but eight completed it. We were delighted that Bishop Michael Burrows was able to join us for the walk too.
Our thanks to the ladies from Kilkenny MU for all of the hospitality they provided both before and after the walk.
June thanked everyone for their support and welcome to Kilkenny. Florrie Carter, Branch leader, presented June with a small token to mark her visit to Kilkenny.
June's Second Walk ~ Tintern Abbey
June Butler's second walk in CFO took place on Monday 12th July at Tintern Abbey near Saltmills in Co. Wexford. The weather forecast for the morning was miserable but thankfully it turned out to be fine and a lovely day for walking. It was wonderful to meet up with so many members before eight set off to complete one of the longer walks through the woods.
June was delighted to meet up with Bea Thorpe in the walled gardens and have a chat with her. Three ladies set off with June to complete a further two kilometers so as to achieve her 7km target on each walk. When we arrived back in the car park we met up with Anne Barrett, a former All-Ireland President, and our own Phyllis Grothier, who was the previous All-Ireland President, was also present.
Our thanks to Olive Thorpe for her work in arranging the walk and to everyone who attended Tintern Abbey on the day.
Walk No. 3 in Cashel, Ferns, Ossory
June's third walk in Cashel, Ferns, Ossory, the final walk of her series for Mums in May 2021, took place on Tuesday 26th October. The venue for the walk was the Railway Walk in Tinahely. We were delighted that many from the Diocese were able to attend as well as Sylvia Wheatley (Diocesan President of Meath & Kildare) with some of her family and also the All-Ireland Treasurer, Revd. Ken Rue. June began by thanking everyone for coming to join her on the walk and Revd. Rue led us in prayer. Lesley Bayley, Diocesan President of CFO, also welcomed June to Tinahely for her final walk before a group headed off on the walk led by local MU member, Hazel Stedman.
Four walkers completed just over 7kms with June through a lovely tranquil area of woodland and admiring the lovely autumnal colours of the trees. They met up with those who had completed a shorter walk on their return to the car park. A group then adjourned to the D'Lish Cafe in Tinahely for lunch.
A large number of members from Cashel, Ferns and Ossory and friends enjoyed a lovely afternoon in Rathwood on Friday 3rd June. They enjoyed a delicious "Afternoon Tea" and it was a wonderful occasion for everyone to meet up for a chat too. The afternoon was organised by our Diocesan President, Lesley Bayley, not only to celebrate the Platinum Jublilee of our Patron, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2, but also to raise much needed funds for our Diocesan Projects. Thank you Lesley for all of the thought and effort you put in to all of the activities for Mothers' Union in the Diocese.
The Diocese has also been busy providing much needed support to a Ukranian family who are being rehoused in Enniscorthy. Members have also been knitting and sewing fiddle sleeves and blankets at the request of a nursing home in Kilkenny. These are used with patients who are suffering from dementia and a request came to Mothers' Union to see if we could provide a supply for patients in the nursing home.
Getting to know our Founder In Ireland
Annabella Hayes
1847 – 1921
Mothers’ Union was founded in Raheny, Dublin in 1887 by Mrs Annabella Hayes. As we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of her death, let’s learn a little more about our founder.
Canon and Mrs Hayes liked to travel and visited Norway, Switzerland and Canada. After their daughter Marie's untimely death in Delhi in 1908 aged 33, they travelled to Delhi to visit the hospital where Marie had worked for the previous three years and to meet people she had worked with. Later Annabella edited and published letters which Marie had written to home. Marie's final letter, sadly, arrived some weeks after the fateful telegram giving news of her death had been received in Raheny. The Hayes memorial cross in Raheny village was erected some years later.
Annabella was born in Dublin in 1847, the daughter of Thomas Edkins Willson of Upper Mount Street. In December 1866 she married the Reverend Francis Carlile Hayes who was then curate in Sandford Parish Church. She was nineteen years old and he was twenty-eight.
In 1867 he was appointed curate of St. Andrew's Church, Suffolk Street, and their first child, Ernest William Carlile Hayes, was born in February 1868. In 1873, Sir Arthur Edward Guinness (later Lord Ardilaun) appointed him Rector of Raheny Parish and he and Annabella moved to the Glebe House where they were to remain for the next forty-five years.
Their second child, Marie Elizabeth (always known as May) was born in May1874, and in April 1878 her sister Ethel Clara Ridley was born. A boy, Maurice, was born in 1886 but sadly died in infancy. Ernest went to school at St.Columba's and an English governess, Connie Gibbs of Willesden, was appointed to look after the education of the two girls.
In 1887 Annabella Hayes set up the first branch of the Mothers' Union in Raheny, inspired by what Mary Sumner had done in England eleven years before. Little did either of them know that in the twenty-first century world-wide membership of M.U would have grown to over four million.
Francis and Annabella were still in the Raheny Rectory when they celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1916. Canon Hayes retired in 1918 and he and Annabella moved to 12 Northbrook Road which was apparently owned by Francis since his days at St. Andrew's. Annabella survived a bad bout of 'flu shortly after they moved, but was taken ill again about a year later. She was diagnosed with liver cancer and died at home on the 7th February 1921.
Annabella was buried in St. Fintan's Cemetery in Sutton and her headstone (and that of Francis) stands at the highest point of the Cemetery. It is, however, not made of stone but of wood - teak, and despite its having stood there for 100 years there is absolutely no sign of decay in the timber. Mothers’ Union in Ireland had planned to do some restorative work to her gravesite during 2021 but has been put on hold because of Covid 19 restrictions.
Annabella was 74 when she died on 7th February 1921 and Francis was 94 when he died on 12th December 1931.
Click on the photograph of Annabella to bring you to a dedicated page
on the All-Ireland Website covering the centenary celebrations.
MULOA is a new initiative from Mothers' Union
which aims to look at Mothers' Union going forward.
You will be hearing a lot about it at Branch Level in the coming months.
Click on the MULOA symbol to see a short video about this initiative.
PRAYER FOR MULOA
We pray that our God will make us fit for what he’s called us to be,
that he’ll fill our good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy
so that it all amounts to something.
As our lives honour the name of Jesus,
may he honour us, by his grace; our God giving himself freely,
the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely. Amen
Based on 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (The Message)
Charity Number:
Republic of Ireland:
Mothers’ Union in Ireland is recognised as a Charity by the Revenue Commissioners, 5161.
Mothers’ Union in Ireland is recognised as a Charity by the Revenue Commissioners, 5161.
Registered Charity Number - 20007331 (Charities Regulatory Authority).
Mothers' Union Theme 2022
Transformation - Now!
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Cashel, Ferns, Ossory Mothers' Union