19.07.2023
New Lord Mayor of Dublin Visits St Ann’s
The recently elected Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste paid a courtesy call to St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, yesterday afternoon (Tuesday July 18). The Lord Mayor was welcomed to the church, which is almost next door to the Mansion House, by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson and the Vicar of St Ann’s, Canon Paul Arbuthnot.
Amid a steady flow of visitors from all over the world, Lord Mayor de Róiste was given a tour of the historic church which celebrates its 300th anniversary this year. The anniversary will be marked with a special service in St Ann’s on Sunday October 29 which the Lord Mayor, who has a keen interest in history, has been invited to attend along with a large number of other special guests who will join the regular congregation.
The Lord Mayor outlined his priorities for his term of office and spoke of his desire to build a ‘city of kindness’. Both the Archbishop and the Vicar said that this mission could be complemented by the Church.
Archbishop Jackson outlined his role and the reach of his dioceses which extend from Balbriggan in north County Dublin to Inch in the south on the Wicklow/Wexford border and west into Leixlip and Athy in County Kildare. He also spoke about members of the Church of Ireland in the dioceses.
Canon Arbuthnot highlighted a number of items of historical interest in St Ann’s including the stained glass windows and the Bread Shelf which, since 1723 has contained loaves of bread for the poor of Dublin City by bequest of Lord Newtown of Newtown Butler. Today the tradition is a symbol of the church’s ministry to all. He also spoke of the congregation of St Ann’s and its sister church, St Stephen’s.
After the visit, Archbishop Jackson said: “I have been delighted to meet the Lord Mayor on a number of occasions since he has taken up office. It was a special pleasure to welcome him along with Canon Arbuthnot to St Ann’s and to let him see first hand the diocese’s city centre church and to outline to him both what it does and what it hopes to do. The 300th anniversary provides the perfect launching pad for development and change. The Lord Mayor’s sense of social realism was a great encouragement to us as the new vision for St Ann’s is progressed”.
Canon Arbuthnot added: “It was a delight to welcome our next door neighbour, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, to St Ann’s. At St Ann’s we have always had a good relationship with Dublin’s Lord Mayors. We look forward to working positively with him as he seeks to build a ‘city of kindness’ during his term of office. At St Ann’s we continue to hold the Lord Mayor in our prayers at every celebration of the Eucharist and we wish him every success and blessing for his term of office”.