13.06.2025
Dublin–Chota Nagpur Links Nourished by Irish Visit
The bonds of friendship between Trinity College Dublin and the Diocese of Chota Nagpur in India were renewed this week when a delegation from Chota Nagpur visited Dublin.
The delegation of school principals and teachers and clergy was led by Bishop Basil Baskey. They joined the Archbishop of Dublin, Archbishop Michael Jackson, and representatives of the Dublin University Mission to Chota Nagpur (DUMCN) for a pilgrimage which began on Monday (June 9) in the monastic city of Glendalough and concluded at Evensong in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, yesterday evening (Thursday June 13).
Trinity has had a close connection with the Diocese of Chota Nagpur since the 1880s. Many graduates have gone to work in the Diocese and through DUMCN, Trinity has founded hospitals, schools and colleges.
The first bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Chota Nagpur was Bishop Kenneth Kennedy. He served a curacy in St Ann’s, Dublin, before emigrating to India where he served as a priest with DUMCN before becoming Bishop in 1926. He served for 10 years after which he returned to Dublin where he was Priest in Charge of Rathmichael Parish until his death in 1943.
The delegation visited Rathmichael on Monday evening where parishioners and two former Rectors, Canon Billy Marshall and Canon Fred Applebe, along with the current incumbent, the Revd Sean Hanily celebrated the Eucharist followed by a meal for the visitors.
On Tuesday morning the venue was DCU’s All Hallows Campus for a seminar on education facilitated by the Revd Prof Anne Lodge of the Church of Ireland Centre. Delegates explored the themes of patronage and shared experiences and challenges in each context.
From there they travelled to the city centre where they toured Trinity College Dublin before participating in Evensong in the College Chapel. This was followed by the launch of a book about St Columba’s Hospital in Hazaribagh which is run by the Diocese of Chota Nagpur. Entitled ‘The Friends of Saint Columba’s Hospital, Hazaribagh, India: A short history’ the book was written by Canon Stuart Lloyd.
Launching the book, Archbishop Jackson noted that while the hospital had experienced difficulties, it was currently witnessing a revival of fortunes with a new director who was combining innovative ways of offering healthcare with feeding thousands of people each day for a small contribution. Dr Kerry Houston of DUMCN also commended the work of the hospital which both he and the Archbishop have visited on a number of occasions. Neville Cobbe, a first year ordinand at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute also spoke of his experience during his placement in the Diocese of Chota Nagpur recently.
The first half of Wednesday was spent exploring Dublin before travelling to St Patrick’s Cathedral where they had a guided tour with Kelley Bermingham, the cathedral’s Community and Safeguarding Officer, who also drove the delegation around in the cathedral’s bus.
After Evensong they travelled the short distance to Dublin’s Mansion House for a Civic Reception at which they met a number of groups who contribute to the rich faith life of the city – members of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Canon William Deverell whose parish church in Tallaght hosts a congregation of the Indian Orthodox Church, Fr Jenu John of the Church of South India and members of the Eritrean Orthodox Church.
On Thursday morning the delegation travelled to Dail Eireann as guests of Minister Neale Richmond who chatted to members of the group before they were shown to the public gallery from which the viewed Leaders’ Questions for a short period of time.
In the afternoon they travelled to Christ Church Cathedral for a guided tour before Evensong. The visit formally concluded with a dinner where they welcomed Bishop Donal Roche, Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, among other special guests. On behalf of the delegation, school principle Mrs Jacqueline Edwin, thanked Bishop Baskey for giving the principles the opportunity to visit Ireland and thanked their hosts for making the visit possible. She said they appreciated the opportunity to explore Dublin and to share their experiences of education in particular.
