The cathedral community and many friends gathered for Choral Evensong to bid a fond farewell to the Dean and his wife Celia. After 18 years, the Dean will hand back to the Archbishop of Dublin the pastoral care of the cathedral and its parishes on August 31.

Fittingly and in line with the strong tradition of the Cathedral Choir, music shaped the service with two anthems, one commissioned for the occasion composed by Jack Oades, former organ scholar and acting director of music and assistant director of music. The Cathedral Choir was joined at the end of the service by Christ Church Community Choir for an outstanding rendition of ‘The Parting Glass’ before the congregation made their way out into the sunshine for a party on the labyrinth.

The service began with a presentation to Dermot and Celia by Precentor and Sub–Dean Canon Roy Byrne on behalf of the cathedral family. For the past 18 years, he said, Dermot and Celia have loved and cared for the cathedral and have been part and parcel of its life. “They have in many ways opened the doors of this place wider than could ever have been imagined,” he said noting that Dermot had never allowed the cathedral to stand still. He wished them God’s speed and many years of happiness ahead.

Canon Byrne read a message from Archbishop Michael Jackson who was attending the opening service of the Anglican Consultative Council’s meeting in Belfast at the same time. “Today is Dermot’s day,” he said. “We wish him health and happiness in the next phase of the life he and Celia share. We thank him for his commitment to the cathedral as an ever changing community and as a heritage building in the beating heart of the city.” The Archbishop also thanked him for his kindness, his commitment to liturgy and his facilitation of diocesan services.

In his final sermon as Dean, Dermot said his overwhelming emotion was one of gratitude. He thanked all in the cathedral community, his many friends and clerical colleagues and Celia. He looked back beyond his 18 years as Dean to July 1997 where the seed was sown that would lead to him standing in the pulpit that Sunday. He paid tribute to the Ven Ricky Rountree who introduced him to the Church of Ireland as he and Celia were making Kilbride, just outside Bray, their spiritual home.

“There is no perfect way of saying goodbye,” he observed. “Today there is joy and sadness, excitement and uncertainty, relief and nostalgia. But overall there is gratitude. This afternoon is not really about saying goodbye it is about saying thank you.”

When looking for inspiration for his final sermon he turned to Gloria Gaynor and her famous anthem ‘I will survive’. It is a story about how, after life’s upsets, somehow we keep going and there is something wonderfully hopeful about that, he observed. “But Christians have a deeper song. We do not simply survive. We are sustained. We are carried. We are upheld by the grace of God,” he said.

He thanked all who sustained the life of the cathedral – the staff, Chapter, board and volunteers. He thanked Archbishop Michael and previous Archbishops of Dublin, Archbishop John and Archbishop Walton, for their trust support and friendship. He thanked the Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough for allowing the cathedral to play its part in the life of the diocesan family. And to all beyond the walls, civic leaders, ecumenical partners, friends of other faiths, neighbours, visitors and pilgrims – “You have reminded us that the Gospel is never confined within walls”. Above all he thanked the regular congregation of Christ Church Cathedral who for 18 years had allowed him into the most sacred moments of their lives.

“This cathedral has welcomed presidents and pilgrims, tourists and theologians, schoolchildren and sceptics, believers and those who were not quite sure what they believed,” Dean Dunne said. “I have always hoped that everyone who crossed these doors would know that they were welcome before they were anything else. That, it seems to me, is how Christ receives us.

“If there is one thing I hope my ministry has reflected, it is that the Kingdom of God is always larger than the categories by which we divide ourselves. Larger than our labels. Larger than our certainties. Larger even than the Church itself. It is a Kingdom where grace always has the first word, and love always has the last.”

The words of Evensong have become deeply woven into his soul, he said – ‘Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord…’ “How often have we sung those words together?’ he asked. “They have accompanied us through moments of celebration and sorrow, certainty and doubt. They have reminded me that faith is not about having all the answers.Faith is trusting the One who walks beside us when we cannot yet see the road ahead.”

Dean Dunne said he is leaving office with profound hope. For almost 1,000 years generations have worshipped in the cathedral. “Long after every one of us has become part of its history, prayer will continue to rise from this place. The choir will continue to sing. Children will continue to be baptised. The hungry will continue to be fed. The stranger will continue to be welcomed. The Gospel will continue to be proclaimed. That is wonderfully reassuring,” he said.

His words were received with standing ovation. You can read the full text of the Dean’s sermon here.

Today’s incident is particularly distressing as it comes only hours after three men pleaded guilty before the Special Criminal Court to terrorism–related offences arising from a plot to set fire to a mosque in Galway in 2025. The coincidence of these events serves as a stark reminder that hatred directed against any faith community can never be ignored and must always be confronted through the rule of law, education and solidarity.

On behalf of our communities and leaders, DCIF extends solidarity, prayers and support to the Imam, leadership and congregation of the Al Madinah Islamic Centre. We recognize fear and distress that attack causes, not only for those who worship there, but for communities throughout Ireland. We want members of the Islamic Community to know that they are not alone. People of Dublin stand with you, and fellow faith communities stand with you.

A place of worship is a sanctuary, a space dedicated to prayer, reflection, compassion and service. An attack on any place of worship is an attack on the shared values that bind our diverse city together. Such acts seek to spread fear and division, but they must never be allowed to succeed.

We also wish to express our sincere gratitude to Dublin Fire Brigade and An Garda Síochána for their swift, professional and courageous response. Their prompt intervention ensured the building was evacuated safely and prevented what could have been a far more serious tragedy. We thank all emergency personnel who responded with dedication and professionalism during this incident.

DCIF welcomes the ongoing Garda investigation and trusts that those responsible will be identified and brought before the courts. We encourage anyone with information that may assist the investigation to cooperate fully with An Garda Síochána.

At this difficult time, we call upon everyone across Dublin and Ireland to remain calm and reject any attempt to sow fear, hatred or division. We ask our fellow citizens to rally around the Al Madinah Islamic Centre and the wider Muslim community with kindness, empathy and practical acts of solidarity. Let today’s response be one of compassion rather than fear, unity rather than division, and hope rather than hatred.

Dublin has long been enriched by its religious and cultural diversity. Our different faith communities have worked together for many years to build relationships based on trust, dialogue and mutual respect. We remain steadfast in our commitment to these values and will continue to work together through our Safe Haven program, to ensure that every person, regardless of their faith or background, can worship freely and safely.

Today we stand united with our Muslim brothers and sisters. We reject hatred in all its forms. Together, we affirm that there is no place in Ireland for attacks on places of worship or for those who seek to divide our communities through violence and intimidation.

David passed away on Sunday June 29 2026 in the company of his wife Margaret and daughter Shirley. He was predeceased by his son Derek. His funeral service will take place on Friday morning, July 3, at 10.30am in Sandford Parish Church (see details on RIP.ie https://rip.ie/death-notice/david-wynne-dublin-rathmines-635018 ).

Archbishop Michael Jackson has paid tribute to David.

“I am very sad to learn of the death of Mr David Wynne. On my own behalf and on behalf of the United Dioceses I extend my sympathy to Margaret and to Shirley and to everyone who has known David in a number of interlocking circles of friendship and work over the years.

“David was devoted to the Church of Ireland, to his parish and to the cathedral. Few can ever forget his clear and faithful way of reading the Scriptures and his deliberate way of approaching the Lectern.

“David served the Church of Ireland through his secretaryship of the SEC; through membership of the Diocesan Councils and Diocesan Board of Patronage; through membership of the Friends of Christ Church Cathedral Committee and in countless other ways – many of them simply by turning up and being there at church based events.

“In recent years he bore sadness and illness nobly and with a determination to participate, to be engaged and to travel – often against the odds.

“Countless people miss David and we rejoice that Almighty God has taken him to himself in a kindly way while we mourn with Margaret and Shirley in these days of loss.

“I shall miss him greatly for his loyalty, his friendship and his conversation.”

+Michael

Dublin and Glendalough

The festivities will continue in the autumn but the last few days has seen a flurry of activity marking 200 years of faith and community in Sandford. On Thursday evening ‘Sandford Parish: A History, 1826–2026’ by David O’Shea was launched by John Bowman. Throughout the weekend the fascinating Sandford 200 exhibition ran in the church.

On Sunday morning the Archbishop of Dublin was the celebrant and preacher at a special celebration of Holy Communion which concluded with a magnificent rendition of ‘Te Deum Laudamus’ by the choir. The service was attended by the Revd Patrick Irwin, the great, great, great grandson of the first Rector of Sandford, the Revd Henry Irwin. Also present was Fr Leonard Moloney SJ from nearby Milltown Park.

Archbishop Michael Jackson drew the inspiration for his sermon from the readings – Genesis 28: 16–22; Ephesians 2: 13–18; St Matthew 10: 40–42 which focused in turn on place, reconciliation and belonging.

He said that in the last 200 years the city of Dublin and its suburbs have developed and expanded beyond recognition. It remained the hope of people that they would not the people of their neighbourhood, he said, and in the charming and vibrant Ranelagh this was a reasonable expectation. He suggested that the parish and parish church were key elements in fulfilling this expectation.  

“In this suburb of Ranelagh, place, reconciliation and belonging are key drivers in our work in 2026. I speak of place because the church itself and where it is are your key asset, your finest resource – unquestionably… Everybody knows Sandford Church. From its energy over two centuries flow your impact, your identity and your investment. Sandford Parish Church is synonymous with this part of Dublin. It gives you, its parishioners, an unique impact. Sandford Parish Church is synonymous with this area of Sandford Close which includes the Church, the Terrace, the School and the Rectory – and of course the Rector! Sandford Church is also your crowning glory because it speaks for itself and commends itself by being on the street… and also by its loveliness,” he said.

Sandford Parish Church began life as Sandford Chapel, a Trustee Church. It subsequently became a parish, the Archbishop said adding that in its early days it had the distinct advantage of consolidating its position through the long ministry of Henry Irwin, whose son Alexander also served as his curate assistant, for over 30 years.

Commending the book on the history of Sandford Church he said it tells the story in vivid detail combining illustration of aspects of the parish but threading through this the context of each of the three centuries of world history in which the church has made its mark.

Archbishop Jackson explored what suburban religion looks like and asked what it offers. “What makes it distinctive, and therefore precious, is the specific concentration of capacities that people in suburban parishes can have and frequently do have and are willing to share. When this happens, people can and do bring expertise from their daily work directly into their church commitment and service. This is exciting and energizing because it helps people to connect their work and their discipleship with one another, so they make sense as an integrated whole,” he commented.

You can read the Archbishop’s sermon in full here. 

Preaching at the service, now in its fifth year, Dean Dunne explained that Pride is as needed today as it ever was. In one of his final sermons before retiring, he shared a number of recent experiences which had shocked him and highlighted ways in which LGBTQ+ people and their families continued to be excluded by the church both in Ireland and abroad. This reminded him of the importance of Pride.

“As we celebrate the joy of Pride this evening, I want to reflect on something deep that emanates from our very core, that is our universal human longing to belong. Beneath all the language, beneath all the politics, beneath all the anxiety and debate, there is a simple and holy truth: human beings long to know that they are seen, that they are welcomed and they are loved. That runs right through Scripture,” he stated.

The Dean observed that when Jesus gathered people around his table, he gathered the excluded, the uncertain, the misunderstood and the wounded. When Paul wrote that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, he was not erasing difference he was explaining that our belonging to God was deeper than every category by which society divides us, he said.

Human beings are tribal creatures, Dean Dunne said adding that there was nothing wrong with this as being in communities can nurture dignity and solidarity. However, he warned of a danger when any tribe, like the church tribe, becomes too rigid, too certain of itself and too dependent on defining who is in and who is out.

What mattered to Jesus was not that people fitted into approved categories but whether God was present, whether mercy was alive, whether dignity was honoured, whether human beings were drawn into deeper truth and deeper compassion, the Dean said. He suggested that one of the spiritual tasks of our age might be to learn how to hold identity lightly.

“Our deepest identity is found in being beloved by God… That’s why the church at its best is for people in need, not of certainty but of belonging. To accept mess, to accept ambiguity, to accept mystery, to accept the best of human life, to be a place where complexity is not feared, a place where questions are not silenced, a place where human dignity is never conditional, a place where people encounter grace before judgement,” he said.

Christ Church Cathedral’s annual Pride Service was first held in 2021. The partners in the service included Changing Attitude Ireland as well as community partners Belong Tod and OutHouse.

The service was sung by the Cathedral Choir and the large congregation was welcomed by Matthew Zaradich of the cathedral’s Community of St Laurence. Readings were by Caleb O’Connor of OutHouse and Kieran O’Donovan of Belong To. Prayers were led by Dr Scott Golden of Changing Attitude Ireland.

The school community celebrated with an open day and concert earlier in the month followed by a united service in St Philip and St James’s Church on Sunday June 14.

Pupils at Booterstown National School are already enjoying the benefits of the new Nurture Room which provides a calm, safe environment, for small–group support, and where emotional regulation activities, relationship–building, and social skills work, can take place.

The Multi–sensory Room, which will be finished by the time children return to school in September, will provide a supportive space for pupils who have particular needs with emotional regulation and/or sensory overload, or who need sensory stimulation.

The new rooms have been created out of the school’s computer room which was no longer needed.

A number of pupils along with the Principal Stephanie Elders, the Rector Canon Gillian Wharton, deputy Chair of the Board of Management Gordon Richards helped the Archbishop cut the ribbon to officially open the new rooms.

Speaking during the special assembly, Archbishop Michael Jackson highlighted the education of generations of children who have attended Booterstown National School. “Today part of what we do is to mark and celebrate many generations of education at the school. The idea of continuity is something you will take away with you – you are part of something that happened before you, you are part of something that you made happen while you were here and you are also part of something that you leave for those who come after you,” he said.

In 1826, two years after the opening of St Philip and St James’ Church, the Booterstown Parochial Infant School was founded, situated where the Barrett Cheshire Home is today. In 1916, Carysfort Parish National School amalgamated with Booterstown Parish National School to become Booterstown Parochial Joint Schools. In the 1957, due to booming numbers at the school and after much fund–raising, the current school building next to the church was opened.

“We give thanks for the essence and the spirit of Booterstown National School which has continued for over 200 years, through the evolution of the buildings, facilities, curricula and educational methods,” Canon Wharton said at the service of celebration. “We give thanks for the school as a community of people, comprising pupils, staff, parents, the board of management and the wider community. We give thanks for those whose faith and vision saw the foundation of the school and those who have been a part of the school for the past 200 years, and for all that we look forward to in the continuing essence and spirit of Booterstown National School, influencing and enriching the lives of current and future generations, and making the school to be a place of inclusion and welcome.”

Michelle Keogh retired as an SNA at the school after 18 years during which, school principal Rachel Gavin said, she has been a source of support, kindness, encouragement and care for countless children. “She has helped pupils overcome challenges, discover their strengths and reach their potential. She has enriched the lives of every child she has worked with and has been a valued colleague and friend to us all,” she stated.

Ms Gavin said they were also celebrating the school ethos and welcomed the patron, Archbishop Michael Jackson, to the assembly. “Our new ethos statement captures who we are as a school community and the values that we strive to live each day,” she commented. She said Michelle had embodied these values during her 18 years at the school.

Pupils put together a range of performances to highlight the values outlined in the ethos statement which speaks of nurturing, kindness, courage and ensuring that every child belongs. They connected those values to Michelle’s time in the school. Sixth class masters of ceremony Beth and Ethan made sure the show ran smoothly.

Michelle, who was joined at the assembly by her family, said she was grateful for her 18 years with the school. She paid particular tribute to her kids in the NEST and said they would always be in her heart.  

Archbishop Michael Jackson helped to raise the flags that KOTG NS has been awarded recently – the Active Flag, the Green Flag, the ADHD Flag and the Bi Cinnealta Flag. He commended the work on the school’s ethos statement and the achievement in being awarded the flags.

“Both the performance that you put on this morning and the flags that we are raising give colour to ethos. But what gives life to ethos is the people and to be able to cluster this around what Michelle has done with this school over 18 years really shows me that ethos is about the way we live, the way we care for one another, the way we look out for one another and the way we flourish,” he stated.

The Director of CITI, Canon Dr Maurice Elliott, gave a very warm welcome to the group over coffee, and explained some of the changes that had taken place over the years, both to the building and to the type and structures of training. It was then to a photo call in the chapel after which Archbishop Michael celebrated a most meaningful Eucharist. Taking the readings and collect of the day, in his address he drew attention to the fact that ordination never leaves one. It is a commitment that can never be broken, a promise that will be fulfilled and a vision that will be granted. He said that while we may have become and may be hailed as leaders, we remain disciples. Following Jesus is still our calling. It is not in our capacity to do but our willingness to love. Archbishop Michael concluded saying that this is not something that any one of us picks up but it is something that we were taught, and it was here (the Theological College) that we were taught it. “So let us remember and let us rejoice together on this day.”

Following the Communion Service, we adjourned to the dining room for lunch which was generously given to us free of charge. There was an opportunity, with the aid of a number of photographs going back to our college days, to share many memories and talk about former colleagues, thinking especially of those who, for one reason or another, could not be with us. We remembered how, in June 1986, nineteen of us featured in our final class photograph before leaving to be ordained, but now only twelve remain in Ireland, nine of whom are retired. Sadly, three are deceased, while others live in England, Wales, and one in New Zealand. We were kindly given a tour of the updated facilities at CITI by Jane, the Director’s P.A., before leaving again for home, travelling as far north as Holywood, Co Down, and as far south as Bandon, Co Cork. Together, we agreed that it had been a very worthwhile, moving and inspiring day and express sincere thanks to the staff at CITI for their generous welcome and kindness in hosting our 40th Ordination Anniversary Reunion.

Esther will serve as Curate Assistant in Rathmichael and Cennis will serve as Curate Assistant in Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla. Archbishop Michael Jackson presided at the service and thanked the people and Rectors of both parishes who will nurture, welcome and support the newly ordained Deacons.

The sermon was preached by Pastor Florian Von Issendorff, Lead Pastor of St Finian’s Lutheran Church in Dublin. He focused on the reading from Isaiah 6: 8 and said that the word Hineni – meaning ‘here I am’ – appears in the Old Testament many times.

“Again and again God calls people by name to wake them, to guide them, to entrust them with a task and to draw them into his service. Throughout the Bible he calls people into his service and throughout the history of the church he calls many people… and God is still calling today. Esther and Cennis, he is calling you,” he said.

Pastor Florian observed that the path into God’s service, into the ministry of the church, is rarely straight forward, rarely easy and rarely free of long periods of discernment. Ministry is a way of life so very different from the world around: it is not about personal gain or status but about lifting others; not about personal success or how others will see you but about the wellbeing of the community, he commented. Ministry challenges and rewards, gives freedom and imposes limits, “points away from me towards the one who sent me”, he added.

“It is a ministry to which all of us, the entire body of Christ, are called yet only a few are brave enough, and perhaps even a little crazy enough, to devote themselves to it full time,” he stated. “This ministry touches our whole being because it concerns the whole being of so many others. It comes with impossible working hours and no clear job description. It is also a ministry that is never carried out be one person alone. It requires the support of family and friends. It is also a ministry that is deeply intertwined with our faith and our very identity.”

Despite all the challenges he said that Esther and Cennis had answered the call – ‘Hineni’. This, he explained, is a whole hearted commitment, with body and soul. “Here I am – a human being complete with scratches and a few rough edges. I place myself at your service,” he said adding that it is brave and humble at the same time.

Esther and Cennis’s ordinations marked the end of a long journey and the beginning of a new chapter and Pastor Florian promised, from personal experience, that God will not forget their response and will provide all they need for their ministry.

You can find many more photos on our Facebook page:

In Dublin last week we heard that members of immigrant communities are frightened by the growth of racist rhetoric in Irish society and they feel fear in their hearts. Some people speak of avoiding walking the streets of our capital city for fear of confrontation.

As people of faith and parish communities we are part of the fabric of our country. We form part of the social contract which sets the tone for how society speaks and behaves. We must stand up – not just in solidarity with – but in recognition of the fact that there is no ‘them’ and ‘us’, there is only ‘we’. We are all human and we are all children of God. We can celebrate our unique identities and cultures but we occupy our communities together.

People who now call Ireland their home, who live amongst us and contribute to our society are not just to be welcomed, they belong here. Ensuring that somebody belongs means giving up some of our space to ensure there is space for everyone to thrive. This Sanctuary Sunday I urge all parish communities to consider whether you have inadvertently trapped people in a state of perpetual welcome or whether people feel that they genuinely belong in your community. And make no mistake, welcome is extremely important, but there must be a next step.

Fittingly, the theme of Sanctuary Sunday this year is ‘Challenging Hostility with Hospitality’. I urge you to pray with me this Sanctuary Sunday in the words of the Collect by Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (see below). And then I urge you to consider what small actions you can take as individuals and parishes to ensure that the voice of God is heard in our communities to diffuse hostility and create hospitality.

+Michael

Dublin and Glendalough

Collect for Refugee Week and Sanctuary Sunday

Migrant God, free from borders, your presence spans all creation.

You take sanctuary in us, in you is our eternal sanctuary.

We behold you in community with those uprooted from their homes by war, poverty, persecution and extreme weather, especially those who make their way to these shores on small boats.

Be the shelter of their lives.

Bless their courage and resilience in seeking freedom and sanctuary.

Bring us to build cultures of welcome, hospitality and sanctuary for all;

Community where there is conflict;

Compassion where there is cruelty;

Humanity where there is hatred;

Hospitality where there is hostility;

And so, to practice and proclaim hope.

In the Name of Christ.

Amen