Newcastle Methodist Church hosted a service in the Irish language when about one hundred students of the Irish language from Shimna Integrated College took part in the annual service, held to give thanks for Saint Patrick and his mission to Ireland.

Students were warmly welcomed to the church by Mrs Sadie Ogle, leader of Newcastle’s Methodist community, and a Cork-born speaker of Munster Irish.

Students contributed Bible readings, music and prayers in Irish, and students of Irish from the Polish community also translated some of the service into Polish and English.

The Rev. Patricia McBride, minister of Scarva and Loughbrickland Presbyterian churches was the guest speaker.  The Rev McBride is a fluent Irish speaker and an active member of An Tor Ar Lasagh, the Presbyterian Church’s Irish language society.  She was a teacher of Irish before being called into ordained ministry.

An Tor Ar Lasagh holds a service in Irish at Belfast’s Fitzroy Presbyterian Church on the third Sunday of each month.  Rev McBride invited students, teachers and parents to join regular worshippers.

Rev McBride presented the Irish Department at Shimna with the new collection of Hymns in Irish recently published by the Presbyterian Irish speakers.