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The first workshop for the Gentle Mass took place at Barryroe National School on Sunday 8 November 2026
Over 50 singers attended a practical workshop on the Sunday afternoon. They came from six church choirs plus a good number from no church choir.
After some vocal warm ups the composer Denis O'Regan taught participants the most commonly used parts of the sung liturgy. Fr Anthony O'Mahony has invited all the participants to sing this setting at Mass at Barryroe Church on Saturday 14 November at 9:30am.
The next workshop will be announced soon.
Find out more at
Take a listen to the results...
The first workshop for the Gentle Mass took place at Barryroe National School on Sunday 8 November 2026What do climate crisis, care for the earth and biodiversity have to do with parishes?
The answer is “much more than we may think”!
Local parishes and faith communities in three neighbouring dioceses are sending representatives to a conference taking place in Cork this month to tease out this question.
But they won’t be the first catholics talking about connecting faith and nature.
As long ago as the 13th century, St. Francis of Assisi composed a prayer called the Canticle of the Creatures, which glorifies God through natural elements like the sun, wind, earth and water.
St. Francis also included in his prayers and writings the phrase “Praise be to you, my Lord”.
In 2015, Pope Francis published his second official papal letter and he entitled it “Laudato Sí” (Praise to you – in Italian).
Now with the support of Trócaire, the dioceses of Cork and Ross, Cloyne and Waterford and Lismore are inviting their parishioners from 180 parishes to take up the challenges arising from our care for the earth and to see how parishes may act on the message of Pope Francis.
There will be 3 speakers in the morning and workshops in the afternoon
Sacrament of Confirmation in Parishes 2027
Bishop Fintan has announced arrangements for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation in parishes for 2027.
Bishop Fintan hopes to visit a significant number of parishes himself for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation next year as well as delegating some retired bishops, the Vicars General and a number of other priests when more than one parish is celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation on the same day
Here is the Confirmation Schedule for 2027 throughout the Diocese
Baby Maeve Noreen McCarthy, Ballintemple, Clonakilty, was baptised at Clonakilty Parish Church.
Baby Cara Maria O'Brien, Moate, Co Westmeath, was baptised at Clonakilty Parish Church.
During the COVID pandemic Barryroe parishioner Denis O'Regan composed a new setting of the liturgy of the Mass
Thanks to the help of Bishop Fintan the liturgical text in this setting of the Mass was recently approved by the Advisory Committee on Church Music on behalf of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference in August 2026.
Dubbed the Gentle Mass, free practical workshops to learn it are being offered to all singers.
Find out more about the Workshops
The first workshop will take place on
Sunday 8 November 2026
3:00pm to 5:00pm
at Barryroe National School
To help with numbers and planning could each singer please
Register for the Workshop Here
You do not have to be currently singing in a church choir to participate
Everyone is Welcome!
the 'Gentle Mass'
Clonakilty Parish welcomes into the Christian community baby Shay Jason Collins, Lackenalooha, Clonakilty.
Shay was baptised at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Clonakilty last Saturday.
Baby Shay Jason Collins, Lackenalooha, Clonakilty, who was baptised at Clonakilty Parish Church.
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