Activities - St Patrick's Church Dalkey

Flowers Guild

When you think of a Church your mind naturally goes to flowers; step forward St. Patrick’s Flower Guild. A rather grand title for an enthusiastic group of amateur arrangers. None of us are professional arrangers but we use our own style to welcome worshippers each Sunday. The commitment is small, arrangers are only called on twice per year. For festivals; Christmas, Easter, Harvest, the team works together. Once finished we gather over coffee and biscuits to admire the work. Pop in and have a peek… we’d love you to join us. We look after new recruits so you won’t be left on your own until you feel ready. If you’d like to help, give your name to the Parish Office and we’ll get in touch!

Film Socials

Members and friends of the parish gather once a month in the winter for easy watching (if sometimes thought provoking) film dramas; combining entertainment, a cup of tea and the opportunity for a chat, in the gallery room, upstairs in the Northover Hall. Previous movies include “The King’s Speech”, “Woman in Gold”, “The Greatest Showman”, “Where the Crawdads Sing”, “Bank of Dave” and, recently, “Maudie”. Contact: Peter Kerruish 086 3833933

Book Club

All are welcome to join us for discussion of some great books. We meet approximately every 4 – 6 weeks from September to June with a break for the Summer. Here are the books we read in the past year:

2023-09 The Colony Audrey Magee
2023-10 Death and the Penguin Andrey Kurkov
2023-11 The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles
2024-01 Did Ye Hear Mammy Died? Seamas O’Reilly
2024-02 The Marriage Portrait Maggie O’Farrell
2024-03 The Rose Code Kate Quinn
2024-04 Being Mortal Atul Gawande
2024-06 The Stolen Village Des Ekin

Contact: Deirdre Deverell 086 803 4531

Annual Summer Fete and Dog Show

The annual Fete and Dog Show is the biggest annual Parish Fundraiser and a huge Community event, welcoming visitors from all over the borough to enjoy a day of fun, food, games and bargains. It is held in May each year in the church grounds, the rectory garden, Northover Hall and even the church itself (books). All are welcome! There is something for everyone including a Raffle, Bric a Brac stall, Delicious Cakes and Confectionary, Teas & Coffees, Clothes, Plants & Flowers, bouncy castle, a Dog Show and lots more. If you are interested in getting involved, we are looking for volunteers, donations and raffle prizes so please get in touch with Ali on 085 158 3733.

Cubs, Scouts and Beavers

In 1956 the Rector, Rev Desmond Murray, opened a scout troop. As a former Merchant Navy Chaplain he suggested Sea Scouts would be appropriate for our location beside Bulloch Harbour. The group is open to boys and girls and there are sections for various age groups: Beaver Scouts 6 – 8 years old, Cub Scouts 9 – 11, Sea Scouts 12 – 15, Venture Scouts 15 – 17 and Rover Scouts 18 – 25. A wide range of fun activities, hikes, camps and expeditions on land and kayaking, rowing and sailing afloat, is co-ordinated by a team of enthusiastic adult volunteer leaders. New youth members and more volunteer leaders are always welcome. More information may be obtained from their website www.dalkeyseascouts.ie

Dalkey Interchurch Migrant Support Group

A group of parishioners from the Catholic, Church of Ireland and Quaker communities in the area, got together in 2017 to support refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Ireland seeking safety and protection. Members of the group have provided advice, educational supports such as courses and laptops, clothes and bicycles, bringing children and families on trips to beauty spots or the zoo, entertainment and social activities such as social evenings at Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. We are giving friendship and moral support to help them to settle into life in Ireland. In March 2024 we hosted a lunch for 26 migrants in the Northover Hall. Our guests travelled from Mosney, Bray and Balseskin Direct Provision Centres and brought some delicious food such as jollof rice and chicken to supplement food provided by our group members. Our visitors enjoyed a tour of the church with some spontaneous singing of hymns. The group usually meets in Dalkey once a month and would greatly welcome new members to help in the work. If you would like to get involved or simply to know more about what we are doing, then please write to DalkeyIMSG@gmail.com or to donate go to https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/MigrantSupport

Indoor Bowling Club

We play on Tuesday evenings at 1930 from October through to April. We then stop for the summer. Our team recently won the prestigious inter club McIlwane cup. We are always happy to have new members. Contact Ken Grace 087 221 8997

The Friday Art Group

A Group of friends with a shared interest in Art, meet in the Northover Hall on Friday afternoons 2.30 to 5.00 during school terms and on Friday mornings 10 am to 12.30 during school holidays. The group of amateur artists works in watercolours / oils / pastels or acrylics without an instructor. Each person brings their current piece to work on and enjoy the company and a chat over a tea / coffee break. New members are welcome. Contact Ed Taylor 087 258 1949

St. Patrick’s Parish Craft Group

All types of creativity are in evidence at the weekly meeting of our active Craft Group. Meetings are on Tuesdays at 3pm during “term time” in the upper room in the Northover Hall. Industry is punctuated with talk and always with a welcome break for tea and biscuits. New skills are taught (…and learnt) with patience and good humour, and on a more serious note the group regularly supports charitable initiatives, financially and otherwise. New members are always very welcome.

For further information, please contact Carolyn Peare 086 809 2321.

Choir

The St Patrick’s church choir sings at the regular 10.15 service on Sunday mornings, and at the annual Christmas carol service. The choir’s repertoire ranges from hymns and psalms to anthems and liturgical settings, and embraces a wide range of musical periods and styles. All are welcome – and encouraged! – to take part, whether or not you have sung in a choir before. An ability to read music is helpful, but not obligatory, and all sheet music is provided.

The choir rehearses every Wednesday at 8-9pm from September to the end of June, so if you are interested in joining, feel free to come along any time. As we practice new music every week, new members are welcome to join at any point during the year (though please note there are no Wednesday rehearsals in July or August). You can also contact the organist and choir director, Eleanor Jones-McAuley, at 086 151 0899.

“O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth!” (Psalm 96:1)

Dramatic Society

St Patrick’s Dramatic Society was founded in 1961 as a new parochial organisation and the first three plays were performed in the old parochial hall. A large percentage of members were parishioners and even though we have spread the net further afield, we still consider ourselves part of the parish.

We moved to Dalkey town hall in 1963 but continued to rehearse in the parochial hall. In recent years we alternate our performances between the town hall and the Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire.

We have taken part at national level in one act drama festivals and were winners on two occasions. We were one of four groups selected to be part of the Abbey Theatre’s centenary celebrations. We are proud to be part of St Patrick’s parish and are grateful for the support of the parishioners.

We would be delighted to welcome new members, especially those who would be interested in back-stage work e.g. set builders, stage managers, sound and lighting operators. Anyone interested in joining in any capacity please visit our website https://stpatsdramadalkey.wordpress.com or email email StPatsDramaDalkey@gmail.com

2023-2024 productions:

Our Town by Thornton Wilder

Drinking Habits by Tom Smith

The Long Road by Shelagh Stephenson

Enchanted April by Matthew Barber