{"id":232,"date":"2024-03-26T13:29:46","date_gmt":"2024-03-26T13:29:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mullingarunionofparishes.net\/?page_id=232"},"modified":"2024-03-26T20:23:32","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T20:23:32","slug":"parish-information","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mullingarunionofparishes.net\/index.php\/parish-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Parish Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/h1>\n

Parish Profile<\/h1>\n

Mullingar Union of Parishes<\/h3>\n

Dioces of Meath & Kildare<\/h3>\n

Deanery Trim<\/h3>\n

Mullingar Union of Parishes as presently constituted, is in existence since c. 1988
\nChurches still in use: All Saints\u2019, Mullingar; St. Etchen\u2019s, Killucan; St. Bigseach\u2019s (Kilbixy), Ballinacargy; St. Nicholas\u2019, Almoritia.<\/p>\n

Mullingar is a rapidly growing town, recently designated \u201cHub\u201d in conjunction with Tullamore & Athlone. There is an increasing number of people commuting to the greater Dublin area from the town.. It is the County Town of Westmeath. The congregation of All Saints\u2019 reflects the transitional nature of the town. The \u201cold stock\u201d is gradually being replaced by recent arrivals in the town. Killucan & Kilbixy are typical rural churches with highly committed congregations. Parishioners of Almoritia use Kilbixy when Almoritia not available.<\/p>\n

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1. G<\/strong>eo<\/strong>graph<\/strong>ica<\/strong>l Are<\/strong>a.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

INSERT MAP<\/p>\n

The union is centered on the thriving Midland town of Mullingar County Westmeath. It\u2019s made up of the parishes of All Saints Mullingar, Portnashangan,\u00a0 Moyliskar, Enniscoffey, Taghmon, Almoritia, Stonehall, Kilbixy (Ballinacargy) Leney, Kilucan,\u00a0 Castlejordan , Clonard,\u00a0 Rathconnel Kinnegad and Wilson Hospital school, Multyfarnham<\/p>\n

Mullingar. is an important Industrial Midland town with a population of around 28,000 in this catchment area . It is rapidly expanding with many new developments largely due to the greatly improved rail and road links with Dublin. It is anticipated that the town will expand even more when road and possibly rail links are improved with the West of Ireland. The 2022 Census\u00a0 Figures for\u00a0 declared Church of Ireland members is\u00a0 544 but with new estates been built and more Dublin commuters moving to\u00a0 the area it is estimated that this figure is on the increase especially in Mullingar and Kilucan.<\/p>\n

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Mullingar \u201cAn Muileann gCearr\u201d<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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Built on the River Brosna and encircled by the Royal Canal, Mullingar is a thriving commercial centre. The town takes its name from the Gaelic \u201cAn Muileann gCearr\u201d meaning the left hand mill and is associated with a miracle that occurred at the mill. The town of Mullingar was founded by the Normans over 800 years ago. The Norman settlement was a Manor and Borough with a castle, a parish church, Augustinian and Dominican monasteries, a hospital and a Frankhouse. The population of the borough was a mixture of Gaelic Irish and French, English, Welsh, Flemish and Breton immigrants. Mullingar became an important resting point for travellers and traders, and the recently discovered Augustinian graveyard provides evidence that Mullingar people undertook pilgrimages to Santiago De Compostela in Spain, some 600 years ago.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

2. Centers of worship.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are four churches within the Mullingar us union parishes serving approximately 220 Families in the area.<\/p>\n

There is All Saints’ Church<\/strong> in Mullingar, Almoritia\u00a0 to the West, Kilbixy to the North West and Kilucan to the East.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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2.1 All Saints’ Mullingar<\/strong><\/p>\n

All Saints Church occupied site in the town dates from 1814 although church occupied the site from the early 1200s the churchin more recent years has undergone considerable internal alterations to\u00a0 provide a large area for worship together with a meeting room, kitchen and toilets.<\/p>\n

Services are held every Sunday as well as weekday services for Church holiday days, etc. the last Sunday of the month devoted to a family services which is very well attended.<\/p>\n

The church houses a pipe organ of great magnitude with ready willing organists in the parish \u00a0to play as required.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

2.2 St Etchen<\/strong>s, Kilucan<\/strong><\/p>\n

St Etchens is in located in Kilucan a large rural village approximately 15 km to the east of Mullingar. The church is well positioned on the main access road into the village when approaching from Mullingar.<\/p>\n

Services are held every Sunday at 11:30 AM and a small Sunday school is held each week Recent renovations were made to provide extra facilities to the church . The church has an organ and again parishioners who are willing to play. There is also parish hall in the vicinity of the church<\/p>\n

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\"\"2.3 St Bigseach, Kilbixey<\/strong><\/p>\n

The church lies on the northern outskirts of the village approximately 17 km from Mullingar.<\/p>\n

It serves the rural community from the surrounding villages. Kilbixy is of considerable historic interest. The present church was built on the site of a much larger church to serve the Baronstown estate<\/p>\n

Services are held on a regular basis and the harvest festival alternates with Almoritia each year.<\/p>\n

There is a small very loyal congregation in attendance.<\/p>\n

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2.4 St Nicholas Almoritia<\/strong><\/p>\n

The church in Almoritia is situated near the village of Rathconrath\u00a0 Approximately 15 km dueWest of Mullingar.<\/p>\n

Currently it is licensed for four services a year, which includes Christmas,\u00a0 Easter and alternate Harvest Festivals with Killucan<\/p>\n

The church services a very rural community\u00a0 \u00a0which has a very loyal congregation in attendance whenever\u00a0 service is held there.<\/p>\n

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3. Worship<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The 2004 Book of Common Prayer and the Church\u00a0 Hymnal\u00a0 are used throughout the Union.<\/p>\n

Services an alternate between the Eucharist and Morning prayer in each of the churches. There are willing lesson readers in the churches two parish readers in<\/p>\n

Kilbixey who take Morning Prayer to cover holidays, emergencies\u00a0 etc.<\/p>\n

The union has a strong Ecumenical links with all the other churches in the area and frequently hold combined Ecumenical services in the area<\/p>\n

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4. Extra Curricular Activities\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

4.1 Active Sunday school<\/strong> small Sunday school is held each week in Kilucan<\/p>\n

4.2 Regular Community Coffee Mornings <\/strong>\u00a0the group is running the past and All Saints and it\u2019s not presently.\u00a0 It is hope to become active again in the near future<\/p>\n

4.3.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

4.4 Whist Drives<\/strong> are held and All Saints\u00a0 Monthly\u00a0 throughout the winter\u00a0 and we look forward to continuing to do so<\/p>\n

4.5 Parish 4 Part Senior Choir<\/strong> under the directorship of Bill McConnell<\/p>\n

4.6 Bible studies<\/strong> has been a very popular activity held on a regular basis within the parish<\/p>\n

4.7 Leaders Sunday\u00a0<\/strong> – Children’s Services and Games in All Saints each Month<\/p>\n

4.8 Lighten our Darkness by Numbers<\/strong> a Youth Project that has taken on legs in recent years in highlighting the need for climate change and creating an awareness in caring for Gods Environment .<\/p>\n

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5. Schools Within the Union<\/strong><\/h3>\n

All Saints\u2019 National School<\/strong>\u00a0 is a flourishing Primary School under church management.<\/p>\n

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Primary School: All Saints N.S.<\/strong> is situated in the ground of All Saints Church Mullingar. This is a 4 teacher\u00a0 school\u00a0 with additional assistance and has 122 pupils on the roll.<\/p>\n

First class education is provided with many local national awards being achieved over recent years school recently celebrated at 60th anniversary of , the particular school building being located on the site within the church management director is generally involved and runs the school.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.allsaintsnsmullingar.ie\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Secondary School : <\/strong>Wilsons Hospital School<\/strong><\/p>\n

A high proportion of pupils go on to Wilson\u2019s Hospital School which is also in the Parish. This school is under Church of Ireland management and whose Trustees are Bishops of the Church of Ireland.al School is located in the Mullingar Union in Multyfarnham. It does however have its own in-house. Chaplin – Luke Hawkins<\/p>\n

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\"\"6. The Rectory<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gael Hill Mullingar Co. Westmeath .<\/p>\n

This Formidable house is Located Behind the church grounds with access gate through back garden to the church grounds. This impressive house is set on its own private grounds\u00a0 in the heart of Mullingar town centre with large well maintained gardens and is gated .<\/p>\n

The driveway is gravelled and has ample parking facilities for plenty of vehicles.<\/p>\n

Recently restored for our outgoing Rector and his wife to live in\u00a0 when they took up their position in 2009 it has been modernised and well maintained is a 2 floor property with basement. The accommodation includes a Formal reception room, a well appointed dining room, a smaller study\/TV Room a kitchen \/ utility\u00a0 and downstairs WC . It has 4\/5 bedrooms upstairs 2 ensuite\u00a0 bathrooms.<\/p>\n

\"\"Description<\/h4>\n

Detached three-bay two-storey over basement rectory, built c.1812. Hipped natural slate roof with clay ridge tiles, two central rendered chimneystacks and cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughcast rendered walls. Square-headed window openings with cut stone sills and replacement windows. A number of sash windows retained to basement openings. Central round-headed doorcase to main fa\u00e7ade (south) having a glazed timber door, a moulded cut stone surround with fluted keystone and a teardrop fanlight having linked chain motif. Main entrance reached by flight of cut stone steps flanked to either side by wrought-iron railings. Located to the south of Mullingar Town centre, in extensive mature grounds. Associated Church of Ireland church to the north (15310114).<\/p>\n

Appraisal<\/h4>\n

An attractive early nineteenth-century Church of Ireland rectory, of balanced late-Georgian proportions, which retains its early character and a great deal of its early fabric. The form of this building is typical of early nineteenth-century rectories built in Ireland with the exterior decoration limited to the good doorcase. This doorcase is well executed and retains an unusually fine cast-iron fanlight. This building remains of particular importance in the locality for its original use as a Church of Ireland rectory, sponsored by the Board of First Fruits (c.1711-1833). Lewis (1837) records that this rectory was erected in 1812, at an expense of \u00a31327, of which \u00a3100 was a gift and \u00a3675 a loan from the Board of First Fruits. This building forms an attractive pair of associated structures with the associated Church of Ireland church to the north (15310114) and is an important element of the built heritage of Mullingar. info extracted from Heritage\u00a0 Buildings of Ireland\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.buildingsofireland.ie\/buildings-search\/building\/15310097\/mount-street-mullingar-mullingar-westmeath<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Nature and outdoors\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Lakelands- – we are blessed with ample ammenities and beautiful scenic surrounding with many fabulous lakes on our doorsteps see the beauty on our local you can discover more on the website commissioned by Mullingar County Council\u00a0\u00a0 https:\/\/mullingar.ie\/nature-outdoors\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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8. Arts and Culture \"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mullingar Arts Centre<\/a>\u00a0has become a major focal point for arts in the midlands over the last decade, attracting a variety of cultural endeavours. The Arts Centre provides a rich array of programs attracting some amazing talent, in theatre, opera, ballet, magic and comedy. The Arts Centre provides also provides a rich array of workshops in Art, Music, Dance\/Ballet, Crafts, Drama (for adults, children, disadvantaged and those with special needs).<\/p>\n

For more information or to book tickets for upcoming events see\u00a0www.mullingarartscentre.ie<\/a><\/p>\n

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Appendix 1.<\/h1>\n

DRAFT ADVERT FOR APPROVAL<\/p>\n

Vacancies:\u00a0 Clerical – Mullingar Union of Parishes (Dioceses of Meath & Kildare ):<\/h2>\n

The Mullingar Union of Parishes, seeks to appoint a Rector who is:<\/strong><\/p>\n