Archive News Stories
August 1, 2016 General
Archive of new stories written by members of the Irish Chaplaincy for external publications or articles featuring the Irish Chaplaincy.
RTE 1 Radio Interview 18/07/2017
Brian Hanley and Fr. Gerry McFlynn ~ Listen to the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas, describe the situation of Irish Prisoners and their families desperately awaiting news regarding their applications to be repatriated back to Ireland.
The often-forgotton Irish who live on Britain's margins must be remembered too, article by Fr Gerry McFlynn
Article by Joe Cottrell-Boyce: Too many Gypsies and Travellers end up in prison - this must be addressed.
The Chaplaincy reaches out to help the ageing Irish in London.
ICPO statements featured in the following publications with the message: legal aid reform destroy prison law:
Article in the Guardien by Joe Cottrell-Boyce: Social Services can support Travellers through effective monitoring.
Centennial of the execution of Roger Casement, August 2016
Irish Chaplaincy marked the centennial of the death of Irish patriot, British diplomat and humanitarian Roger Casement (1864-1916) with the celebration of a memorial Mass on 1st August 2016 at 9:30am in the Crypt of Westminster Cathedral. Concelebrants were Fr Gerry McFlynn of Irish Chaplaincy and Fr Stephen Coker, Catholic Chaplain of Pentonville Prison (where Casement was hanged 3rd August 2016). Also participating in the Mass were members of the family of Roger Casement, and the Congolese Chaplaincy. Guest included the Ambassador of Peru, the High Commissioner of Mozambique, and members of LGBT Catholics Westminster. At the start of the event Eugene Dugan, Chief Executive of Irish Chaplaincy, introduced Irish Ambassador Dan Mulhall who spoke about Roger Casement and hosted a post-Mass reception at the Embassy of Ireland.
See Irish Chaplaincy's photos of the event
See Ambassador Mulhall's remarks
On the morning of 3rd August 2016 Fr Gerry Mc Flynn participated in the State ceremony at Roger Casement's grave in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin:
Read Fr Gerry McFlynn's reflection at Glasnevin
Going Home - Irish Chaplaincy Seniors project celebrates a resettlement success - August 2009
An Enniskillen man who was living a lonely and isolated life in a flat in South London, returned to Ireland at the end of August 2009 to settle back in the area he left some forty years ago. He was reunited with his family, thanks to the efforts of the Irish Chaplaincy in Britain.
Tom, aged 64, had spent his working life in the construction industry in Britain, but in recent years had been in bad health and was housebound. Apart from the visits from his carers Tom had no visitors. Having been referred to the Older Persons Project at the Chaplaincy by his social worker, Tom was regularly visited and taken out by Stafford Cunningham, the Chaplaincy's outreach worker for South London.
"On my first visit Tom asked me could I trace his family back in Ireland and would it be possible for him to retire back to the area he had grown up in", said Stafford Cunningham. "After some detective work I was able to make contact with his sister and brother and Tom was able to speak to them for the first time in 25 years"
Tom also got his wish to return to Ireland to be close to his family. After collaboration between the Chaplaincy, Tom, and his family and Southwark Social services, we found a suitable local care home for Tom to settle into, back in his native Enniskillen.
"Tom was very excited at the prospect of moving back to Ireland and being close to his family," said Stafford. "Tom's social worker and I travelled back to Ireland with him to support him in this emotional journey. We did all we could to prepare him so that he would be able to begin to settle into his new life. An emotional family reunion took place at the care home in Enniskillen and that gap of 25 years apart from his family was gone in the blink of an eye"
Paul Raymond, Manager of the Older Persons Project at the Irish Chaplaincy In Britain said, "Our work is all about journeying with isolated and vulnerable Older Irish People in London and helping them to feel less alone and more connected with their culture and communities in ways appropriate for them. This can sometimes mean helping them link up with their families back in Ireland, often after many years apart. Sometimes it also means helping them arrange to resettle back in Ireland. It is such wonderful news to know that Tom is no longer living an isolated life in London, but has been able to reconnect with his family and return to Ireland".
