Killiskey Parish
SCHOOL ASSEMBLY
Every Friday morning we begin our day with a school assembly. Each week a different class takes it in turn to lead the assembly with a story or topic that has significance for everybody. These are generally great fun and very entertaining as all the children have an opportunity to participate through drama, song, poetry and art. Reverend Rue very kindly joins us for our assembly and leads from time to time which the children really enjoy.
We also use this as a time to appreciate how fortunate we are and try to help people who are not as fortunate as ourselves. We encourage the children to try to bring in a small amount of change to donate to our chosen charity for the year.
School Assemblies
Each month during term time there is a School Assembly in Nun’s Cross Church to which parents and guardians are invited. It normally takes place on the second Friday of the month at 10am.
Animal Blessing Service
This annual service is very popular with children and adults alike. It takes place in the month of September.
All Age Services
A child-oriented service happens on the fourth Sunday of each month during term time in Nun’s Cross Church. The children participate by reading lessons, leading prayers and assisting the churchwardens.
Sunday Club
Sunday Club will re-commence on 8th October and will continue on the second Sunday of the month during term time. It will be led by Judy Cradock with the assistance of other parents. There will be crafts related to the gospel story of the day.
Youth Activities
Killiskey youth club, organised by Belinda Cullen and other parents. will take place twice a month on Saturday evenings in Rathmore Holiday Village. It will cater for children in 4th to 6th class and their friends.
Men’s Breakfast
Men’s’ and Ladies’ breakfasts are organized twice or three times a year in the Bel-air Hotel. These cater for school parents, parishioners and friends.
Girls’ Brigade
Girls’ Brigade takes place weekly during term time in East Glendalough School. Contact: Lesley Shepherd (087-9646763) or Amanda Spencer (087-6792243) for further details.
Parish Newsletter
If you would like to receive the parish newsletter by e-mail, please let the Parish Administrator, Sinead Todd (a school parent), or the School Secretary, Sandra Fitzpatrick, know.
Killiskey
The Wicklow and Killiskey group of parishes serves an extensive area of central and eastern Wicklow County extending from the coast to the foothills of the Wicklow mountains,110 sq km in total. There are two churches, one at Church Hill, Wicklow and the other at Nun’s Cross, Ashford. Both parishes have experienced growth in numbers during the last few years and the trend is expected to continue.
Killiskey Parish is in a rural setting based around Nun’s Cross church on the edge of Ashford. There is an active Social Committee which arranges regular social events throughout the year. Relations are excellent with the neighbouring Roman Catholic parish of Ashford and joint activities are organised.
THE HUB is a parish community outreach which includes Ashford Gift and Book Shop. The shop stocks a wide selection of gifts and second-hand books. It has an established group of volunteers.
Please call in to buy or chat, the atmosphere is very sociable. A monthly coffee morning is to be organised by volunteers.
Opening hours at present are :
Tue-Fri, 10:00 a.m. – 1.30 p.m.
Sat- 11-00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (subject to volunteer availability )
For further details contact Lesley Rue on 087 281 0478
Killiskey Parish Church is a typical ‘first fruits’ church with a square tower standing in its own grounds in Nun’s Cross beside Nun’s Cross National School to the West of Ashford Village. It has its own graveyard to the rear which is still in use.
The first mention of Killiskey was in the Bull of Alexander III in 1179. Killiskey was in 1267 an independent parish and was erected into a Prebend by the then Archbishop of Dublin, Fulk de Sandford, who conferred it on the Archdeacon of Glendalough, Hugh de Chaddesden.
In 1615 Killiskey and Glenealy formed part of the Union of Wicklow.
In 1714 the Parish of Killiskey was separated from that of Wicklow, but apparently no steps were taken to appoint a Vicar or Rector until June 29th, 1813, when a petition from the Vestry of Wicklow Parish, signed by the Reverend Porter, Curate Assistant of Wicklow, and John Synge and Ambrose Eccles, asked for leave to remove the church from the building at Killiskey to the present site because the church has“ for a considerable time past been suffered to go to decay and is now in ruins” and “whereas the new Church could not be built on the site of the old without interfering with the graves.” [Part of petition to Archbishop of Dublin June 29th 1813.]
The church was consecrated under the title of the Church of Nun’s Cross in 1817. The inscription over the door reads: “Nun’s Cross Church, built for the Parish of Killiskey. Francis Synge, Esqr. Ao Dom 1817.” Killiskey was made a separate incumbency in 1855 by act of Privy Council. In 1874 it was extended by additions from the parish of Wicklow. In 1957 Killiskey was grouped with Wicklow with the then incumbent Rev. F. Tamplin being instituted also to Wicklow.
There is further history, images and great detail of the interesting features of the church at www.nunscrosschurch.ie
