All welcome to Plough Sunday

Templederry church hosts event on Sunday

Following the success last January of the revival of the ancient agricultural custom, traditionally known as Plough Sunday, by the Church of Ireland’s Nenagh Union of Parishes, a second celebration will be held at 11am on Sunday, January 11, in Templederry Church of Ireland.

In ancient times, the feast of Christmas was observed as a long break in the agricultural year when no non-urgent work was undertaken. After the feast, the village plough, which was usually held in common, was taken to the parish church to be blessed before the first breaking of the soil in the new year.

This custom fell into disuse some centuries ago but has now been revived in Templederry Church of Ireland Church as an annual rite with a new emphasis. Whilst the ancient idea of blessing farming tools and praying for an abundant return on the farmer’s work will take place as in past times, the service will also be one in which the mental and physical health of those who work the land to put food on our tables will be addressed.

This year, the parish is delighted to welcome a representative of Make the Moove, who will be our speaker this year. Make the Moove is a wellbeing programme run by Macra na Feirme committed to providing professional guidance, compassionate and confidential support and an experienced perspective to the farming community.

The service is open to people of all and no particular faith to attend and those who come are invited to bring with them some symbol of their relationship to the gifts of the land that they wish to be blessed be it a spade, a beehive frame, a milk churn, a pot of soil from their land, some seeds or even to drive up a tractor or other farm machinery.

The parish’s vision is that this will evolve into an annual ecumenical service in the same way that a fishing village might have an annual blessing of the boats. Whilst Fr Rexon is on leave in India, the Roman Catholic Church will be represented this year by Parish Lay Pastoral Assistant, Deborah O’Driscoll, who will take part in the service.

The service will be followed by a potluck lunch and those attending are encouraged to bring a plate of something to share.