It was announced today the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, will address the Church of Ireland General Synod when it convenes in Galway in May, the first time ever that a President of Ireland will have done so.

The President will visit the General Synod on Wednesday 14 May 2008 (the second day of the three day event) at about 12.45 p.m. and will meet privately for lunch with the Bishops of the Church. At 2.00 p.m. she will address the full General Synod for about 10 minutes.

The 2008 General Synod will take place in the Radisson SAS Hotel in Galway from Tuesday 13 May – Thursday 15 May and will bring together over 600 elected clergy and lay people from all over Ireland. The General Synod, which takes place annually, is the legislative and administrative body of the Church of Ireland and will, over the course of the three days, discuss and debate issues facing the Church and society, both nationally and internationally. There will also be a Synod Service in St Nicholas Collegiate Church in Galway on the evening of Tuesday, 13 May. A civic reception for members of the Synod will take place on the following evening. The Synod debates and the services will also be attended by representatives of other Christian churches and civic leaders.

In recent years, the Synod has met in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Armagh and (in 2007) Kilkenny. The 2008 Synod in Galway will be the first ever to take place west of the Shannon.

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Local contact:
Revd Canon Aean Ferguson,
Diocesan Communications Officer, Tuam, Killala and Achonry

Tel: +353 (0)71 9166989
Mob: +353 (0)87 8121020