Irish Activities & Events |
 |
 |
| 2006 | 2008 | 2007 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 |
Irish Ambassador hosts reception for Irish Council of Christian and Jews. London – December 2006.
The Ambassador of Ireland to the Court of St James’s, HE Mr Dáithí O'Ceallaigh, hosted a reception at his residence in London to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the establishment of the Irish Council of Christian and Jews. A message from President Mary McAleese of Ireland was read out on the occasion which was attended by many Christian and Jewish leaders.
Among those attending were the Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St James’s and the Acting High Commissioner of South Africa. Among Constantinian Knights and Dames attending were HE Anthony Bailey, Inter-Faith Delegate of the Constantinian Order, Lord Alderdice of Knock, Fr Michael Seed, Mr Leo Simmonds, Monsignor Vincent Brady, and Sir Sigmund and Lady Sternberg.
Irish Knights and Dames attends 2006 Royal Gala Dinner. London – November 2006.
A number of Irish Knights and Dames attended the 2006 Royal Gala Dinner of the British and Irish Delegation in London. The Grand Prefect of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria, attended the event at the Gladstone Library in London’s Whitehall. (For more information see British Activities).
The Guest Speaker was General The Rt Hon Lord Ramsbotham, formerly Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons who delivered a very thought provoking speech on the important issue of prison reform and prisoner rehabilitation.
A vote of thanks was offered by Constantinian Dame, The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC, Home Office Minister with responsibility for the criminal justice system and offender management. Baroness Scotland who is also Minister of Prisons paid tribute to the work of the Constantinian Order in bringing together all faiths under one roof and congratulated the Order on its charitable and inter-religious work.
A Toast was proposed in honour of The President of Ireland, Mrs Mary McAleese, a Dame Grand Cross of Merit of the Constantinian Order, by the newly appointed Vice Delegate of the Order’s British and Irish Delegation, Judge Patrick Clyne. Dublin-based Judge Clyne succeeded Senator Donal Lydon to the position of Vice-Delegate in April 2006.
The Chancellor of the Irish Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Mr John Igoe, himself a Constantinian Knight attended, together with fellow knights, Lord Alderdice of Knock - former Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Cllr John Turley, Prof Richard Conroy and Mr Gerard Lawlor.
The Regimental Band of Coldstream Guards performed a trumpet fanfare on the arrival of the principal guests which was followed by the playing of the British and Irish National Anthems.
Westminster Cathedral hosts 2006 Investiture ceremony of new Irish Constantinian Order knights and dames. London – November 2006.
The Duke of Calabria, as Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order of Saint George, presided over the 2006 annual investiture ceremony which took place at Westminster Cathedral in central London.
The following Irish nationals were honoured by decree of the Grand Master of the Constantinian Order:
To the honour and dignity of Knight Commander of Merit with Star: HE Mr Francis O’Donnell, KM, Ambassador of the United Nations to the Republic of Ukraine.
To the honour of dignity of Dame of Merit: Dr Sorca Conroy.
Grand Master promotes Irish Delegation knights and dames. London – November 2006.
HRH The Duke of Castro, Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, has decreed the following promotions for Irish nationals within the dynastic orders. The Grand Prefect of the Order, HRH The Duke of Calabria, presented these awards in recognition of their charitable and humanitarian work in Ireland during the 2006 Westminster Cathedral investiture ceremony.
Professor Conroy is a former Senator of Ireland and Mr Lawlor is the Chairman of the Skin and Cancer Hospital in Dublin.
CONSTANTINIAN ORDER
To the honour of dignity of Knight Commander of Merit: Prof Richard Conroy.
To the honour of dignity of Knight of Merit with Star: Mr Gerard Lawlor.
Order’s Cardinal Grand Prior and papal Ecclesiatical Counsellor, Cardinal Mario Francesco Pompedda dies. Vatican City – October 2006.
The Grand Master of the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I, HRH The Duke of Castro, has today with profound sadness and deep sorrow informed the British and Irish Chancery of the death of the Order’s Grand Prior, His Eminence Mario Francesco, Cardinal Pompedda. The late Cardinal was appointed in November 2003 as Ecclesiatical Counsellor to Order by appointment of His Holiness The Pope.
His late Eminence passed away on Wednesday 18 October 2006 in Rome having some months earlier sufferred a stroke. He was 77 years old. His funeral will be conducted by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican City on Friday 20 October 2006.
The Grand Master asks all knights, dames and medallists as well as the many supporters of the Order and its charitbale and inter-faith work to pray for the respose of the soul of His Eminence. Cardinal Pompedda was a great supporter of the charitbale and interfaith work of the British and Irish Delegation and was the Delegation’s guest of honour in London in November 2002 and in Dublin in May 2004.
His Eminence Mario Francesco, Cardinal Pompedda was born in Ozieri in the province of Sassari in Sardinia in 1929 and later studied to become a priest at the Capranica College in Rome.
Cardinal Pompedda was ordained priest in December 1951. In January 1998 His Eminence was consecrated Archbishop at St Peter’s in the Vatican City by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. In February 2001 His Eminence was promoted to the rank of Cardinal and assigned to the Deaconate of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Via Ardeatina, Rome. His Eminence was also appointed as Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Segnatura and President of the Court of Cassation of the Vatican City State.
In May 2001, during a ceremony at the Church of Saint George of Velabro in central Rome, His Eminence was appointed by HRH The Duke of Castro as Grand Prior of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
In November 2003, Cardinal Pompedda was officially appointed Ecclesiastical Counsellor of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the Constantinian Order of St George – a position His late Eminence maintained under the new pontificate of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
One month later, the Order's Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Castro, promoted His Eminence to the degree of Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice with Collar of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George. In addition Cardinal Pompedda was appointed as a Knight of the Distinguished Royal Order of Saint Januarius, the highest award which the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies can bestow and held the rank of Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis I.
British & Irish Delegation to host Investiture Ceremony and Royal Gala Dinner in London on 16 November 2006. London – June 2006.
The British and Irish Delegation will host its annual Investiture Ceremony and Royal Gala Dinner in London on Thursday 16 November 2006. The investiture will take place at Westminster Cathedral in Central London and our Royal Gala Dinner will take place at the Gladstone Library, 1 Whitehall Place, London SW1. The guest of honour will be our Grand Prefect, HRH The Duke of Calabria. Our Guest Speaker will be General The Right Honourable Lord Ramsbotham, GCB, CBE, - formerly Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons. The Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, HE The Rt Hon Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, will preside.
The dress code will be white tie/black tie/national dress with decorations. Invitations cost £125 per person and include a drinks reception followed by a three-course dinner with wines. Invitations will be issued on a first come first served basis. A band will perform music throughout the evening. Members of the dynastic orders are able to bring guests and friends of the Order are welcome to attend by prior arrangement with the Chancery.
For more information please contact the Chancery on +44 (0) 20 7594 0275; Fax: +44 (0) 20 7594 0275; e-mail info@constantinian.org.uk
British & Irish Delegation make £10,000 donation to Forthspring Inter Community Group in Northern Ireland. Belfast – June 2006.
Members of the British and Irish Delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George has made a further donation of £10,000 (€14,600) to our adopted charity, The Forthspring Inter Community Group in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The initiative undertakes much needed work on a local community level to foster relations between the divided communities in Northern Ireland. It is a multi-religious body incorporating Catholic, Protestant, Methodist and other faith communities and the Constantinian Order donation will fund a number of the salaries of the community workers as well as pay for the launch of a new website.
The Order’s Grand Prefect, HRH The Duke of Calabria, visited the centre during his first visit to Northern Ireland in November 2002. The Order’s Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations, HE Mr Anthony Bailey, is a member of the Board of Directors of the charity.
To find out more of the work of the Forthspring Inter Community Group, please visit their website at www.btconnect.com/Forthspring/home.htm
Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, appointed new Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland. Rome – April 2006.
The Grand Master of the Constantinian Order and Head of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, HRH The Duke of Castro, has today appointed The Right Honourable Lord Brennan of Bibury, QC, as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland for the statutory three year period from 23 April 2006 to 22 April 2009.
Lord Brennan will assume his post on the retirement of outgoing Delegate, HE Mr Anthony Bailey which is scheduled for St George’s Day – 23 April 2006. The formal handover of office will take place during the Delegation’s forthcoming investiture scheduled for late May 2006.
Lord Brennan was appointed to the Council of the British and Irish Delegation in 2003 and holds the rank of Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Born in 1942, Lord Brennan graduated from Manchester University with a Bachelor of Law where subsequently he was honoured with a Doctorate. In 1968 he married Spanish national, Pilar Sanchez Moya by whom he has four sons. Lady Brennan is also a Dame of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order.
Lord Brennan’s career began when he was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in 1967. Consequently, he was appointed Recorder of the Crown Court (1982) and has been a Queen’s Counsel since 1985 and since 1994 sits regularly as a Deputy High Court Judge. In 1999 Lord Brennan was elected Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales. He is also a member of the bars of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In 2000 British lawyers voted Lord Brennan Barrister of the year.
Lord Brennan is a keen contributor in the globalisation of the legal profession and a key figure in the international legal relations. He has been actively involved in a number of international arbitrations (in particular for South America and South-East Asia). Lord Brennan is on a panel of Consultants to the World Bank for Latin America and South East Asia. He has co-operated with a number of Latin American states on development of judicial independence and training, law reforms and the role of lawyers in modern society. He is also a member of the London Court of International Arbitration, of the American Law Institute, Patron of the Peru Support Group and an Assessor to the British Home Secretary on Compensation for Victims of Miscarriages of Justice.
In 2000, on the advice of Prime Minister Tony Blair, HM The Queen elevated Lord Brennan to the Peerage and the House of Lords. He is an active parliamentarian and sits on numerous Parliamentary committees. Among them are the Select Committee on the European Union, the Sub-Committee on European Law and Institutions and the British-Latin American Parliamentary Group.
Lord Brennan is very active in Roman Catholic affairs. In 2001 the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster appointed him as President of the influential Catholic Union of Great Britain. Lord Brennan is also the Patron of Consortium for Street Children UK, which works throughout the developing world.
Lord Brennan is also a frequent contributor to legal and medical journals. He was the General Editor of the 14th edition of Bullen and Leake on Pleadings, 2001.
His honours include Cruz de Honor de la Orden de San Raimondo de Renyafort (Spain), the Gold Medal of the Supreme Court of Mexico. He is also an Honorary Doctor of Law of the Universities of Manchester and Nottingham-Trent.
Message from His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria on the appointment of Lord Brennan as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland. Rome – April 2006.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria, as Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order and the Royal Order of Francis I has on behalf of the Grand Master formally appointed Lord Brennan as the Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland.
In a letter to the Delegate-designate, Lord Brennan, The Duke of Calabria said “I have the honour to inform you that the Grand Master, HRH Prince Ferdinando of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro and Head of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies, has today consented to your appointment as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Royal Order of Francis I.
“This appointment, which has been today ratified by the Royal Deputation, will be for a statutory three year period commencing from 23 April 2006 until 22 April 2009.
“May I join HRH The Grand Master in extending to you my own warm congratulations on your appointment. I very much look forward to working with you as we develop the Delegation in Great Britain and Ireland even further across the religious, charitable, humanitarian, hospitaller and interfaith activities established by your delegation over recent years”. The Duke of Calabria said.
Outgoing British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey welcomes the appointment of Lord Brennan. London – April 2006.
Outgoing British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey issued the following statement on the Grand Master’s decision to appoint Lord Brennan as his successor as Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland “I am absolutely delighted that Lord Brennan of Bibury’s nomination has been accepted by the Grand Magistry especially knowing of his lifetime commitment to Roman Catholic causes as well as inter-religious dialogue.
Outgoing British and Irish Delegate Anthony Bailey is promoted ahead of his forthcoming retirement from office and congratulated by the Grand Master. Rome – April 2006.
In a letter to the British and Irish delegation members, the Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order and Royal Order of Francis I, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria said “I am writing at the request of HRH The Grand Master to inform you of some important changes which will shortly affect the British and Irish Delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George and the Royal Order of Francis I.
“HRH The Grand Master has decided to appoint and promote HE Mr Anthony Bailey to the post of Delegate for Inter-church and Inter-faith relations for our worldwide brotherhood based within the Grand Magistry in Rome. Mr Bailey will take up this post at the conclusion of his statutory three year term as Delegate in Great Britain and Ireland which will occur on or around St George’s Day 2006.
“From 2003-2006 as Delegate, and from 2000-2003 as Vice-Delegate and Chancellor, Anthony Bailey has played a very significant and commanding role in the growth of membership of the British and Irish Delegation which has in turn resulted through your help, in a huge increase in the religious, charitable, humanitarian and hospitaller activities.
“Anthony Bailey has also successfully spearheaded our Order’s significant and prominent participation in inter-church and inter-faith dialogue activities at home and abroad. For all these reasons, HRH The Grand Master has decided to promote him to take charge of this important brief and in recognition of his major contribution to your Delegation has decided to bestow on him the high honour and dignity of Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order.
“I hope you will all join me in extending to Anthony Bailey our sincere congratulations and appreciation for all he has done”. His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria concluded.
Outgoing Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland said “I am deeply touched by the kind words of the Grand Master and the Grand Prefect. It has been an honour to serve the Grand Master and his world-wide brotherhood during the past six years here in Great Britain and Ireland and I look forward to supporting in the future the Delegation in any which way I can”.
Judge Patrick Clyne appointed new Vice Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland. Rome – April 2006.
The Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria has appointed Judge Patrick Clyne, KM, to the post of Vice Delegate for a statutory three year term commencing on 23 April 2006 until 22 April 2009. Judge Clyne was invested as Knight of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order in 2003 and is a well known Irish lawyer before being appointed last year as a member of the Irish judiciary. Judge Clyne is also a longstanding officer of the Irish Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Post of Chancellor of the British and Irish Delegation is abolished. London – April 2006.
So as to bring the British and Irish Delegation into line with all other existing delegations, the Grand Magistry has decided to abolish the post of Chancellor within the British and Irish Delegation and merge its functions with the role of Vice-Delegate.
Grand Prefect expresses his thanks to outgoing Vice-Delegate and Chancellor Senator Donal Lydon. Rome – April 2006.
In a letter addressed to the British and Irish Delegation, the Grand Prefect of the Constantinian Order, His Royal Highness The Duke of Calabria, expressed his thanks to outgoing Vice-Delegate and Chancellor, Senator Donal Lydon, for his contribution to furthering the mission of the Constantinian Order in Britain and Ireland during his three term.
The Duke of Calabria stated “I join HRH The Grand Master in thanking Senator Donal Lydon for the services he has rendered to our Delegation in Ireland”.
Senator Lydon was appointed a Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Constantinian Order in 2000 and a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I in 2004.
British and Irish Chancery moves office. London – March 2006.
Due to the expansion of the British and Irish Delegation, the Chancery has moved with immediate effect to 12 Queen’s Gate Gardens, London SW7 5LY. All telephone and facsimile details remain the same.
Over €7000 donated to Delegation charities in Great Britain and Ireland. London - January 2006.
The following charitable and religious organisations have received donations raised through the annual subscription of members of the Constantinian Order and Royal Order of Francis I in Great Britain and Ireland.
The charities in receipt of Delegation funds include: De Paul Trust of Ireland €2,000.00, The Passage Homeless Centre £1,600.00, The All-Party Pro-Life Group within the British Parliament, £1,000.00, The Tyburn Covent and Shrine £500.00, St Thomas Fund £500.00 and £150.00 to the Cardinal Hume Centre.
In acknowledgement letters, the Chairman of the All Party Pro-Life Group, Jim Dobbin, MP, said “I am extremely grateful for this generous donation which as you are aware is vitally important to the All Party Pro-Life Group. I should like to thank you and the sponsors and assure you that the money will be put to good use. The members of the Group are indebted to you for your continuing interest in this worthy cause”. Mother Simeon, Prioress of the Tyburn Convent said “Thank you very much for the donation from your Order. We will pray for the five donors”. Sister Ellen Flynn, Director of The Passage, “The Passage is once again indebted to the Constantinian Order for its continued support of our work”.
Delegation Knight James McDonald awarded a CBE in The Queen’s New Year's Honours. London – January 2006.
The Chancery of the British and Irish Delegation extends its sincere congratulations and best wishes to James McDonald on the occasion on his appointment as a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in The Queen’s New Year's Honours list. The award was made to Mr McDonald for services to Northern Ireland, where he is currently the Independent Assessor of Military Complaints Procedures and Chairman of The Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland.
|
