The Sandford 200 celebrations will launch on 25 June – the date the church (then chapel) was consecrated by Archbishop Magee in 1826. On that evening, Thursday 25 June, at 7 pm in Sandford Church, John Bowman will launch Sandford Parish: A History, 1826–2026, together with the opening of the Sandford 200 Exhibition. The evening will include music from the Sandford & St Philip’s Choral Union and the SPNS Choir, and will conclude with a reception. Also on 25 June, earlier in the day, there will be ice-cream and dancing in SPNS for children and staff!
On Sunday 28 June at 10 am in Sandford Church, the Archbishop of Dublin will celebrate and preach at Choral Eucharist. The service will be followed by a reception.
Everyone is very welcome to join with us at both the launch and the service. Parking (limited due to building works) will be available at Gonzaga College, and the pedestrian gate at Park Drive will be open for access, by kind permission
Sandford 200 Exhibition
An exhibition, entitled ‘Sandford 200’, will be mounted in the coffee area of Sandford Church. The central area of the exhibition will focus on the history of the school, incorporating input from staff and pupils. It will include topics such as key events in the school’s history, school buildings and furniture over time and changes in curriculum and resources. The section on the history of the church will feature the development from chapel to parish church and will look at the clergy over the past 200 years. The end wall will feature a detailed look at funding over the years, charities supported, church memorials on the walls, and will feature some interesting personal stories. There will be an in-depth look at who the parishioners were in 1911 with reference to the 1911 census. Minute books, photo albums and other memorabilia will be displayed relating to the Scouts, Youth Guild and Sandmillers. Photographs, which will be shown on a loop, will highlight more recent developments in the parish. The exhibition will be open from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 June, from 11 am to 3 pm each day.
Sandford Community Garden
Another element of our Sandford 200 celebrations is the development of a community space in the church grounds to the left of the main entrance. The space will incorporate seating and pollinator friendly planting. It is envisioned that it will be a resource for parishioners, the school community and for all in the locality.
Sandford 200 Harvest Flower Celebration
We are planning a Harvest Flower Celebration for the first weekend in October, which will close on the Sunday with a service of Choral Evensong, at which the preacher will be the Archbishop of Armagh. The parish school are also planning an event for the Autumn.