The Ecumenical Service for Pentecost Sunday in Clogher Diocese will take place this year at Donagh Old Graveyard situated on a drumlin at Donagh, close to the village of Glaslough in County Monaghan.

This is the first time the service has been held since 2019, when it took place at St Molua’s in Magheracloone.

The Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, the Right Revd Dr. Ian Ellis and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Clogher, the Most Revd Larry Duffy, will lead the service which begins at 3pm on Sunday, June 5. Bishop Ian Ellis will give the address at this service, as well as being the preacher at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Service in St. Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen on Sunday morning.

Also taking part will be Revd Margaret Pringle, who is looking after services in the Church of Ireland Donagh Group and Fr. Hubert Martin from St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Glennan between Emyvale and Glaslough from where transport will be laid on by minibus to Donagh Old Graveyard. The shuttle bus will be available from 2.15pm.

During the service, two young people from Beech Hill College and Monaghan Collegiate will be giving their thoughts on Pentecost.

The praise will be led by Donagh Community Choir trained by Mrs Ethne McCord and accompanied by Mr Gerard Toal.

Afterwards, refreshments will be provided in the Church of Ireland Parish Hall in Glaslough.

Since 2000, the Roman Catholic and Church or Ireland Bishops of Clogher have come together, along with members of their respective Church communities to mark together the Day of Pentecost or Pentecost Sunday, as it also known.

The Day of Pentecost marks the end of the 50-day season of Easter. Moreover, it marks the descent of the Holy Spirit in the upper room and the beginning of apostolic preaching, thus marking a defining moment in the origin of the Christian Church. Christian associations with the feast begin with Acts of the Apostles 2: 1-45.

Each year, a site of historic significance in relation to the origins of the Christian church in different parts of the diocese is chosen to host this Ecumenical Service.

The venue for this year’s outdoor Pentecost service, Donagh Old Graveyard, is settled on a hillside close to Glaslough village, and is considered to be one of the oldest ecclesiastical sites in the country and is on a pilgrimage route associated with St Patrick.

Within this protected graveyard there are the ruins of a medieval church which remained in use until 1690, a beautiful stone cross known as the Donagh Cross or the McKenna Cross (described by various experts as being 10th – 12th century), two cross-bases, two 17th century grave-slabs and a cross-shaped headstone dated 1666 as well as numerous examples of headstones with intricate evocative folk art inscribed upon them.