Clonakilty Methodist Church
Where: When: Who: Minister: Society Steward:	Kent Street, Clonakilty 11.30am Sunday Morning Worship with Sunday School during service Tuesday 10.30am Home Group (fortnightly) Thursday 8.30pm Home Group Monthly MWI (Women's meeting) Wednesday afternoon Rev. Denis Maguire Tel:  023 8841263 Ms. Liz. Dahm
History of Methodism in Clonakilty (notes supplied by Margaret Bateman)
The Rev. Thomas Walsh, one of John Wesley's preachers was invited to Clonakilty, where he went with friends from Bandon on 11 July 1752.  He was refused permission to preach in the town hall by the magistrate & rector, Rev. William Ellis, so he preached to a large crowd on the nearby strand.  On returning to the town Rev. Walsh and his companions were put in jail, where, like St. Paul, they sang hymns and Rev. Walsh preached through the bars to a huge sympathetic crowd who provided provisions and bedding. The work prospered and quite soon a society was formed in Clonakilty with regular house meetings. John Bennett (a mill manager in Rosscarbery) used to walk to Clonakilty every Sunday, preaching morning and evening for 27 years.  In 1805 he moved to Clonakilty and was instrumental in building the first church in 1812 in Kent Street (known as Meeting-house Lane). In 1860 the present building was erected on the same site, with a school room to the side and vestry (and playground) behind. In 1885 a school and schoolhouse were built on the Western Road; it was run by the society until 1945 and is now a regional museum. The school beside the church (with kitchen added in 1970) is used for Sunday School, Bible Study, Boys' Brigade, ICA, MWI & other community events and daily for a Montessori School. What is noteworthy is the respect given to the Methodist Society by the wider community - long may it remain a lasting witness to God's Kingdom in the West Cork area.
Eco-congregation Clonakilty Congregation are engaged in the task of becoming an Eco-congregation.  The creation of a garden at the rear, teaching about the environment, and an engagement with peoples from around the world in the quest for justice means that the church is on course to be recognised as one of the first Eco-congregations in Ireland. The church is linked with the local Clonakilty Environmental group. See link to www.sustainableclon.com The picture shows two of the younger members planting a tree after the Eco service held in May 2008.