Ireland Yearly Meeting
Encyclopedia
The Ireland Yearly Meeting is the umbrella body for the Religious Society of Friends
in Ireland
. It is one of many Yearly meeting
s (YM's) of Friends around the world.
In Ireland there are 27 local (preparative) meetings. These are grouped into 7 regional Monthly meeting
s, which are in turn grouped together in 3 provincial (quarterly) meetings. The three quarterly meetings together constitute the Ireland YM. There are between 1000 and 2000 Friends in Ireland.
A notable aspect of the Ireland YM is that it encompasses meetings with widely divergent Christian viewpoints from theologically conservative (evangelical) to theologically liberal. All meetings under its care are in the unprogrammed tradition. It also includes meetings both in the Republic of Ireland
and in Northern Ireland
.
, England
in 1627 but moved to Ireland in 1652. On a return trip to England, Edmundson was convinced of the truth of Quakerism under the teaching of James Nayler
He went back to Ireland and set up a business in Lurgan
, County Armagh
. The first Friends meeting in Ireland took place in Edmundson's home there in 1654.
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is one of many Yearly meeting
Yearly Meeting
Yearly Meeting is a term used by members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, to refer to an organization composed of a collection of smaller, more frequent constituent meetings within a geographical area. These constituent meetings go by various names such as Quarterly Meetings, which...
s (YM's) of Friends around the world.
In Ireland there are 27 local (preparative) meetings. These are grouped into 7 regional Monthly meeting
Monthly meeting
Monthly Meetings are, traditionally, the basic unit of administration in the Religious Society of Friends .For some Friends a Monthly Meeting is a single Meeting , while for others it is a grouping of Meetings which come together for administrative purposes. Membership in the Religious Society of...
s, which are in turn grouped together in 3 provincial (quarterly) meetings. The three quarterly meetings together constitute the Ireland YM. There are between 1000 and 2000 Friends in Ireland.
A notable aspect of the Ireland YM is that it encompasses meetings with widely divergent Christian viewpoints from theologically conservative (evangelical) to theologically liberal. All meetings under its care are in the unprogrammed tradition. It also includes meetings both in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
History
The Religious Society of Friends was introduced to Ireland by William Edmundson. He was born in WestmorlandWestmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1627 but moved to Ireland in 1652. On a return trip to England, Edmundson was convinced of the truth of Quakerism under the teaching of James Nayler
James Nayler
James Nayler was an English Quaker leader. He is among the members of the Valiant Sixty, a group of early Quaker preachers and missionaries. At the peak of his career, he preached against enclosure and the slave trade....
He went back to Ireland and set up a business in Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
. The first Friends meeting in Ireland took place in Edmundson's home there in 1654.