A Candlelight Vigil Organised by the Northern Ireland First World War Centenary Committee to Mark the Centenary of the Outbreak of the First World War 

Belfast City Hall, Monday 4^th August, 10pm 

ORDER OF SERVICE 

Welcome

Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP

Chairman Northern Ireland First World War Centenary Committee

with

The Very Reverend Dean John Mann

Dean of St Anne’s cathedral, Belfast

We gather in the light of Christ to recall the effects of human violence, our need for redemption, to voice sorrow for our own share in the world’s violence, and to find the healing of the world in the light which shines most intensely at the heart of the darkness.

Greater love hath no man than this,

That a man should lay down his life for his friends 

Be Thou My Vision

Versed by Eleanor H. Hull, 1912; Music: Slane

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Joel: 2: 1-3; 12-13

read by

Peter Robinson MLA, First Minister, Northern Ireland Executive

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain!  Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come. Fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame burns. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, but after them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.

John Hewitt – Portstewart, July 1914

read by

Bob Collins, Northern Ireland First World War Centenary Committee

Portstewart. Nineteen Fourteen. Willie’s clutch –

our cousins, Cecil, Edna, Uncle, Aunt –

rented a house with us. There can’t be much

remembering now what was significant:

the bathing pool, the jellyfish that stung,

and how the Chaplin film, unreeled, would fall

into an open basket; that is all

that, and a chorus which the Pierrots sung.

The war broke out in Europe. Bishops blessed

the Austrians, the Russians. It was odd,

both benches hurled opposing prayers to God.

We thought that foolish, had more interest

in picnics by the strand, at Castlerock,

by August, back in Belfast, came the shock.

John 12: 27-35a

read by

Dr Martin Mansergh

Vice Chairman, Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations 

Jesus said ‘Now my soul is troubled.  And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”?  No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.  Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’  The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder.  Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’  Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.  And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’  He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.  The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains for ever.  How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer.  Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you.’

Francis Ledwidge – The Lost Ones

read by

Paul Clarke, Northern Ireland First World War Centenary Committee

Somewhere is music from the linnets’ bills,

And thro’ the sunny flowers the bee-wings drone,

And white bells of convolvulus on hills Of quiet May make silent ringing,

blown Hither and thither by the wind of showers,

And somewhere all the wandering birds have flown;

And the brown breath of Autumn chills the flowers.

But where are all the loves of long ago?

O little twilight ship blown up the tide,

Where are the faces laughing in the glow Of morning years,

the lost ones scattered wide

Give me your hand, O brother,

let us go Crying about the dark for those who died.

Abide With Me

Versed by Henry Francis Lyte, 1847; Music: Eventide

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

Laying of Official Wreaths

Playing of Laments

Nigel Hamilton

Deputy Lord Lieutenant Right Honourable Theresa Villiers MP,

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Heather Humphreys TD,

Minister for Arts Heritage and Gaeltacht

Peter Robinson MLA,

First Minister Northern Ireland Executive

Councillor Máire Hendron,

Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast

Mr Mervyn Elder MBE

President of Royal British Legion Northern Ireland

To the Sons of Ulster and Soldiers  of Ireland

read by

Dr Ian Adamson OBE, Northern Ireland First World War Centenary Committee, Chairman Somme Association

To the Sons of Ulster and the Sons of Ireland

Sons of Ulster, Soldiers of Ireland, do not be anxious. The war is over both here and throughout iyour beloved Ireland. The Western Front is no more and Ireland at last is at peace with herself and with her people. But we will always remember you, so long as the sun shines and the rain falls and the wind blows and the great river Somme runs gently to the sea.

Innui, deir muid le fir Uladh agus le fir na hÉireann:-

A Fheara Uladh agus a Shaighdiúirí na hÉireann, ná biodh imni oraibh. Tá an Cogadh thart – ní amháin san áit seo, ach in bhur dtír dhílis féin in Éirinn. Níl an Fronta Thiar ann níos mó, agus, so deireadh, tá tír na hÉireann faoi shíocháin léi féin agus len a pobal. Ach chomh fada is a shoilsíonn an ghrian, agus a thiteann an fhearthainn, agus a shéideann an ghaoth, agus chomh fada is a théann abhainn mhór an Somme go caoin chun na farraige, bedh cuimhne againn araibh go deo.

Reverend Mark Donald

Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of war: for the injured and the disabled, for the mentally distressed, and for those whose faith in God and in man has been weakened or destroyed.

Lord, in thy mercy:                                                                             All: Hear our prayer

Interfaith forum member

Let us pray for those who mourn their dead, those who have lost husband or wife, children or parents; and especially for those who have no faith in God to sustain them in their grief.

Lord, in thy mercy:                                                                             All: Hear our prayer

Interfaith forum member

O Lord, support us all the day long of this troublous life; until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then Lord in thy mercy, grant us safe lodging, a holy rest and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The Lord’s Prayer – All

Our Father, which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth,

As it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen. 

Dear boys! They shall be young for ever.
The Son of God was once a boy.
They run and leap by a clear river
And of their youth they have great joy.
God, who made boys so clean and good,
Smiles with the eyes of fatherhood.

Now Heaven is by the young invaded;
Their laughter’s in the House of God.
Stainless and simple as He made it
God keeps the heart o’ the boy unflawed.
The old wise Saints look on and smile,
They are so young and without guile.

Oh! if the sonless mothers, weeping,
And widowed girls could look inside
The glory that hath them in keeping
Who went to the Great War, and died,
They would rise and put their mourning off,
And say: ‘Thank God, he has enough!’ 

Congregation to Extinguish all Candles and Lights

The Act of Remembrance

The Exhortation

read by

Major General David O’Morchoe

President Royal British Legion – Republic of Ireland

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

All: We will remember them.

Isaiah 2: 2b-4

read by

Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.

Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’  For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Prayers 

Reverend Bill Shaw 

Almighty and eternal God, from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life: hear our prayers and thanksgivings for all whom we remember this day; fulfil in them the purpose of thy love; and bring us all, with them, to thine eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Interfaith forum member

Let us pray for the peace of the world: for statesmen and rulers that they may have wisdom to know and courage to do what is right; for men and women the world over, that they may have justice and freedom and live in security and peace.

Lord, in thy mercy:                                                                      All: Hear our prayer

The Day Thou Gavest Lord Has Ended

Versed by John Ellerton, 1870;

Music: St Clement, in 98

The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning Hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank Thee that Thy church, unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.

As over each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ‘neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away:
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.

Katherine Tynan – Flower of Youth

read by

Máire Hendron, Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast

Lest Heaven be thronged with grey-beards hoary,
God, who made boys for His delight,
Stoops in a day of grief and glory
And calls them in, in from the night.
When they come trooping from the war
Our skies have many a new gold star.

Heaven’s thronged with gay and careless faces,
New-waked from dreams of dreadful things,
They walk in green and pleasant places
And by the crystal water-springs
Who dreamt of dying and the slain,
And the fierce thirst and the strong pain.

The Last Post 

Silent Reflection 

Reveille 

Prayer Interfaith forum member

Eternal Father, the darkness is no darkness to you, and the night is as clear as the day. Accompany and protect us as we enter the night; give us eyes which watch for the dawn and hearts to learn again the lessons of love, that reconciled to one another and to you we may walk through this world’s perils and sorrows as children of light.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

John 15: 9-13

The Very Reverend John Mann

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.