We used the Mission Praise hymn book in our fellowship in Tipperary, and I don’t remember many 21st Century songs in it, if any. But some of the newer songs gradually found their way into Irish churches, though we stuck with Christian Hymns and Mission Praise in Tipperary.
The most notable hymn from around 2002 was Blessed Be Your Name, by Matt Redman. I don’t honestly remember much else, hymn-wise from 2002. But I started this year-by-year series, so I’m committed to continuing it. At least it’ll be a challenge 😀.
I first heard Blessed Be Your Name in Mallow Street Christian Fellowship, Limerick, a few years later. It might have been folk from the University of Limerick Christian Union singing it. I don’t remember exactly. I just remember it reminding me of U2’s With or Without You.
U2’s Bono always had a reputation for launching into little bits of songs by other artists in concerts. Perhaps he could launch into this one while singing With or Without You 😀. He did sing a bit of Amazing Grace once. Or perhaps Matt Redman could sing a bit of With or Without You 😀.
Here are two other worship songs that were first introduced around 2002. Again, I only became familiar with these many years later.
What else do I remember about 2002? We went right through Lukes Gospel in Tipperary Christian Fellowship from January to April. Then we went onto Ephesians.
My family were big into the Lord of the Rings films for those few years. We got our first DVD player around then too, and an awfully annoying surround sound system 😀.
The Euro currency launched in Ireland at the beginning of 2002. I’m old enough to remember the old decimal “new” money, which was introduced around 1971. It took a few years, but we eventually got used to the new money. I’m still getting used to the 2002 new money 😀.
And I visited Oxford in 2002. I hadn’t been there since 1994, and I brought the whole family in 2008. It’s one of my favourite spots in the UK, along with Cambridge. I’d love to have been a student there – well I think I’d love to have been.
Maybe it’s not as much fun when you’re not on holiday 😀.The detective series, Inspector Morse is set there. Actor, John Thaw died in February 2002. His character died a couple of years earlier. It’s one of our favourite TV shows.
Another thing I remember from the early noughties was the Give Up Your Aul Sins video. Someone took interviews with Dublin children that were recorded in the 1960s and animated them. I don’t imagine that many in other counties would understand the accents. And people might be puzzled by the word “Aul”.
It’s basically the world “old”. I used to use it as a child. It’s a superfluous word that people used to sometimes add in casual conversation. It’s hard to express exactly what it means. We used to call girls “Aul dolls” in Cork 😀. The little girl here is describing John the Baptist calling people to repent. She used the phrase “Give up yer aul sins”.
Four secular songs were released in 2002, which had somewhat spiritual themes.
George Harrison, who died in late 2001, had a number one with My Sweet Lord. It was his first number one since 1971, with the same song. It was inspired by gospel music, but in 1971, he thought of Krishna as his sweet Lord. I think of Jesus when I hear it. And some say that he dedicated it to Jesus before he passed away.
Manic Street Preachers, who are atheists, released There by the Grace of God. Being Welsh, they undoubtedly were somewhat touched by the evangelical Christian culture around them, even though they might not admit to it. And, ironically, as an evangelical Christian, I find that the song touches me more than a lot of stuff I hear by Christian artists 😀.
Johnny Cash covered Personal Jesus, by Depeche Mode, which was hardly a Christian song, but Johnny Cash, in his innocence, thought of it as a Christian song 😀. Or maybe he just decided to convert it to a Christian song. But it’s at least a little reminder of how we can have a personal relationship with Jesus.
Moby was cool back in 2002. Maybe he still is. His hit, In this World, sampled some old gospel music.
The final one is Shania Twain’s Ka-Ching. It’s not really a spiritual song, but it’s critical of materialism, which hopefully might have nudged people towards looking for the only thing that can bring true, eternal joy.
Col 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
I could also mention “There’s a Star” by Irish group Ash, which slightly seemed like a Christian song, but it wasn’t. Like Shining Light, their 2001 hit, it used a Christian metaphor, and as a Christian, I can be reminded of Christ by all sorts of things, not just by hymns.
Here’s some music, events, and films/TV shows that would have formed the background to 2002. I don’t necessarily endorse all the songs or films. I do like Tear Off Your Own Head by Elvis Costello, but it certainly wouldn’t tempt me to tear off my own or anyone else’s head😀.
10 Songs
- There’s A Star – Ash
- Run – The Lighthouse family
- It’s Only Money – Roland Gift
- Tear Off Your Own Head – Elvis Costello
- Love At First Sight – Kylie Minogue
- By The Way – Red Hot Chilli Peppers
- In My Place – Coldplay
- Dy-Na-Mi-Tee – Miss Dynamite
- There By The Grace Of God – Manic Street Preachers
- Jenny From The Block – Jennifer Lopaz
- Sound of the Underground – Girlz Aloud
10 Events
- Bali Bombings
- NATO Expansion
- Moscow Theatre Siege
- Euro Currency Launch
- Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II
- Deaths of Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother
- Abortion Referendum in Ireland Defeated
- Plastic Bag Levy Introduced in Ireland
- Potters Bar Train Crash
- Rise of Reality TV
10 Films or TV Shows
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Gangs of New York
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Ice Age
- The Bourne Identity
- Spider-Man
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding
- Lilo & Stitch
- The Forsyte Saga
- Foyle’s War
10 Famous People Who Passed Away
- Richard Harris – Irish actor known for Harry Potter and Camelot
- Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes – Member of the R&B group TLC
- Joe Strummer – Frontman of punk band The Clash
- Dudley Moore – British actor and comedian
- Waylon Jennings – Influential country music singer-songwriter
- John Entwistle – Bassist for The Who
- Rosemary Clooney – Jazz/pop singer and actress
- Peggy Lee – Iconic jazz and pop singer
- Spike Milligan – British comedian and creator of The Goon Show
- John B Keane Irish playwright, novelist and essayist from Listowel, County Kerry.
Hibernia Gospel 
Dear Hibernia
When I read your posts, I enter into a different realm of thoughts. I felt the same reading this post.
Thanks for liking my post, ‘Independence’. 👍❤️🙏🌶😍😊
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