An Irish personal evangelistic site. I'm not representing a particular church, but it's broadly evangelical in tone. My aim is to cover topics I've encountered in discussions I've had over the years, mainly here in Ireland..
Welcome to Hibernia Gospel! Why Hibernia? Well, I just wanted to think up a domain name that no one else had used – and quickly 😀. Hibernia is the Latin name for Ireland (I am Irish), which was used by Roman historian Tacitus back in 98 AD. Incidentally, Tacitus also gives us one of the … Continue reading Introduction
I left for London in September 1982 to spend a year as a voluntary evangelist (VE) with London City Mission. In today’s terms, it could be described as a gap year program. Most were approaching their 20s or in their 20s. The 23 or so other VEs came from all parts of the UK. I … Continue reading Hymns: 1983 Memories
There are many different religions and philosophies in the world. Jesus never pointed people to any of them. He said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 Whatever your background, it’s at least worth a look. And, if Jesus is correct in … Continue reading Gospel in a Nutshell
Over the years, in addition to reading, I’ve enjoyed listening to the Bible in audio format and to various sermons, talks, and audiobooks. Way back in 1981, I ordered a Christian teaching tape from the UK to rent, 😀 and it was stopped by Cork customs on some technicality. Nowadays, the web is full of … Continue reading Recommended Audio Resources
In January 1982, I went to my first concert since I became a Christian. U2 were playing in the City Hall, and a friend persuaded me to go along. They opened with Gloria, which was one of my favourites. I felt a little strange being back in the ‘worldly’ concert scene. I also felt a … Continue reading Hymns: 1982 Memories
Sometimes, when someone from an Irish evangelical church talks of when they became a Christian, people are puzzled. Isn’t everyone in Ireland a Christian by default? Such a question doesn’t make much sense in modern Ireland. Firstly, there is much more religious diversity than there was when I was asked that question frequently 45 years … Continue reading Isn’t Everyone a Christian?
I make much mention of my background and experiences at various points in this blog, so I thought it might be useful to present a brief outline of the years coming up to my conversion. As I mention elsewhere, I grew up a Roman Catholic in Cork, Ireland. I don’t remember a lot before my … Continue reading Conversion Chronology
I mentioned in my last post, that I started attending Cork Baptist Church in the autumn of 1980. Unlike the Pentecostal and charismatic groups in Cork at the time, Cork Baptist Church had been there for hundreds of years. It goes all the way back to 1640. But, unlike other Protestant churches in the city, … Continue reading Hymns: 1981 Memories
I date my conversion to Sunday August 17th, 1980, about a month after I bought Saved, by Bob Dylan, in Pat Egan’s record store in Patrick Street Cork. I initially attended The Upper Room, which at that time was in a street off Camden Quay in Cork, above some sort of a fruit warehouse. I … Continue reading Hymns: 1980 Memories
In this series, I’m remembering hymns from different eras of my life, starting with childhood. I was a Roman Catholic up to 1980, when I turned 18. In this post, I’ll look back at hymns that we sang at Mass, back in the 1960s and 70s, and some I was familiar with outside of church. … Continue reading Hymns: Childhood Memories
Hibernia Gospel 