Pobal Dé Conferences 1987 – 2014

Available content of Pobal Dé Conferences 

We (The Pobal Dé Organising Group) have archived all our written documentation in Clonliffe College Archives available to those who wish to undertake learned research. We continue to update the website ongoing pending the final collection of our documents.   The information in this website should inspire subjects in many of the areas set out below. If there are people willing to take our place as an Organising Group with our aims, please let us know who you are and what you propose, so that the remaining members of the Organising Group can approve your proposals; Go to our Contact Page to communicate (see menu above).

The conferences are arranged by starting from 1986 to the final year 2014.   To see information on our conferences (where available),  please click on any of the links underlined below.   There are many audio files of the Conference speeches, in addition to the text’s of the speeches and audience discussions particularly in the latter years.  You can play AUDIO FILES to listen to most SPEAKERS  and PANEL DISCUSSIONS at Conferences from 1995 to 2014 (click on the speakers or Conferences you would like to hear). 

To understand the formation of the Pobal Dé  you can read the original  Statement in 1987 and The Diary of Séan Mac Réamoinn  below and if you listen to the 1998 Audience Discussion you will hear a verbal summary description of the origins of Pobal Dé.

No. Date Theme Speakers
April 1986
  • The Vocation and Mission of the Laity in the Church in the World
    One day consultation of fifty people arranged by the Pobal De’ group to convey views on the theme to The 7th Assembly of Bishops in 1987
1st 27/3/1987
  • The Role of the Laity
    Preparation for The Synod on the Laity Rome, 1987
May 1987
    Completion of Statement to be delivered to the Synod on the Laity Rome, 1987 ( To read Click on the Theme)
Sep 1987
2nd 6/3/1988
  • Subjects:
  • (A) Adult Religious Education
  • (B) Ecumenism
  • (C) Feminism
  • (D) Lay Spirituality
  • (E) Marriage
  • (F) Ministry
  • (G) Partnership
  • (H) Perace
  • (J) Social Justice
  • (K) Theology
  • (L) Youth
    The participants attended various group discussions on the subjects listed and each group produced a written report of each groups conclusions that formed a single document.
3rd 11/11/1988
  • The Living Church: Partnership in Mission
  • Christianity approaching the 3rd Millenium
  • What is Pobal?
  • Fr Diarmuid O’Murchu MSC
  • Clare O’Mahoney
  • Peadar Kirby
  • Delma Sheridan
  • Fr Brian Lennon SJ
  • Chrissie Ward
  • Fr Donal Dorr
  • Sr Mary O’Callaghan
4th 23/2/1990
  • Fr Con Casey CSSR
4th 24/2/1990
  • Ben Kimmerling – Communion in Interpersonal Relationships
25/2/1990
  • P J Madden – Communion in Society
  • Martin Kennedy – A Way to Communion
5th 22/2/1991
  • Shaping the Christian Future
  • Ann Louise Gilligan
5th 23/2/1991
  • Shaping the Christian Future
  • Rev Dan O’Malley & Joan McKenna – Partners in Mission
  • Rev Denis Carroll – Ecology and Spirituality
  • Nora Brenn – Woman’s experience: Woman’s Spirituality
5th 23/2/1991
  • Shaping the Christian Future
  • Ann Fleischman – Intergenerational problems and potentials
  • Rev Eltin Griffin – Prayer and Formation
6th 21/2/1992
  • The Eucharist & Eucharistic Living
  • Eamonn Bredin OP
  • Professor Sean Freyne
  • Sandra Cullen
6th 22/2/1992
  • The Eucharist & Eucharistic Living
  • Fr Brian Hearne C.S.Sp – Images of Christ
  • Raymond Hickey – Our experience of Sunday Mass today
  • Carmel Niland – The Sunday Mass: its origins and future possibilities
6th 23/2/1992
  • The Eucharist & Eucharistic Living
  • Seamus Ryan – The Jewish Sabbath Meal: possibilities for Christmas
  • Delma Sheridan – The Sedar Meal: Ecumenical Possibilities
  • Anne Thurston – Challenges of the Eucharist in the Home, Neighbourhood, Small Community, Parish,etc
7th 16/4/1993
  • Fr Brian Hearne C.S.Sp.
7th 17/4/1993
  • Priesthood: The Historical back ground and Comtemporary Dilemmas
  • Comtemporary Experiences of the Priest hood
  • Lay Ministry in transition
  • Margaret Quinn
  • Linda Hogan
  • P.J.Madden
  • Fr Michael Hurley C.C.
  • Helen McCarthy
  • Claire Bowman
  • Mary & Tomas O’Reilly De Brun
  • Fr Sean O’Riordan C.S.S.R.
  • Claire Bowman
7th 18/4/1993
  • The Ministry of Reconciliation: Fresh perspectives
  • Eva Roach
  • Fr Raphael Gallagher C.S.S.R.
  • Maurice O’Connell
  • Deirdre Hennessy
8th 19/2/1994
8th 20/2/1994 Present Experiences of Church Community in Ireland

Towards the Future – Fundamentals of Christian Community
9th 18/2/1995
9th 19/2/1995
10th 24/2/1996 25/2/1996
10th 25/2/1996
11th 19/4/1997 20/4/1997
  • Fr Noel Barber SJ – Why the Church?
12th 23/2/1998
13th 20/2/1999 21/2/1999
21/2/1999
14th 19/2/2000 and 20/2/2000
  • People of God in search of hope
15th 17/2/2001
18/2/2001
16th 23/2/2002
17th 15/2/2003
18th 21/2/2004
19th 19/2/2005
20th 18/2/2006
21st 10/2/2007
22nd 01/03/2008
23rd 07/03/2009
24th 13/02/2010
25th 12/02/2011 Are the People of God Powerless?
26th 18/02/2012
27th 02/03/2013
28th 01/03/2014
  • Fr Michael Drumm, A priest of the Diocese of Elphin, author of several books and articles on sacramental theology
  • Sarah Carey, Mother of three, Journalist, Radio Programme Presenter and Marketing Executive.
  • Panel Discussions, Open to all attending

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