THE CHURCH SERVICES Pat Slinns Service at the Grandstand (from 9am) and/or the Biker Service at Sulby Church (from 11am) where we will be remembering Martin Finnegan and Robert Dunlop who both died in Irish races just prior to the TT... After breakfast, I set off to go to Pat Slinns service first and then the one at Sulby. Unfortunately, with the traffic up at the Grandstand and the announcement on Radio TT that the course was closed from Ballacraine to Kirk Michael due to an accident. I set out to go via Peel to see if I could get to Sulby. It is also Peel Day so it was bottlenecked there as well. Once I was through Peel I drove up to Kirk Michael via the "Devils Elbow". After Kirk Michael it seemed that I was in the only vehicle on the road and arrived at the St Stephens (Sulby) church on time. There was quite a good congregation which continued to increase even after the service started due perhaps to the delays caused by the accident. The service was very emotional and was conducted by Rev.Malcolm Peacock who welcomed us.This church has the latest technology and on a large screen the words to each hymn were displayed so there was no excuse to stay silent. I mentioned this to Charlie Williams, who, quite straight-faced asked did the bouncing ball appear ? Paul Phillips remembered Martin and Rosie Christian from the Sulby Glen Hotel remembered Robert. Their voices cracked with emotion they gave their stories. We had Donald who played "the Holy City/Jerusalem" on his Tuba and Brendan McLaughlin sang "The Green Fields of France" to his guitar. The Rev Peacock gave a sermon about remembrance mentioning his recent visit to the Holy Land and the Holocaust Memorial. After the service I went for tea with Rosie and then I made my way back, round Peel again, to Douglas. I just caught the end of Charlies Chat on Radio TT while he was interviewing the Marshalls. > |