The Moderator, Rt. Rev. Dr. Noble McNeely, has visited President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins this afternoon at Áras an Uachtaráin, the official home of the President in Dublin.

Dr. McNeely was invited to the Áras by President Higgins as part of his weeklong tour of the Church’s Presbytery of Dublin and Munster, which began on Sunday. The Presbytery is one of 19 regional groupings of congregations that make up the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and each Moderator visits three Presbyteries during their term of office.

Speaking after meeting, Dr. McNeely said, “It was a privilege and a pleasure to spend some time with President Higgins this afternoon in the wonderful setting of his home, Áras an Uachtaráin.

“I was able to bring him the greetings of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and had the opportunity of presenting him with a copy of a special book called The Presbyterians in Ireland An Illustrative History, which tells the story of the Church, its history and people, their faith and contribution to Irish life down the centuries.”

The presentation dedication in the book was in Irish and English and included two verses of scripture from the Book of Proverbs. The Moderator was accompanied by his wife Florence and Mr Stuart Ferguson, Clerk of the Presbytery of Dublin and Munster.

Florence and Dr. McNeely with President and Sabina Higgins

at Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin today