My Life with Reverend Meghan Farr: The Cork priest bringing faith out of the church and into the pub

From questions about women priests to monthly pints in a Cork pub, Reverend Farr is finding new ways to connect with people

Reverend Meghan Farr, who is the priest in charge of Saint Anne's Church, Shandon in Cork.

Sat, 03 Oct, 2026 - 01:00

Megan Farr

“Look reverend Meghan, I’m you,” the little girl beamed as she proudly showed off an oversized shirt and white collar.

Both of them belonged to me of course, but I was more than happy to see them taking centre stage in our little Christmas pageant. The role of the priest in that show, which starred pupils of St Luke’s National School, hadn’t been created for a girl. Nonetheless, this child was so happy to be playing this part for a captive audience at St Anne’s Church. It is moments like this that make me proud to be a woman wearing the collar. This vocation has been something I have wanted for as long as I can remember.

I grew up in the Episcopal Church University of Florida, and later earned a Master of Divinity from Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin. After moving to Ireland in June 2022, I became the priest-in-charge of Saint Anne’s Church, Shandon, and chaplain to Saint Luke’s Home in Cork.

People are often curious when they see me. The funniest example was when I was very visibly pregnant with my third child, leaving the obstetrician’s office, and someone thought I was a nun. That was almost 13 years ago. Today in St Anne’s that confusion is so often evident. However, I’m always happy to explain and have the opportunity to talk about what I do. Many people visiting from overseas assume this is a Catholic church, which only adds to confusion. They will ask me if women can be priests in Ireland, so I have to explain that this is an Anglican church.

I’m glad to be able to influence people’s views. This goes back to my days attending a very conservative seminary in the US, where a number of my classmates did not agree with women being ordained. Some of the professors were no different, and even though they treated us the same as anyone else, their thoughts on the subject were widely known. I will never forget how one professor revealed that my mentor (another female priest and alumni of the seminary) and I were the reason he had come to think differently about women’s ordinations. He had seen God actively at work in our lives, which came as a revelation for him. All these years later, I still have people commenting on how great it is to see a woman in the collar. It’s a little different to back home because there are so many different denominations, people rarely take any notice.

I love when people want to ask questions. The guys can get away with wearing the collar more and barely get a second glance. However, when I’m all in black and wearing my collar, it’s very obvious. I’ll have people stop me on the street and ask if I can pray for them.

There are so many things about my job that I love. One of my favourite nights of the month is our regular “Pastoral pints” event. There are many iterations of this across the world, albeit with different names such as Theology on Tap. It sees us gather together at Henchy’s Bar at St Luke’s Cross to talk about faith or whatever is in their hearts over a pint or soft drink. I liked the idea of meeting people where they are most comfortable which might not always be a church. When we first set up pastoral pints I was unsure about whether it would be a success, but everyone is enjoying the experience, and it has become “date night” for my husband and I. This is obviously not your typical church service, which means we can connect with people we might not otherwise meet.

Everyone is just hanging out, having a chat, and grabbing a pint or Coke. It’s really nice for people to sit down and get to know me and other parishioners. People can talk about where they are in their faith journey or ask questions in a setting that is relaxed and casual. It doesn’t matter about your background or sexual orientation because everyone is welcome. We have a table at the back of the pub. During the early days, people often approached me in the pub to ask if I was “really a priest” but they don’t even notice the collar now per se. The staff have come to know us now. People here come from all walks of life and there is no obligation to attend every week. We have couples, mothers with their daughters and even tourists who have seen the event advertised and are curious to see what it is all about.

This is really positive for people who, for whatever reason, might have an aversion to attending the church after being wounded. Even if it hasn’t been them personally there have been a lot of publicised scandals over the years that have contributed to people’s decisions never to walk through the doors of a church. Generations like Gen Z are really hungering for that spiritual connection. People talk about wellbeing or mindfulness, but this is at the heart of what the church has been providing for years. Pastoral pints reminds people that you can encounter God in all kinds of places.