Press Releases16 Feb 12

Election of new Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin to take place on 28 February

The Chapter of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin will meet on Tuesday 28 February at 14.00 to elect a Dean as successor to the Very Revd Robert MacCarthy. The Dean of St Patrick’s is elected from among the members of the Chapter by the members of the Chapter. Since 1872 St Patrick’s Cathedral has been the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland and the Chapter is made up of Dean, Precentor, Chancellor, Treasurer and twenty–two Prebendaries, plus two oecumenical canons. The oecumenical canons have no voting entitlements at this election. Appointments to the twelve representative prebendal stalls are made by the respective diocesan synods or bishops. Appointments to nine of the prebendal stalls are made by the Dean and Chapter. The prebendal stall of Cualaun is annexed to the Archbishopric of Dublin.

On 28 February the canons will assemble in the Chapter House to elect a new Dean. The election will be preceded by a celebration of the Eucharist by the Archbishop of Dublin. Following the election the Dean–elect, together with the collegiate body, will process to the chancel, where a setting of Te Deum will be sung by the Cathedral choir. The dean is the immediate ordinary of the Cathedral, but all members of the Chapter are subject to the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Dublin in his diocesan court.

The Cathedral will be closed during the election.


For further information, please contact
The Cathedral Office
The Deanery
Kevin Street Upper
Dublin 8
Telephone Dublin 453 9472
Facsimile Dublin 454 6374

Issued on behalf of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin by the Church of Ireland Press Office