Richard Clarke

Who is Richard Clarke?

Richard Lionel Clarke is the current Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.

Clarke was educated at Wesley College, Dublin before attending Trinity College, Dublin and King's College London where he studied history and theology. He was ordained a deacon in 1975 and priest in 1976, serving as a curate in Holywood, County Down for two years from 1975 to 1977 and again as a curate at St Bartholomew's with Christ Church, Leeson Park, Dublin from 1977 to 1979, before he serving as Dean of Residence at Trinity College, Dublin for five years. Clarke travelled thence to Bandon, County Cork, where he served as rector until 1993 when he was appointed Dean of Cork. He was elected and consecrated to the bishopric of Meath and Kildare in 1996. In 2012, he was elected, in succession to Alan Harper, to be the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. His translation to Armagh took effect on 15 December 2012, on which date he also was enthroned at St Patrick's Cathedral.

He is married with two children.

Clarke is the author of And Is It True?, The Unharmonious Blacksmith and A Whisper of God.