THE BISHOP OF MEATH AND KILDARE
THE MOST REVEREND RICHARD CLARKE

Richard Clarke is the Church of Ireland Bishop of Meath and Kildare. A former dean of residence in Trinity College Dublin, Rector of Bandon in west Cork, and Dean of Saint Finbarre’s Cathedral Cork, Richard Clarke has been Bishop of Meath and Kildare since 1996. He lists his interests and hobbies as “reading, music (classical and early jazz), travel, attempting to keep fit, and sport - albeit now entirely as a spectator..”.

He has two children, Nicholas and Lindsey, both medical doctors and his wife Linda, a teacher, died in 2009.

Born in Dublin in 1949, he studied history and theology in Dublin and London Universities respectively, and holds a doctorate from the former. Although he retains research interests principally in the field of history, and has contributed to a number of journals in this area, he has in recent years become fascinated also by philosophical theology and the relationship between literature and theology, and his book in this field of interest, And Is It True?, was published by Dominican Publications in 2000. Since then he has in addition written on aspects of social theology in relation to Ireland, including a number of articles and a book, A Whisper of God, published by Columba Press in 2006.



Born 25th June 1949

Educated Wesley College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
King’s College, London

B.A. (Moderatorship) 1971, M.A. 1979 (Dublin University)
B.D. 1975 (London University) A.K.C. 1975
Ph.D 1990 (Dublin University)
Curate of Holywood (Down Diocese) 1975-1977
Curate of St Bartholomew’s with Christ Church Leeson Park (Dublin Diocese) 1977-1979
Dean of Residence of Trinity College, Dublin 1979-1984
Rector of Bandon Union of Parishes (Cork Diocese) 1984-1993
Prebendary of Dromdaleague and Kilnaglory (Cork Diocese) and Island (Ross Diocese) 1991-1993
Dean of Cork and Rector of St Fin Barre’s Union of Parishes 1993-1996
Chaplain to University College Cork 1993-1996
Honorary Canon, St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth, Scotland 2004

Central Director of Ordinands 1982-1997

Book Reviews Editor, Search – A Church of Ireland Journal 1982-1995

Author of ‘And Is It True?’ 2000, ‘The Unharmonious Blacksmith’ 2002, ‘A Whisper of God’ 2006

Elected Bishop of Meath and Kildare by an Electoral College on 7th June 1996
Consecrated Bishop in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin on Holy Cross Day, 14th September 1996
Enthroned as Bishop in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Meath on 29th September 1996
Enthroned as Bishop in St Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare on 10th October 1996