Archbishop

Profile of the Most Revd Dr John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin

Early Life and Education

The Most Revd Dr John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough was born in Dublin on 17 December 1945, the only son of the late Canon E M Neill, and Mrs Rhoda Neill (Nee Winder). He was educated at Avoca School, Blackrock, Sandford Park School, Ranelagh and Trinity College Dublin where he was awarded a foundation scholarship. He graduated with a First Class honours Moderatorship in Hebrew and Oriental Languages in 1966. In 1968, he graduated from Jesus College Cambridge with a Theological Tripos (BA) and1972 he was awarded an MA from Cambridge. He was awarded LLD from NUI (honoris causa) in 2003

Family

In August 1968, John Neill married Betty (nee Cox) from Ballymoney, Co Antrim, and originally from Manchester, whom he had met in TCD. Betty taught in Coleraine and then in Ely when they were first married. They have three sons: The Revd Canon Stephen Neill, Rector of Cloughjordan, Andrew, formerly a teacher, who in 2007 graduated as a member of An Garda Síochána (the Police Force) and presently serves in Clonmel, and Peter, a specialist in IT and web design. The Archbishop and his wife have three grandsons, Aaron, born 1997 and Max, born in 2000 and Marcus born in 2005 and a grand-daughter, Faye, born September 2002.

Ministry

John Neill was ordained a deacon in 1969 and as a priest the following year, becoming the fourth generation of his family to serve in ordained ministry. He served first as Curate in St Paul’s Glenageary in the Diocese of Dublin. He was also appointed a lecturer at the Divinity Hostel (Old Testament) in Dublin in 1970 before moving to St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny as Bishop's Vicar (1971-74) and Diocesan Registrar. He later served as Incumbent in Abbeystrewry (Skibbereen) (1974-78), St Bartholomew's & Leeson Park (1978-84) and as Dean and Archdeacon of Waterford (1984-86). On 6 January 1986 he was elected Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry and was consecrated a Bishop in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh later that month. On 23 April 1997 he was elected Bishop of Cashel and Ossory and he and his family moved to Kilkenny. On 29 August 2002 he was elected Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough and was enthroned in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin on 12 October 2002, succeeding the Most Revd Walton Empey.

More Links

Ordination of Women and Ecumenism
Ministry as Archbishop of Dublin to Date