Press Releases / New rector for Blessington Union of Parishes

It was announced today that the Revd Leonard Ruddock, Curate in St Brigid’s Church, Stillorgan and All Saint’s Church, Blackrock will be the new Rector of the Blessington Union of Parishes in the Diocese of Glendalough. This Union includes the Churches of St Mary’s, Blessington, St John the Baptist Church, Manor Kilbride (also called Cloughlea), St John the Evangelist Church, Ballymore-Eustace and St Kevin’s Church, Hollywood.

The Revd Leonard William Ruddock was born in 1958 in Dublin but grew up in Co Kildare until he was 14 years of age. Following the death of his parents he went on to spend time living and working on his relatives farm in Co Carlow. A career in retail management followed. A job transfer took him from Dublin to Roscrea Co Tipperary where he spent the following 20 years, ending up managing his own business there. After training for the non-stipendiary (unpaid) ministry, he was ordained a Deacon in 1994 and a priest the following year. His first posting was as a Non-Stipendiary Minister to the Roscrea Group of Parishes in the Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe where he served from 1994-2005. After retiring from his retail business in 2005, he undertook further study in the Church of Ireland Theological College, following which he was appointed to the stipendiary ministry. Since 2006 has served as a Stipendiary (Full Time) Curate in Stillorgan and Blackrock in the Diocese of Dublin.

Following the announcement of his appointment, the Revd Leonard Ruddock said, “I am delighted to be taking up this new post as Rector in the Blessington Union of parishes. In one way, it will take me close to my roots as a young person in nearby Kildare and Carlow but Blessington is also a dynamic place with a lot of young people moving in. I am looking forward to meeting the parishioners there and seeing how the Church can be of service in the context of a growing and changing community. I will however, miss the people of Stillorgan and Blackrock who have shown me every kindness. I also must extend my appreciation to the Revd Ian Gallagher, Rector of Sillorgan and Blackrock for his support throughout my time here.”

The Revd Leonard Ruddock is married to Hazel, who is a nurse, and they have two children, Gary (13) and Amanda (9).

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