04.07.2012
Graham Richards Appointed a Lay Canon of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh
The Most Revd Alan Harper, OBE, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, has today announced the appointment of Graham Richards as a lay Canon of Armagh. Mr Richards succeeds to the stall formerly occupied by the late Canon J.L.B. Deane. Armagh Cathedral has six Lay Canons – the first were appointed in 1997 and Mr Richards will be the eleventh to take up office.
Archbishop Harper said, ‘It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce the appointment of Mr Graham Richards as a Lay Canon of Armagh Cathedral. Mr Richards has given distinguished and varied service to the Church of Ireland for many years from his time as Chairman of the Youth Council to his deep involvement with the Representative Church Body Executive and its Committees and in the field of education. He continues to serve the Church of Ireland with great dedication as Chairman of the Allocations Committee. I am delighted that he now takes up this stall.’
Graham Richards, who was educated at The High School and Trinity College Dublin, is a consultant with the law firm Matheson Ormsby Prentice in Dublin, where he was a partner for 31 years. He advises clients from all sections of the Irish and international community, including charities and trustees as well as individuals. A Notary Public, Commissioner for Oaths and member of the Law Society of Ireland, in 2004 he was appointed by the Government of Ireland as a Commissioner for Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland.
Mr Richards, a parishioner of Sandford Parish all his life, is a member of the Dublin Diocesan and General Synods. He has been a member of several of the Church’s important central committees since the 1980s, having first been elected to the Representative Church Body in 1982. He is currently chairman of the RB’s Allocations Committee, and is a member of its Executive Committee, having served for the past 25 years.
He was involved in church youth work from 1966, culminating in his election as Chairman of the Church of Ireland Youth Council from 1979 to 1982. He served on the General Synod Board of Education for 15 years, and is Chairman of the Incorporated Society, which comprises Bandon Grammar School, Dundalk Grammar School, Kilkenny College and Sligo Grammar School. He has been a Governor of Wilson’s Hospital School since 1979. Mr Richards also plays a prominent part in the work of Protestant Aid and the Brabazon Trust, where has been chairman since 1986. He is also a member of the Management Committee of the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook.
Details of the installation service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, will follow in due course.