The Church Of Ireland
News Briefing

GAZETTE ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD

from the Church of Ireland Gazette, Friday 12 February 1999

Following the Annual General Meeting of the Church of Ireland Press, publishers of the Gazette, held in Belfast on Tuesday, February 2nd, a number of changes in the Board of Directors was announced.

The Very Revd Norman Lynas, Dean of Ossory, due to new pressure of parochial and diocesan commitments, has stepped down as Chairman, a post he has held for 8 years. Mr Harry Greer, from Saintfield, Co. Down, has retired from the position of Honorary Secretary - a post which he has also held for 8 years. Mr Greer announced his intention to retire, due to increased workload as a School Principal, at the last AGM but agreed to stay in post until a new secretary was appointed.

The new Chairman is Mr Patrick Comerford from Dublin, the new Vice-Chairman is Mr Alec Caldwell from Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone and the new Secretary is the Revd Robert Whiteside, also from Dublin.

Patrick Comerford, who is 47, has been a member of the Board since 1991. He studied theology at the Irish School of Ecumenics and Kimmage Manor, holds a degree in theology (BD) from Maynooth and a postgraduate Diploma in Ecumenics from Trinity College, Dublin. He began working as a journalist with The Wexford People group of newspapers before joining The Irish Times and he is now Foreign Desk Editor of The Irish Times.

A parishioner of St Maelruain's Tallaght, he is a diocesan reader, a member of the Dublin and Glendalough Diocesan Synods and the General Synod, and a member of the Academic Council of the Irish School of Ecumenics.

Patrick has written for Search, Doctrine and Life and The Furrow, and is a frequent contributor to the journals of historical societies in Wexford and Kilkenny in recent years, he has been a regular lecturer on the role of the Church of Ireland in the 1798 Rising, and he has contributed to a number of books and other publications on that subject.

He is a frequent leader writer for the Gazette, and was one of the Gazette team covering last year's Lambeth Conference in Canterbury He has written on church life for the Gazette from Greece, Korea, the Middle East and Southern Africa.

Barbara and Patrick Comerford have two children, Jamie (9) and Joe (8).

Robert Whiteside, who has also been a board member since 1995, was Warden of Wilson's Hospital School in Co. Westmeath for a number of years before moving to his present post as a History teacher in the King's Hospital School in Dublin.

Last year he was made a Deacon in the Auxiliary Ministry in St Patrick's Cathedral, Trim and he serves in the Parish of Edenderry in the Diocese of Meath and Kildare. A regular reviewer for the Gazette, Robert was also one of the Gazette team covering the Lambeth Conference.

He is married to Lesley, well-known as an author and authority on stained glass and currently Archivist at the King's Hospital. They have two daughters and a son.

The Revd Clifford Skillen, Rector of St Polycarp's, Belfast has been appointed to the post of Assistant Editor. Before his ordination in 1989 he was Head of the History Department in Dundonald Girls' High School. Clifford is married to Alison who is a Committee Clerk with Belfast City Council. He takes up his appointment on 1st March.

Mr Skillen has been appointed to replace Mrs Sheila McCormick who has been Editorial Assistant since 1985. Happily Sheila is not leaving the Gazette but will continue, as she has done since 1979, to look after circulation and accounts