TWO NEW canons were appointed to Christ Church Cathedral by the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Most Rev John Neil. Rev Mark Gardner and Rev Robert Deane will replace retired canons Ivor Power and Tom Haskins.
Rev Gardner, currently the dean’s vicar of Christ Church Cathedral, was born in 1958. He became a priest after graduating from Trinity College Dublin with a master’s degree in history and a diploma in theology 25 years ago.
He was a curate in Northern Ireland (Down and Belfast) until 1989, when he left for England to continue his ecumenical work in Sunderland until 1995. He returned to Dublin in 1995 to become rector of Santry, Glasnevin and Finglas for six years. He has since served in his current role, as well as being a member of the Dublin Council of Churches.
Christ Church’s other new canon in Rev Robert Deane, rector of Swords and Donabate in Dublin, who was born in 1952.
He became a priest more than 20 years ago, serving first in Raheny and Coolock in Dublin and then becoming rector of Clonsast with Rathangan and Thomastown.
Between 1997 and 2000, he was canon of St Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare, and Trim Cathedral, Co Meath.