The new Church of Ireland Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, is the Very Rev Richard Henderson (40), Dean of Ross. He succeeds the Right Rev John Neill, now Bishop of Cashel and Ossory.
The new bishop is a Londoner with strong Cumbrian connections, who took a doctorate in molecular genetics in 1983 at Oxford. In 1989 he became rector of Abbeystrewry in west Cork. He was appointed rector and Dean of Ross in 1995.
His wife, Anita, is from Midleton, Co Cork, and the couple have three children, Cicely (8), Tippa (7) and Jack (5).
His election followed a period of confusion, after the passing of a strongly worded motion at the Tuam diocesan synod in Westport last September. It called for the replacement of Bishop Neill, despite an understanding that no episcopal vacancies would be filled before the church's commission on episcopal needs reported to next year's General Synod. The Primate, Dr Eames, called a special synod on the matter. It was cancelled when the episcopal commission indicated it no longer wished to propose a bill at the special synod. Dr Eames then made arrangements for an electoral college to meet yesterday.
