Former Church of Ireland primate, Dr McAdoo, dies

The Most Rev Dr Henry McAdoo, former Church of Ireland primate and Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough from 1977 to 1985, has died. A respected ecumenist, he was probably best known for his work as co-chairman of the first Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC). Between 1971 and 1981 it produced three major agreed reports on the Eucharist, Ministry and Authority in the church. All had a positive influence on relations between the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Protestant churches.

In a tribute last night the Church of Ireland Primate of all Ireland, Dr Robin Eames, described him as "one of the most outstanding Anglican scholars and leaders of this century".

Dr McAdoo, he continued, "was known far beyond his native shores through his numerous books and articles on theology and Anglican doctrine. In particular, his studies of the Caroline tradition have been widely acclaimed." This is a reference to Dr McAdoo's book The Structure of Caroline Moral Theology, a study of the Caroline divines who in the 17th century laid down the basis for a distinctively Anglican doctrine, marking it off from puritanism and Roman Catholicism. He was regarded as a world authority on the subject.

He was born at Ballintemple, Cork, on January 10th, 1916, and educated at Cork Grammar School before moving to Mount joy School, Dublin. He became a student at Trinity College in 1934 and graduated in 1938 with a gold medal and a first-class moderator ship in Irish and French. In 1940 he received a doctorate in philosophy at Trinity and was ordained that same year. Dr McAdoo served as a priest first in Castleventry, Co Cork. He received a doctorate in theology in 1949. In 1952 he became a canon of both Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork and Saint Colman's, Cobh. Subsequently he was appointed canon of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin before being appointed Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin in 1962. He became Primate and Archbishop of Dublin in 1977.

He retired in 1985 because of ill-health, and lived in Dalkey with his wife Lesley (Weir). They married in 1940 and had three children, Martin Andrew, Ann and the fiction writer Gabrielle Warnock.

Dr McAdoo died at St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin.