New Bishop of Clogher is elected

The Church of Ireland Dean of Cork, the Very Rev Michael Jackson, has been elected as the new Bishop of Clogher.

He succeeds Bishop Brian Hannon who retired last month. Dean Jackson (45), was born in Lurgan, Co Armagh and educated at Portora, near Enniskillen, in Co Fermanagh.

A graduate of Trinity College Dublin and St John's College, Cambridge he was awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1986 for his thesis, Prayer and Miracle in the Spirituality of St Augustine of Hippo.

He was ordained deacon in 1986 and a priest in 1987. He served as curate-assistant in Zion Parish, Rathgar, Dublin and as assistant lecturer in the department of theology, Trinity College, Dublin. He was also College Chaplain at Christ Church, Oxford.

In 1997, he was appointed to his present position at St Fin Barre's Union and as Dean of Cork. Dean Jackson is married to Inez, who is a doctor, and they have one daughter.

His election yesterday was unusual, in that it had been passed to the Chuch's House of Bishops when the Episcopal Electoral College for Clogher Diocese failed to appoint a bishop at its meeting earlier this month.

The Episcopal Electoral College for Connor Diocese will meet in Armagh on December 17th to elect a successor to Bishop James Moore who retired earlier this month.