Sir, - In his interesting article about the recently published book listing the Church of Ireland clergy of the Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough (Irishman's Diary, November 10th) Patrick Comerford could hardly have been expected to refer specifically to more than a handful of the thousands of men (and more recently women) who have served as pastors over the centuries.
Nevertheless, one name omitted may be of interest to some of your readers - that of the Rev George Wheeler (1808-77) who, after various clerical postings, was appointed Rector of Ballysax (The Curragh) in 1859 - the same year that The Irish Times was founded.
Within weeks of the first issue, the original editor, Dr George Frederick Shaw, resigned and was succeeded by his nephew, Rev George Wheeler, who had been contributing articles for publication for each of the paper's previous issues. Shaw had tendered his resignation because he found "the onerous work of an editor incompatible with the accomplishment of his important [Trinity] College duties". Unlike his uncle, however, Wheeler found no difficulty in double-jobbing, and he acted as editor for six days a week and did his duties as rector on the seventh, until one night, when returning home to the Curragh, his horse-drawn carriage overturned and he was killed.
Dr Wheeler's passing was recorded a few days later in a long editorial article, which described him as having a "well-earned reputation as a scholar". After referring to "his long connection with this journal as Editor, and his popularity as a preacher", the writer challenged readers to "search the files of this newspaper from the day of its inception and not a single line, not one unfair word, and not one disingenuous argument will be found in any thing written by Dr Wheeler." - Yours, etc.,
Dermot James, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14.