Madam, — Thank you for publishing the appreciative review of my book Embracing Womenin your edition of November 20th. It did a great job of giving an idea of both the personal and institutional aspects of the story of how women came to be accepted as Church of Ireland priests.
However a few clarifications are needed. Archbishop Buchanan did indeed initiate the debate on women's ordination in the Church of Ireland at the General Synod of 1976; but he retired the following year and took no further part in the proceedings.
It was eight years later, in 1984, that the church voted to allow the ordination of women as deacons. It took another six years, until May 1990, for the church to come to final agreement on the ordination of women as priests and, if so elected, as bishops. - Yours, etc,
(Canon) GINNIE KENNERLEY,
Seafield Terrace,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.