Irish Friendships: A conversation with Catholic and Anglican Bishops

Join us for a hope-filled conversation with Archbishop Eamon Martin (Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland) and Archbishop Most Reverend Doctor John McDowell (Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland). The discussion will focus on the relationship between the churches and their work bringing Northern Ireland’s Catholic and Protestant communities together.

The Rt Revd Francis John McDowell grew up in Belfast and pursued a career in business prior to training for ordination. 
He was ordained in 1996 and initially served as Curate of Antrim, in the Diocese of Connor (1996-1999).  
He was subsequently Rector of Ballyrashane, in the same diocese (1999-2002), and Rector of St Mark’s, Dundela, in the Diocese of Down and Dromore (2002-2011), during which time he was also an Honorary Secretary of the General Synod (2008-2011).  He has also served as the Church of Ireland’s contact person for the Porvoo Communion (2007-2013) – a communion of Anglican and Lutheran Churches in Europe which share a common life in mission and service.

He was elected Bishop of Clogher in May 2011 and consecrated as bishop in St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen, in September of that year. 

Bishop McDowell holds a BA (Hons) in History from Queen’s University Belfast (1978), a Diploma in Business Studies from the London School of Economics (1984), and a BTh in Theology and Biblical Studies from Trinity College Dublin (1996).  
He is married to Mary, who teaches in Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, and they have one daughter, Dorothy, a student at Oxford University.

Archbishop Eamon Columba Martin was born in Derry in 1961; his late parents, Catherine Crossan and John James Martin were both from Inishowen in Donegal and his grandparents came from Counties Donegal and Fermanagh. He has six sisters and five brothers.

Eamon went to St Patrick’s Primary School and St Columb’s College, Derry where he developed a great interest in singing and later playing the trombone! He proceeded to study for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth during which time he took degrees in Mathematical Science and Theology. During his seminary training he was a senior cantor and leading member of the seminary choir – in his final year he was Acting Director of Sacred Music in Maynooth. His postgraduate studies were at Queen’s University Belfast, the Institute of Education in London and the University of Cambridge.

After ordination on 28th June 1987, Fr Eamon was appointed to Templemore Parish in Derry City, serving as curate at St Eugene’s Cathedral. In 1990 he went to teach Mathematics and Religion at his old school, St Columb’s College. He became Head of Religious Education in 1997 and eventually President (Principal) of the College, a post he held for eight years.

After leaving St Columb’s in 2008, Fr Eamon was appointed Executive Secretary of the Irish Bishops’ Conference but he returned to his native diocese as Vicar General just over two years later. Also in 2010 he was appointed Chaplain to His Holiness. Upon the retirement of Bishop Séamus Hegarty, Monsignor Eamon was elected as Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Derry.

On 18 January 2013 it was announced that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI had appointed Monsignor Eamon as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh. He was ordained Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh on 21 April 2013 in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh and on the retirement of Cardinal Seán Brady, succeeded as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland on 8 September 2014. To mark the occasion a Mass, to ask God’s Blessing on Archbishop Eamon and on the People of the diocese, was celebrated on 7 October 2014.

Archbishop Eamon was elected President of the Irish Episcopal Conference in October 2014 . He also serves as Chairman of the Council for Communications of the Conference.  In April 2019, in addition to his duties in Armagh, he was appointed by Pope Francis as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dromore.