The Church of Ireland
Press Release

The Church of Ireland Episcopal Electoral College, meeting today in Armagh, elected Archdeacon Alan Harper as the new Bishop of Connor to succeed Bishop James Moore who retired last month.

Alan Harper, 57, was born in Tamworth, Staffordshire and first came to Northern Ireland in 1967 as a member of the Archaeological Survey. He is a graduate of Leeds University and a former chairman of the Historic Monuments Council. He holds the OBE for public services.

The Bishop-elect was ordained in 1978 and appointed to his present post as Rector of St John’s Parish Church, Belfast in 1986. He was made Archdeacon of Connor in 1996.

Alan is married to Helen and they have four children – Catherine, Richard, Anne and Emma.