The Church of Ireland
Press Release

The Revd Canon Adrian Empey is the new Principal of the Church of Ireland Theological College. He will take up his appointment in September.

In a joint statement today announcing the appointment, the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames, and Bishop Richard Clarke of Meath and Kildare, and Chairman of the Church of Ireland Theological College Council, said:

“Dr Empey will bring, we believe, considerable distinction and great personal gifts to this key position within the life of the Church.

“Born in 1942, educated at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen and Trinity College Dublin, he pursued a distinguished academic career as an historian until his decision to be ordained. Ordained in 1974, he has served since that time in country and city parishes in different dioceses of the Church of Ireland. He is at present Vicar of St Ann’s Group of Parishes in Dublin.

“Widely admired as a diligent, warm and effective pastor, Canon Empey has nevertheless continued to produce an extremely impressive list of significant publications while involved in full-time parish work. He is known to generations of ordinands as a fine lecturer in ecclesiastical history at the Theological College.

“Adrian Empey is known and respected throughout the Church of Ireland as a person of immense integrity, deep spirituality, sparkling humour and intellectual openness. We are delighted and grateful that he has accepted this onerous responsibility, and we wish him, and his wife June and their family every happiness for the future.”