Press Releases01 Jun 22

Dr Kenneth Milne appointed Lay Canon of Armagh Cathedral

The Most Revd John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, has today announced the appointment of Dr Kenneth Milne as a Lay Canon of Armagh. Dr Milne succeeds to the stall formerly occupied by the late Canon Dr Muriel McCarthy.  Armagh Cathedral has six Lay Canons – the first were appointed in 1997 and Dr Milne will be the twelfth to take up office.

Archbishop McDowell said, ‘I am delighted to have had the opportunity of asking Dr Kenneth Milne to accept an appointment as Lay Canon of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh. I have known Dr Milne for thirty years and have admired the work he has undertaken for the Church of Ireland during those years. However, his involvement in the work of the Church stretches back long before that and shows no sign of diminishing. Dr Milne’s contribution to the historiography of the Church of Ireland is well known, as was his work in Education. He has helped keep alive an expansive vision of the role of the Church, in Ireland and in Europe, and I hope this canonry, in some small way, goes towards a recognition of the quiet wisdom and graciousness with which he has brought into the treasury of the Church.’

On the announcement of his appointment, Dr Milne said, ‘I greatly appreciate this honour and keenly look forward to having an association with Armagh Cathedral.’

Details of the installation service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, which will take place after the summer, will follow in due course.

Biographical Note for Editors

Kenneth Milne was educated at Mountjoy School and Trinity College, Dublin. He served as Secretary to the General Synod Board of Education prior to his appointment as Principal of the Church of Ireland College of Education and was for some years on the Council of Dublin University and on the Board of Tallaght Hospital. As a member of the General Synod he represented the Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough on its Standing Committee for several years. He currently chairs the Literature Committee of the Central Communications Board and is a member of the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue and of its European Affairs Working–Group. He is also an Advisor to the Library and Archives Committee of the Representative Church Body.

Dr Milne has represented the Church of Ireland on the Conference of European Churches, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, the Irish Inter–Church Meeting and the Irish Council of Churches, having been Convenor of the ICC’s European Affairs Committee. He was a member of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, chairing its Religious Education Course Committee.  At present he holds the position of Church of Ireland Historiographer and is also a member of the committee of the Church of Ireland Historical Society. His publications include The Irish Charter Schools (1997), Irish Anglicanism (ed. with Paul Harron, 2019), and A short history of the Church of Ireland (5th ed. 2022).