Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh
| Archbishop of Armagh | |
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| Bishopric | |
| anglican | |
Arms of the Diocese of Armagh: Azure, an episcopal staff argent, ensigned with a cross patée or, surmounted by a pallium of the second, edged and fringed or, charged with four crosses formée fitchée sable
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| Incumbent: Richard Clarke since 15 December 2012 |
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| Style | His Grace, The Most Rev'd |
| Province | Armagh and Tuam |
| Diocese | Diocese of Armagh |
| Cathedral | St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh |
| First incumbent | Saint Patrick |
| Formation | 445 |
| Website | [1] |
The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, bearing the title Primate of All Ireland. the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh.
It traces its history to Saint Patrick in the 5th century, who founded the See, and his current successor is His Grace, the Most Reverend Richard Clarke, who was enthroned at St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh on 15 December 2012.
Saint Patrick, having received some grants of land from the chieftain Daire, on the hill called Ard-Macha (the Height of Macha), built a stone church on the summit and a monastery and some other religious edifices round about, and fixed on this place for his metropolitan see. In Irish times, the primacy of Armagh was questioned only by the great southern centre of the Irish Church, at Cashel. Brian Boru recognized the supremacy of Armagh, possibly in a political move to gain support from Armagh for Boru's claim to the High Kingship. Another noteworthy incumbent was St. Malachy O'Morgair (1134–37), who suffered many tribulations in trying to effect a reformation in the diocese. St. Malachy is honoured as the patron saint of the diocese. When the English kings got a footing in the country, they began to intervene in the election of bishops. The English kings also began to claim possession of the temporalities of the sees during vacancies and to insist on the newly elected bishops suing them humbly for their restitution.
During the reign of Henry VIII, George Dowdall, a zealous supporter of the king, had been elevated into the See of Armagh by that monarch, but on the introduction of the Book of Common Prayer in the reign of Edward VI, he left the kingdom in disgust. Thereupon the king in 1552, appointed Hugh Goodacre to the see. He survived his consecration only three months. In the beginning of the reign of Mary I, Dowdall was again appointed to the see on account of the great zeal he had shown against Protestantism. Adam Loftus (1563–67), from whom the Church of Ireland hierarchy derive their orders, was consecrated by Hugh Curwin, Archbishop of Dublin.
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