THE REV John McDowell, rector of St Mark’s Dundela in the diocese of Down and Dromore, has been appointed Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher. He succeeds Most Rev Michael Jackson,recently named Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough.
The appointment by the Church of Ireland House of Bishops was made yesterday and followed the failure on May 4th of an episcopal electoral college for Clogher diocese to elect a successor to Archbishop Jackson.
Born in Belfast in 1956, the Rev McDowell attended Annadale Grammar School, Queen’s University, where he studied history; the London School of Economics,where his subject was business studies; and Trinity College Dublin, where he took theology.
Before studying for the priesthood, he worked in the aerospace industry and lobbied for the Confederation of British Industry.
Ordained in 1996, he has been curate in Antrim, rector of Ballyrashane and Kildollagh, and in 2002 was appointed to his current post.
He has served as clerical honorary secretary for Down diocese and, since 2009, has been a clerical honorary secretary at general synod.
He is married to Mary Jackson, and they have one daughter.
