Very Rev Desmond Harman: The dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, the Very Rev Desmond Harman, who has died aged 66, was one of the most senior clerical figures in the Church of Ireland and one of the four honorary secretaries of the general synod of the Church of Ireland.
Dean Harman died unexpectedly in the Blackrock Clinic after a heart operation. Although there had been complications, he appeared to be recovering, and the news of his death has come as a shock to his friends and to church leaders.
Des Harman was born in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, on June 20th, 1941, the son of William Herbert Harman and Hannah Elizabeth Harman (née Boyle). He was educated at Sligo Grammar School and at Trinity College, Dublin, where he studied Hebrew and oriental languages, edited the student newspaper, Trinity News, and received his BA (1965) and MA (1970).
He was ordained in 1967 and spent six years as curate-assistant of Taney Parish, Dundrum, the largest Church of Ireland parish in the Republic. There he was a curate alongside the Rev (later Canon) Horace McKinley, and their rector was the late Canon Walter Burrows.
In 1969, he became a minor canon or honorary clerical vicar at Christ Church Cathedral alongside (now Archdeacon) Edgar Swann, who married Des Harman's sister Gladys that year. On June 19th, 1971, Des and Susan Antonella (Sue) Lalor from Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, were married in Taney.
From Taney, he moved to Santry and Glasnevin, where he was rector from 1973 to 1986. He then became rector of Sandford and Milltown, a parish embracing the Ranelagh and Milltown suburbs, and was also chaplain of Alexandra College; the Royal Hospital Donnybrook; Bloomfield; Westfield and New Lodge.
He was the editor of the Church Review (1981-2000), establishing it as one of the leading diocesan magazines in the Anglican Communion. In 1999, he was elected one of the four honorary secretaries of the general synod when Canon Paul Colton was elected Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. He continued in that position alongside Canon Ian Ellis, Lady Sheil and Sam Harper.
He became a canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, in 1991. In the cathedral chapter, he was prebendary of St John's (1997-1999), prebendary of St Michan's (1999-2002), and canon treasurer (2002-2004).
In 2004, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, appointed him as the 34th dean of Christchurch Cathedral in succession to the Very Rev John Paterson, who died the following year. As dean, he was also the incumbent or rector of the cathedral group of parishes.
During his term as dean, he ensured the cathedral was engaged in the life of local charities and actively promoted the civic services that brought city life into the cathedral and connected the cathedral with city life.
Earlier this year, he took particular pleasure in the fact that Christ Church Cathedral was host to a festival commemorating St Colmcille's legacy in art, music, folklore and copyright law. During the festival, the cathedral area around Christ Church Place resounded to the sound of both Irish and Scots Gaelic, and choral evensong featured music from Seán Ó Riada and new compositions by Seoirse Bodley and Simon McHale.
However, his lasting legacy in more than 40 years in ministry must be the Church of Ireland Bishops Appeal for World Development, for Dean Harman was one of the driving forces behind its creation and throughout its formative years.
The Bishops' appeal channels major funding from Church of Ireland sources to development and mission agencies. As honorary secretary (1971- 1999) he helped ensure it became a lasting institution.
Dean Harman was also a dedicated ecumenist. Following the death of Pope John Paul II, he represented the Church of Ireland at a service in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.
He was the Church of Ireland contact person for the Porvoo Communion, which has linked the Anglican Churches in Europe and the Episcopal-Lutheran Churches in the Scandinavian, Nordic and Baltic countries since 1996. In October, he helped organise the recent Porvoo Primates' meeting, bringing the archbishops and many bishops of the Porvoo communion together in Dublin.
The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, said Dean Harman had been a valued friend since they were both teenagers. "He . . . will be remembered in every parish he served in as a gentle and caring pastor," said Dr Neill. Archbishop Alan Harper of Armagh has described him as "a man of the highest personal integrity" and "a master of detail with the well-informed critical eye".
Dean Harman is survived by his wife Sue, their two daughters, Karen Susanne and Jennifer Lynn, and their son, Mark Desmond.
The Very Rev Robert Desmond Harman: born June 20th, 1941, died December 18th, 2007.