The new Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel and Ossory is the Dean of Waterford, the Very Rev Peter Barrett.
He succeeds the Most Rev John Neill, recently enthroned as Archbishop of Dublin. Dean Barrett was elected yesterday following a meeting of the diocesan electoral college in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
Chaired by Archbishop Neill, as Metropolitan of the church's Southern Province, the college was: three members of the House of Bishops, 12 clergy and 12 elected lay people from the diocese, as well as three clergy and three elected lay people from each of the other dioceses in the Southern Province - Limerick, Meath and Kildare, Dublin and Glendalough, and Cork.
As is usual the college was closed to non-electors and media. Voting took place on names proposed by the dioceses until one received two-thirds of the votes of the members present and voting.
The Bishop-elect is 46. Born in Dublin, he was educated at the Avoca-Kingstown school and Trinity College, from where he graduated in history and political science, and with a first-class Diploma in Theology at ordination. Master of Arts and Master of Philosophy degrees were later conferred on him at Trinity.
Ordained for the diocese of Derry and Raphoe, he served as curate in Limavady, Co Derry, in 1981, moving briefly to Dublin to serve a second curacy under Canon Billy Wynne. He returned to Derry and Raphoe to serve as rector of Letterkenny and Gartan and was later appointed rector of the parish of St George in Belfast.
In 1994 he was appointed Dean of Residence and chaplain at Trinity College Dublin and Succentor of St Patrick's Cathedral. He became Dean of Waterford in 1998.
He is married to Anne, who works as a social work team leader with the mental health services in the South Eastern Health Board. They have three children: Clare, a second-year student at UCD; Alec, a 6th-year boarder at Kilkenny College; and Patrick, who is in his last year at Christ Church Primary School in Waterford.
Dean Barrett has wide interests in sport, especially hockey, and has captained teams at his school and university, and Leinster and Ireland teams.
