Primate
 pays
 tribute 
to 
retiring 
CofI
 archbishop

Primate
 pays
 tribute 
to 
retiring 
CofI
 archbishop Archbishop Clarke photo: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times

Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has led tributes to his outgoing Church of Ireland counterpart Dr Richard Clarke.

Dr Clarke announced at the Armagh Diocesan Synod at the weekend that he would step down as Anglican Primate of All-Ireland in February.

Archbishop Clarke, aged 70, has drserved as a bishop in the Church of Ireland for 23 years, firstly as Bishop of Meath and Kildare from 1996 to 2012 and then as Archbishop of Armagh.

Reacting on Twitter, Archbishop Eamon wrote “my good friend and brother in Christ, Archbishop Richard Clarke has announced his intention to retire in a few months’ time”.

Archbishop Eamon said he would miss Dr Clarke’s “friendship, support and cooperation” and wished him “the blessing of health and happiness for the future”.