New Dean of Down Cathedral looks forward to his new role

New Dean of Down Cathedral looks forward to his new role

5 March 2025

THE new Dean of Down Cathedral says he is looking forward to a new chapter in his life.

The Very Rev Henry Blair was installed at a service on Sunday – just three days after he was formally appointed rector of the Church of Ireland Lecale Area Mission Partnership (LAMP).

As rector of LAMP Dean Blair will be in charge of 14 churches in the Lecale area.

Bishop David McClay presided at his institution service at Down Parish Church on Thursday and again at his installation as Dean of Down on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking afterwards, Dean Blair said he was delighted to be coming to the area and looked forward to meeting as many people as possible.

He also said he wanted to encourage more people to attend church and to experience “vibrant worship”.

Dean Blair succeeds Dean Henry Hull, who retired in December 2023.

Originally from Fermanagh, he grew up in the village of Letterbreen, near Enniskillen, as part of a church-going family. He achieved a degree in farming, but then became a qualified chartered accountant.

He said that after working as an accountant for 12 years he felt a calling to Christian ministry. He studied at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute in Dublin and was ordained in 2004.

He served as a curate at St Patrick’s Church in Monaghan, where he was involved a team looking after seven churches, before being appointed rector of Ardess Parish Church in Kesh, Co Fermanagh, where he remained for 11 years.

In 2019 he was appointed rector of the parish of Tullaniskeen and Clone in Dungannon, while also being involved in Sharing of Ministry Abroad (SOMA), of which he became the full-time Ireland National Director in 2023.

During his time with SOMA, he visited many countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Vietnam and Australia.

Dean Blair and his wife, Helen, have four grown-up sons, Rodney, Keith, Nathan and Jason, and three daughters-in-law, Judith, Hannah and Sarah. Rodney, who is vicar of Shankill Parish Church in Lurgan, read the gospel reading at Thursday’s institution service.

Dean Blair says he is now looking forward to a new challenge and bringing new life to the churches under his care.

He said he was delighted at the welcome he received and he stressed that he wanted to reach out to as many people as possible.

“People are still spiritual beings and it is our job to give them a spiritual connection. That is how the church will grow,” he said.

“I have found that when you do this, it is not just your church that will grow, but also every other church.”

He added: “The heritage of St Patrick’s is all around us and we need to use that in growing the church.”

Dr Finbar McCormick, welcomed Dean and Mrs Blair on behalf of all the parishioners in the LAMP group.

Dr McCormick, who was part of the selection team that resulted in the Dean’s appointment, said he was “greatly taken” with his “sincerity and enthusiasm”.

He continued: “We can look forward to the vision and guidance that he will bring to our congregations in the times ahead.

“Taking on the rectorship of 14 parishes is not for the faint-hearted and we parishioners will give him all the support that we can.”