Alan Abernethy

The Right Reverend
Alan Abernethy
Bishop of Connor
In office
2007–2019
Personal details
Born12 April 1957
NationalityIrish
SpouseLiz née Forster
Alma materGrosvenor High School, Belfast; Queen's University Belfast; Trinity College Dublin

Alan Francis Abernethy[1] (born 12 April 1957)[2] is an Irish Anglican bishop, and former Bishop of Connor.[3]

Educated at Grosvenor High School, Belfast, Queen's University Belfast and Trinity College Dublin, and ordained in 1981,[4] he began his ministry as Assistant Curate at St Elizabeth's, Dundonald.[5]

After a similar post at Lecale he was Officiating Chaplain at RAF Bishopscourt.[6] He was Rector at St John's, Helen's Bay, from 1987 to 1990[7] and then at St Columbanus, Ballyholme,[8] until his appointment to the episcopate in 2007.

In 2010 he faced calls that he resign in connection with the controversy relating to the coming to an end of the composer Philip Stopford's tenure as Director of Music at St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.[9][10][11]

He retired in December 2019.[12]

  1. ^ Diocesan web site Archived 2011-07-25 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Who's Who2008: London, A & C Black ISBN 978-0-7136-8555-8
  3. ^ Anglican Communion
  4. ^ Crockfords, (London, Church House 1995) ISBN 0-7151-8088-6
  5. ^ Church web site
  6. ^ "Base history". Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  7. ^ flickr
  8. ^ Church history
  9. ^ "Discord at St Anne's Cathedral over choir job". BBC News. 18 August 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  10. ^ "'I loved being at the Westminster Abbey of Northern Ireland, but it's sad the way my time there ended'". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Cathedral takes ex-judge to court on choir job discord". BBC News. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  12. ^ Boyd, Joe (9 September 2020). "Consecration of Connor's New Bishop - Rt Rev George Davison". The Churchpage. Retrieved 13 September 2022.