Dermot Farrell

Dermot Pius Farrell KC*HS (born 22 November 1954) is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Dublin since 2021.

Early life and education

Farrell was born in Garthy, Castletown Geoghegan, County Westmeath, on 22 November 1954, the eldest of seven children to Dermot and Carmel Farrell. He was baptised in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, and attended primary school in Castletown Geoghegan and Streamstown and secondary school at St Finian's College, Mullingar.

Farrell began studying for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, in 1972, completing a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and physics from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth in 1976 and a Bachelor of Divinity from the Pontifical University in 1979.

He was appointed Prelate of Honour of His Holiness on 6 June 1997, and made a member of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in 1998 before being promoted to the rank of Grand Officer in 2018.

President of St Patrick's College Following the creation of the National University of Ireland from the separation of the faculties of Arts, Celtic Studies and Philosophy and Science from St Patrick's College by the Universities Act, 1997, Farrell remained president of the pontifical university, presiding over the revision of the formation programme Pastores Dabo Vobis and supervising the renovation of its heritage buildings.

Following the invitation of controversial American theologian, Charles Curran, to speak at a conference sponsored by the university in 2006, Farrell stated that he had been neither consulted about, nor informed of, the invitation.

Return to pastoral ministry Farrell retired as President of St Patrick's College in 2007 and returned to pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Meath, when he was appointed parish priest in Dunboyne. He was appointed vicar general of the diocese in 2009.

Episcopal ministry

Bishop of Ossory Farrell was appointed Bishop of Ossory by Pope Francis on 3 January 2018, and consecrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, on 11 March in St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny.

Farrell became a member of the standing committee of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, and subsequently its Financial Secretary in March 2019.

Archbishop of Dublin Farrell was appointed Archbishop of Dublin by Pope Francis on 29 December 2020, continuing to serve as Apostolic Administrator of Ossory until his installation on 2 February 2021 in St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin.

Soon after his archiepiscopal appointment, Farrell told The Irish Times that while he is in favour of opening the diaconate to women, he also claimed not to be against the ordination of women. However, he feared that such move could cause a schism in the church, as it had in the Church of England and the Episcopal Church. He also called for a more flexible approach towards celibacy, similar to the one adopted by the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

In 2021 when it came to same-sex blessings, he said that such situations should be dealt with “individually and pastorally”, lamenting that such blessings "are very often misconstrued as marriage".

Following the release of Fiducia Supplicans, Farrell said couples in so-called irregular unions cannot be refused a blessing. He stated “prudence and attention to the ecclesial context and to the local culture” could allow for different forms of blessing, but not for “a total or definitive denial”.

In 2024 Farrell said that until the sexual abuse crisis is fully addressed, there will not be “authentic, enduring renewal and reform” in the Church. Speaking at Saint Mary’s Pro-Cathedral he spoke of a “culture of denial” with respect to sexual abuse.