Derry and Raphoe diocese appoints its first female dean

The Church of Ireland Diocese of Derry and Raphoe has appointed its first female dean.

Ordained in 2017, the Reverend Liz Fitzgerald will leave her current role as curate of the County Donegal parishes of Gweedore, Carrickfinn and Templecrone.

Her appointment as Dean of St Eunan's Cathedral, Raphoe, was announced by Bishop Andrew Forster on Sunday.

She said: "It is such an honour to be the worship lead in the cathedral".

Ms Fitzgerald also becomes rector of the parishes of Raphoe, Raymochy and Clonleigh as part of her new position.

"I was very flattered and very delighted to be asked to be rector of these three churches and then I discovered it would carry the honour of being dean," she told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

She said previously the only women appointed to serve as deans had been in Dublin.

Her appointment in the cross-border Derry and Raphoe diocese, she added, shows that "God's expression of faith is genderless, that we are all important, we are all his children".

"I try not to think too much about the female bit of it as opposed to my dedication to God and how I can express the need of faith for myself and help others express their need of faith," she said.

Born in Omagh, the Reverend Fitzgerald comes from clerical stock.

Both her grandfather and great-grandfather had served as rectors in the Church. Before entering the ministry, she had had a career as a physiotherapist.

"I felt my vocation flowed out through the caring professions. As time went on I realised I needed - was being led into - a different way of expressing my faith," she said.

"I became a parish reader, a diocesan reader then I was called for selection. Sometimes you don't query your path. I followed the holy spirt and that was the way I was guided."

The 800-year-old St Eunan's Cathedral is one of the Church of Ireland's oldest and most historic places of worship - people have prayed on its site for more than 1,400 years.

Bishop Forster said its new dean is a "gifted priest and pastor" who has shown "generous and faith-filled witness" in her ministry.