Rev Adrian Dorrian announced as new rector of Conwal and Gartan

Rev Adrian Dorrian has been appointed as the new rector of the parish of Conwal Union with Gartan.

He will replace Rev David Houlton, who retired from the role last year.

Rev Dorrian is currently the Vicar of the Lecale Area Mission Partnership (LAMP parishes) in the Diocese of Down and Dromore. 

He  is a former president of Church Mission Society Ireland. 

While no date has been confirmed for Rev Dorrian to take up his new post, parishioners in Conwal and Gartan were informed of the new appointment on Sunday.

Rev Dorrian, a native of County Down who has a degree in Theology and Drama from Queen’s University, was ordained in 2006 and when he was instituted as a rector, in the Parish of St Peter and St James, Belfast in June 2009, he was believed to be the youngest rector in Ireland. 

“It’ll be a wrench to leave East Down, but Anne and I are looking forward immensely to this new challenge in Conwal and Gartan,” he said. 

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“We love Donegal – I have family roots there – and we know Letterkenny, in particular, quite well. We’ve stayed there frequently in the past. We’ve good friends in the county, too, so we’re excited about this next step in ministry and eager to find out what God has planned for us.”