Archbishop of Armagh

In the Church of Ireland, the archbishop is John McDowell, who is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh. He was elected as archbishop in March 2020 and translated to the role on 28 April 2020.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the archbishop is Eamon Martin, who is the ecclesiastical head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the ordinary of the Archdiocese of Armagh. He succeeded on 8 September 2014, having been ordained Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh on 21 April 2013 at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Armagh.

History

In the medieval Irish church, the earliest bishops doubled as abbots, with the bishop becoming the junior of the two positions. From the 8th century, if not earlier, the house of Armagh claimed foundation from Saint Patrick, and the position of comarba Pátraic ("successor of Patrick") was held by the abbot of Armagh until the position of abbot and bishop were merged again in the 12th century, with the creation of the archbishopric of Armagh.