John Bernard (bishop)


John Henry Bernard, PC, was an Irish Anglican clergyman.

Biography

Bernard was born in Raniganj, India. He graduated with a BA in mathematics from Trinity College Dublin in 1880, was elected a Fellow there in 1884, and was later a member of the council of the university, where he held the office of King's Lecturer of Divinity from 1888 to 1902.
He was appointed treasurer of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, by the Dean Henry Jellett in 1897. On Jellett´s death, in December 1901, Bernard became a favorite to succeed him as Dean, a position to which he was elected by the chapter of the cathedral 6 February 1902. He served as such until 1911, when he was appointed Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin. In 1915 he was appointed Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, serving until 1919.
A prolific scholar, in many fields, including Church history, theology and philosophy, he was the president of the Royal Irish Academy from 1916 to 1921 and Provost of Trinity College Dublin from 1919 to 1927. He was a member of the Board of National Education in Ireland, in which capacity he served as examiner of mathematics in the 1880s. He was regarded as an unrepentant Unionist, representing their interests as a delegate to the 1917–18 Irish Convention.
Bernard married his cousin Maude Nannie Bernard in 1885; they had two sons and two daughters.
In April 1915 his son, Lieutenant Robert Bernard of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers was killed in action during the Gallipoli Campaign. He is commemorated at V Beach Cemetery by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Selected works

Books

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