People The Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory
Rt. Revd Adrian Wilkinson
B.A., B.Th., M.A., H Dip Ed, Post Grad Dip.
Deacon 1994, Priest 1995, Bishop 2022
Early Life and Ordination
Bishop Adrian Wilkinson was born in 1968 in County Wexford. He went to school in St Mary’s National School Enniscorthy and The King’s Hospital Dublin. He studied at Trinity College, where he earned a B.A. in 1990, followed by a Higher Diploma in Education at Maynooth.
In 1991 he began ordination training at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute (CITI was then known as the Church of Ireland Theological College), completed a B.Th. in 1994, and became curate of Douglas Union with Frankfield in the Diocese of Cork. He was ordained deacon in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral on 9 June 1994 and priest there a year later.
Ministry and Episcopal Leadership
In 1997, Bishop Adrian was appointed incumbent of Dunboyne Union in the Diocese of Meath. Later, working with a curate, he took on the additional responsibility of the neighbouring parishes of Rathmolyon Union thus becoming Rector of Dunboyne and Rathmolyon Group. He was also Church of Ireland chaplain to the University of Maynooth. In 2000, following two years of part time study, he was awarded an M.A. in Local History by Maynooth University.
In 2002 Bishop Adrian returned to the Diocese of Cork when he was appointed Rector of Douglas Union with Frankfield, where he had served his curacy. This busy parish on the south side of Cork city required the assistance of other clergy and so over the years Bishop Adrian enjoyed training stipendiary curates and working alongside ordained colleagues in the non-stipendiary ministry. In 2014 the Bishop of Cork appointed Adrian the Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, a post which involved working closely with the bishop while retaining his parish responsibilities in Douglas.
On 23rd June 2022 Adrian was elected Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory by an electoral college meeting in Dublin and was consecrated on 30th October 2022 in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. He was subsequently installed in each of the six diocesan cathedrals.
Adrian is married to Dr Jacqui Wilkinson who is a lecturer in initial teacher education at Dublin City University. She is a specialist in Religious Education. Adrian and Jacqui have three adult children, two sons and a daughter.