The Church of Ireland Gazette is a monthly magazine covering news, commentary, and faith-based reflection from across the Church of Ireland. Though rooted in the Anglican tradition, it maintains full editorial independence. It is published by Church of Ireland Press on the second Friday of each month, with both print and digital editions, and an approximate circulation of 5,000 copies.
Founded in March 1856 under the title The Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette, the publication began as a monthly journal. It became a weekly newspaper in 1880 and was renamed The Church of Ireland Gazette in 1900. In January 2019, it reverted to a monthly format and adopted a more reflective, magazine-style approach.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Gazette operated from 61 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, where it was printed by James Charles & Sons. A new company, Church of Ireland Printing and Publishing Ltd., was formed in 1897. The paper remained at Middle Abbey Street until the 1960s. It notably continued through national crises, including the 1916 Easter Rising—although publication was suspended for one week, it resumed with a combined issue.[1]
The Irish Church Directory, later published as The Church of Ireland Directory, was also produced from the same address between 1862 and 1966, before moving to Mark Street, Dublin.[2]
Recent developments
In 2025, Clark Brydon was appointed editor and announced plans to modernise the magazine. His editorial vision includes a renewed emphasis on investigative journalism, deeper theological engagement, and broader coverage of social, cultural, and ethical issues from a Church of Ireland perspective.
As part of its ongoing evolution, the Gazette continues to balance historical awareness with contemporary relevance, contributing to public discourse within and beyond the Church.
Editors
The editors of the Gazette have included clergy, journalists, and academics. The list below presents editors in chronological order:
Name
Tenure
Notes
Revd James Anderson Carr
1871–1893
Revd Canon Courtenay Moore
1893–1897
Revd Canon Charles Irvine Graham
1897–1905
Revd Warre B. Wells
1906–1918
Wrote the wartime column The War Week by Week
Revd George Ashton Chamberlain
1919–1924
Revd Canon Hugh W. B. Thompson
1924–1930
Revd Canon Ernest William Greening
1934–1954
Revd Canon Frederick Andrew Graves (Andy) Willis
1959–1975
Joint editor 1963–1966
Rt Revd Gilbert Wilson
1963–1966
Joint editor with Andy Willis
Revd Houston McKelvey
1975–1982
Later Dean of Belfast
Revd Canon Cecil Cooper
1982–2001
Revd Canon Ian Ellis
2001–2017
Later Bishop of Clogher
Revd Earl Storey
2017–2019
Ms Karen Bushby
2019–2020
First female editor
Ms Emma Blain
2020–2024
Journalist and communications professional
Mr Clark Brydon
2025–present
Current editor; introduced a focus on modernisation.
Notable contributors have included Frances Condell, the first female Mayor of Limerick.
Archives and digitisation
The complete physical archive of the Gazette is held at the Representative Church Body Library, Braemor Park, Dublin. In 2018, issues from 1856 to 1923 were digitised and made available online as part of the Decade of Centenaries initiative, with support from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.[3][4] Digital access is provided via the Informa eSearch platform.[5]
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