Installation of Canon Amanda Adams to Chapter of Lisburn Cathedral

Monday December 4th 2023

Dean Sam Wright welcomes the Rev Canon Amanda Adams to the Chapter of St Saviour, Connor.

Amanda Adams, rector of the Grouped Parishes of Ballyrashane and Kildollagh, was installed as a Canon of Lisburn Cathedral at a service in the Cathedral on Sunday December 3.

Amanda was installed as Prebendary of Connor. At the same service, the Rev Canon James Carson was installed as Chancellor, the Rev Canon William Taggart as Precentor and the Rev Canon Peter Galbraith as Treasurer in the Chapter of St Saviour, Connor.

This follows the retirement of the Rev Canon George Graham.

The Canons were installed by the Dean of Connor, the Very Rev Sam Wright, and the preacher was the Rev Canon James Carson.

The Chapter of St Saviour’s, Connor, pictured at the installation of Amanda Adams as Canon in Lisburn Cathedral on Sunday December 3. Front row, from left: Archdeacon Stephen McBride, Dean Sam Wright, Canon Amanda Adams and Archdeacon Paul Dundas. Back row, from left: Canon Chris Easton, Canon Peter Galbraith, Canon Mark McConnell, Canon William Taggart, Canon Derek Kerr and Canon James Carson.

Amanda is an economics graduate from Queen’s University Belfast and worked for the Inland Revenue all over Northern Ireland.

She began her studies at the Church of Ireland Theological College, Dublin, in 2003, and was ordained a deacon in June 2006, when she was appointed curate of St Patrick’s, Ballymena, before her institution as rector of Ballyrashane and Kildollagh in July 2009.

Amanda has been Transferor Representative on the Northern Education and Library Board and has been Church of Ireland Transferor Representative on the Board of the Education Authority, Northern Ireland, for the last nine years.

She also sits on a number of school governing bodies and is a member of Connor Diocesan Council. Her parish has been in partnership with Ibba Diocese in South Sudan for more than 10 years.

Ballyrashane and Kildollagh Parishes have formed a Rural Ministries Partnership with other parishes on the north coast, and during the summer, along with the Grouped Parishes of Ballintoy and Dunseverick with Rathlin Island and St Patrick’s, Coleraine, and St Andrew’s, Ballysally, Amanda and her team hosted Streetreach for Connor’s young people – with Streetreach returning in 2024.

Amanda grew up in the Lisburn area, attending Eglantine Parish Church and later St Paul’s, Lisburn.

Speaking when her appointment was announced in October by the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev George Davison, Amanda said: “I was very surprised to be asked to be a Canon of Lisburn Cathedral and very humbled, it is such an honour.

“I truly feel that this honour is really the recognition of the efforts and unfailing support of so many people in the Grouped Parishes and beyond.”