Strong Roscrea links to new Rector of the Parish of Donnybrook and Irishtown

ROSCREA has strong links to the newly appointed Church of Ireland Rector of the Parishes of Donnybrook and Irishtown in County Dublin, who once operated a drapery business in Roscrea - Rev. Leonard Ruddock.

Rev. Leonard Ruddock, who has been Rector in the Blessington Union of Parishes since 2008, has been appointed Rector of the Parish of Donnybrook and Irishtown Parishes and will leave Blessington at the end of March to take up his new appointment.

Rev. Ruddock once had a drapery shop in Roscrea and worked in Shaw's before opening his own business.

He began studying for the auxiliary ministry while running his retail business in Roscrea and was ordained in 1994 to serve in the Roscrea Group of Parishes (Limerick and Killaloe).

He transferred to full time ministry in 2006 and served as Curate in Stillorgan and Blackrock in County Dublin from 2006 to 2008. He was Rector of the Blessington Union of Parishes since 2008 and Rural Dean of West Glendalough since 2010 and is a member of Diocesan Councils.

He is married to Hazel, who is daughter of former Fine Gael MEP and President of the Irish Farmers Association, Alan Gilis and they have two children - Gary and Amanda.

In the Blessington Union of Parishes he looked after Blessington, Cloughleagh, Ballymore Eustace and Hollywood.
While working in Blessington he was appointed by the Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson as 12th Canon of Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin in 2018.