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The Archbishop of Armagh is an archiepiscopacy in two of the main Christian churches in Ireland. It takes its name after the city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. The ordinary also holds the title of Primate of All Ireland. Since the Reformation, parallel successions to the archiepiscopal see have taken place in the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church.
In the Church of Ireland the Archbishop is Richard Clarke, who is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh. He was elected archbishop in October 2012 and enthroned at St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland) on 15 December 2012.
In the Roman Catholic Church the Archbishop is Eamon Martin, who is the ecclesiastical head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the ordinary of the Archdiocese of Armagh. He succeeded on 8 September 2014, having been ordained Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh at St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Roman Catholic) on 21 April 2013.
History
In the medieval Irish church, the earliest bishops doubled as abbots, with the bishop becoming the junior of the two positions. From 8th century, if not earlier, the house of Armagh claimed foundation from Saint Patrick, and the position of comarba Pátraic ("successor of Patrick") was held by the abbot of Armagh until the position of abbot and bishop were merged again in the 12th century, with the creation of the archbishopric of Armagh.