J.A. David Bird

At the meeting of the Diocesan Council of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Mr David Bird, from Cobh, Co. Cork in the Diocese of Cloyne, announced that he would not be standing for re-election to the Diocesan Synod or General Synod.

This will be the first time in more than 100 years that a member of the Bird family has not been a member of Diocesan Synod and General Synod.

The Bishop, Dr Paul Colton, paid tribute to Mr Bird and presented him with the first of the plaques (featuring the Diocesan Coat of Arms) recently commissioned by the Bishop to acknowledge long and committed voluntary service by lay people to the Diocese.

Bishop Colton said:

I checked this morning, and a member of the Bird family is recorded as having first attended a meeting of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland in 1910.  David Bird himself has been on General Synod since 1964.

During his half-century on Diocesan Synod, Diocesan Council and General Synod, Mr Bird has also represented the Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross on the Standing Committee, on the Role of the Church Committee, as well as being for many years a member of his own local parish Select Vestry, a Diocesan Trustee and chairing the Diocesan Property Committee in recent years.  He is currently a member of the Church of Ireland’s Committee on Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief.