Victor Griffin

This article is about the Irish Anglican priest. For the Quapaw leader, see Victor Griffin (Quapaw).

Victor Gilbert Benjamin Griffin (Dean Griffin)^[1] (24 May 1924 – 11 January 2017) was a Church of Ireland (Anglican) priest, theologian and author and a strongly liberal voice in Irish public life.^[2]

Born in Carnew, County Wicklow, Griffin was educated at Kilkenny College and Trinity College, Dublin, where he was elected a scholar and awarded the Luce, Bernard, Wray and Macren prizes for philosophy and metaphysical studies. He had a long and mutually satisfying relationship with Trinity in his years in ministry in Dublin.^[3]

He was married to Daphne who died from MS on 16 January 1998. They had twin sons Timothy (died 5 June 2012) and Kevin, both married and Griffin has five grandchildren.

Church career

He was ordained in 1948.^[4] He held curacies at St Augustine's in Derry then at Christ Church, in the same city. He became rector of Christ Church in 1957, serving until 1969.^{[citation needed]}

He was first prebendary of Howth in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin (1962–1968) then dean from 1969 until 1991 ^[5] and when he completed his term he was regarded by some commentators as "the great Dean of the twentieth century."^[6]

Griffin's ministry in Dublin was characterised by an openness and inclusivity, a building of bridges to other traditions and he was among the first public figures to recognise the wider changes in Irish public life. Among the causes he adopted were: strong support for the Irish anti-apartheid campaign; his endorsement of, and canvassing for both Mary Robinson and David Norris (politician); trenchant opposition to the campaign for the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland; Tenth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1986; and the campaign to preserve Liberties of Dublin and renovate the inner city.^[7]

Author

He was the author of several books including:

• Anglican and Irish: What We Believe (1976)
• Mark of Protest (1993)
• Enough Religion to Make Us Hate (2002)
• A short catechism of basic Church teaching (2007)^[8]

Personal life

He lived in retirement in Limavady, Northern Ireland, until his death in 2017.^[9]

References

1. . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2004. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2006.
2. 'GRIFFIN, Very Rev. Victor Gilbert Benjamin', Who's Who 2015, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014 ; online edn, Oct 2014 "Griffin, Very Rev. Victor Gilbert Benjamin, (24 May 1924–11 Jan. 2017), Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, 1969–91". Who's Who. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U18209. from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
3. "An Illustrious Alumnus: Victor Griffin (1924–2017)" (PDF). Trinity College, Dublin. 17 January 2017. (PDF) from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
4. Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975–76 London: Oxford University Press, 1976 ISBN 0-19-200008-X
5. Griffin, Victor. (PDF). St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
6. "Obituary: Dean Victor Griffin". The Irish Times. Dublin. 14 January 2017. ISSN 0791-5144. from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
7. "Victor Griffin". www.ricorso.net. from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
8. British Library website accessed 09:03 GMT 19 January 2015
9. "Tributes flow in for 'inspirational' former Derry Dean Victor Griffin". The Belfast Telegraph. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2022.

External links

• 'Dedicated priest' Dean Victor Griffin dies aged 92
• Celebrated dean of St Patrick's Cathedral Victor Griffin dies
• Transcript of 2004 interview aired on ABC Radio