Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin

Election

Holders of the office of dean

Pre-Reformation

• 1219-c.1238 – William FitzGuido, first dean, appointed by Archbishop Henry de Loundres
• c.1238-c.1250 – Richard Gardiner
• c.1250–1275 – Richard de St. Martin, a sitting prebendary
• 1275–1284 – John de Sandford, Franciscan, Prebendary of Howth; later Archbishop of Dublin
• 1284–1311 – Thomas de Chaddesworth or Chadsworth, Chancellor
• 1311-c.1338 - William de Rodyard, Treasurer; later, first Chancellor of the first University of Dublin and Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas
• 1348–1353 – Adam de Kingston
• 1353–1374 – William de Bromley, Prebendary of Lusk; also Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland, Treasurer of Ireland and Keeper of the Great Seal
• 1374–1382 – John Colton
• 1382–1391 – Henry Bowett, papal chaplain; became Bishop of Bath and Wells in 1401 and was Archbishop of York from 1407-1423
• 1396–1401 – Thomas de Everdon, a sitting prebendary; Master of the Rolls in Ireland.

• 1401-?1428 – John Prene, appointed by Pope Boniface IX in breach of the Chapter's right of election but confirmed by the King in London after the dispute on rights was settled.
• ?1428–1457 – Nicholas Hill, Archdeacon of Dublin
• 1457–1466 – Philip Norris, Prebendary of Yagoe; excommunicated by the Pope for attacks on mendicant friars
• 1466–1506 – John Alleyne, Precentor
• 1506–1522 – Thomas Rochfort, Precentor
• 1522–1527 – John Rycardes
• 1527–1528 – Robert Sutton, Archdeacon of Dublin
• 1528–1529 – Thomas Darcy, Prebendary of Howth
• 1529–1537 – Geoffrey Fyche, Treasurer

  Post-Reformation to Disestablishment

• 1537–1547 – Edward Bassenet, a sitting prebendary, for whose election pressure was exerted by the State, Archbishop George Browne writing to the King that the Chapter had elected him "only in respect of your Grace's desire"

• 1555–1560 – Thomas Leverous, appointed by Queen Mary, formerly tutor to the powerful FitzGerald family; became Bishop of Kildare, and was one of the two Irish Bishops to refuse to take the Oath of Supremacy, after which he was deprived of both offices and ran a school in Adare
• 1560–1565 – Alexander Craike, Prebendary of Clonmethan;
• 1565–1567 – Adam Loftus, also Archbishop of Armagh, then resigned to become Archbishop of Dublin; later first Provost of Trinity College, Dublin; died 1605
• 1567–1573 – Robert Weston
• 1573–1581 – Sir William Gerard, a layman who was also Lord Chancellor of Ireland 1576–1581
• 1581–1585 – Thomas Jones, Chancellor; afterwards Bishop of Meath 1584 and then Archbishop of Dublin
• 1585–1597 – Richard Meredyth,
• 1597–1608 – John Ryder, who became Bishop of Killaloe
• 1608–1625 – Thomas Moigne, Prebendary of Monmohenock;
• 1625–1649 – Benjamin Culme, of Molland-Champson and Canonsleigh, Devon, Prebendary of Mulhuddart

• 1660–1666 – William Fuller, who became Bishop of Limerick 1663 and later of Bishop of Lincoln, and who composed an anthem for the Restoration in Ireland, celebrated on 27 January 1660 with the consecration at the cathedral of twelve bishops
• 1666–1675 – Thomas Seele, Chancellor; Fellow, and later Provost of Trinity College, Dublin
• 1675–1678 – Benjamin Parry, Prebendary of Castleknock
• 1678–1689 – John Worth, Chancellor, previously Dean of Kildare
• 1689–1691 – William King, Chancellor, became Bishop of Derry 1691, later Archbishop of Dublin, Lord Justice;
• 1691–1694 – Michael Jephson, previously Chancellor of Christ Church Cathedral
• 1694–1696 – Thomas Lindsay, became Bishop of Killaloe, Bishop of Raphoe, and then Archbishop of Armagh
• 1696-1699- Edward Smyth, Fellow of Trinity College Dublin and Chaplain to King William III; became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dublin and later Bishop of Down and Connor
• 1699–1705 – Jerome Ryves, previously Chancellor of Christ Church Cathedral
• 1705–1713 – John Sterne, Chancellor, rebuilt Dean's house in 1713; became Bishop of Dromore, and later of Clogher, and appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dublin in 1721
• 1713–1745 – Jonathan Swift, Prebendary of Dunlavin; the famous writer
• 1745–1746 – Gabriel James Maturin, Prebendary of Mulhuddart ; previously Dean of Kildare
• 1746–1775 – Francis Corbet, Treasurer
• 1775–1794 – William Cradock, Prebendary of St. Audoen's
• 1794– Robert Fowler later, Bishop of Ossory
• 1794–1810 – James Verschoyle, previously a Minor Canon, Vicar-Choral, Prebendary, Archdeacon of Glendalough and Precentor; later, Bishop of Killala and Achonry, 1810
• 1810–1818 – John William Keatinge, last Chaplain to the Irish House of Commons
• 1818–1828 – Richard Ponsonby, Precentor; later Bishop of Killaloe, 1828 then Bishop of Derry
• 1828–1842 – Henry Richard Dawson, oversaw both some renovation of the building, and reorganisation of worship
• 1842–1842 – Robert Daly, Prebendary of Stagonil; election subsequently contested; later Bishop of Cashel and Waterford
• 1843–1864 – Henry Pakenham

• 1864–1889 – John West, Archdeacon of Dublin

  Post-Disestablishment

• 1889–1901 – Henry Jellett, Prebendary of Tymothan and Archdeacon of Cloyne
• 1902–1911 – John Henry Bernard, Treasurer, later Bishop of Ossory, then Archbishop of Dublin and Provost of Trinity College, Dublin
• 1911–1924 – Charles Thomas Ovenden, Prebendary of Monmohenock
• 1924–1933 – Hugh Jackson Lawlor, formerly Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Trinity College, Dublin
• 1933–1935 – Thomas Arnold Harvey, afterwards Bishop of Cashel and Waterford, 1935
• 1935–1950 – David Frederick Ruddell Wilson
• 1950–1968 – William Cecil De Pauley
• 1958–1968 – John Ward Armstrong, afterwards Bishop of Cashel and Waterford,1968 and later Archbishop of Armagh, 1980
• 1969–1991 – Victor Gilbert Benjamin Griffin
• 1991–1999 – Maurice Evan Stewart
• 1999–2012 – Robert MacCarthy
• 2012–2016 – Victor Stacey
• 2016-Present- William Morton