From teacher to preacher: New Dean on his 'extraordinary journey'

He swapped the classroom for the pulpit, leaving behind a career as a teacher to become a preacher, but the Church of Ireland's new Dean of Derry said he never had "any doubts" about beginning a new life within the ministry.

Rev Nigel Cairns, 51, left his role as principal of Omagh Integrated Primary School in 2014 to train for ministry in the church.

He went from deacon in 2016, to priest a year later, and now after "quite an extraordinary journey" is Dean-elect at the historic St Columb's Cathedral in his native Londonderry.

He will also be rector of the new parish grouping of Templemore and St Augustine's in the city.

Cairns told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme he had been "round the block" as a teacher before deciding to pursue a different path.

The Dean-elect, a married father-of-two, grew up in the Waterside and was educated at Lisnagelvin Primary School, Clondermott High School, Foyle College and Stranmillis University College, where he qualified as a primary school teacher.

He went on to teach in Limavady, Artigarvan and Omagh before leaving the profession to train for the ministry.

The Dean said he and his wife Alison, who is a nurse, were "quite well-off, middle class, house, couple of cars, all the rest of it" when he decided that "there must be more to life than this".

An "increased calling to ordained ministry" took him on the journey to where he is today.

"It is more than a job, it's a life of calling and of service," he said, but he believes that his skill-set as a teacher and school principal transfer across into this pastoral role.

"I'm from the city, I feel I have a reasonable understanding of the dynamics within the city and the groups that operate at different levels," he said.

He hopes to build on a close working relationships that already exist between Christian denominations within the city that he calls home.

"We do see unity in virtually everything that we do, so all of those things are for the greater good," he said.

"I think tolerance and respect has to be in the mix of all that's done."

Cairns, who succeeds Rev Raymond Stewart, is expected to be officially installed in his new role in the summer.