More than 10,000 Church of Ireland members in the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross await the appointment of a new bishop to succeed Dr Roy Warke, who is to retire after more than 10 years in office.
The electoral college which will appoint the new bishop will convene at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin on Friday. The appointee will be "a heavyweight", according to church sources, who will oversee a vibrant Church of Ireland community in Cork, Cloyne and Ross and deal with questions such as the proposal which has been gaining ground in recent years to merge the diocese with Limerick.
One of the interesting names to emerge on the grapevine is that of Canon Virginia Kennerley of Co Kildare, who, if appointed, would become the first woman bishop in the Church of Ireland "I'm loathe to comment on this kind of speculation," she says. "For heaven's sake, take no notice of it. I would not consider it possible that I would be offered the position. My view is that it will take another generation for a woman bishop to be appointed in Ireland," she says.
Would she accept if offered the position? "It's not going to happen. I'd rather say no more than that."
The Dean of Cork, Dr Michael Jackson, who has worked closely with Dr Warke and who is now overseeing the restoration of St Fin Barre's Cathedral in the city, is considered to be a contender, but like Canon Kennerley, is reluctant to comment. "I can't say anything. There is a well-defined procedure in the church and I must leave it to that. I haven't any knowledge about the possible appointees or who they are likely to be. In due course, all will be revealed," he adds.
Would he accept the appointment? "I'd have to think about it." The name of the Rev Michael Burrows, the rector of Bandon and a former chaplain at Trinity, who is from a well-known clerical family and has international ecumenical connections, has also been mentioned. "Quite emphatically I am not a candidate," he says.
"I think it would be inconceivable for me to be offered the position. It's embarrassing to even discuss the possibility."
Canon Ken Kearon, a leading Church of Ireland moral theologian and son-in-law of Dr Samuel Poyntz, who was succeeded by Dr Warke, has accepted the directorship of the Irish School of Ecumenics, a position he will take up at Easter. "When I accepted the appointment, I effectively put myself out of the running," he says.
Archdeacon Kenneth Good of Dromore, Co Down, says he was not aware his name was being mentioned in church circles as a possible successor to Dr Warke. "I haven't been contacted by anyone in any shape or form, so I can't really comment. Would I accept the job if it was offered to me? I can't comment on that either. It's all very hypothetical," he says.
In matters of State, the Bishop of Cork traditionally has been a voice of moderation. The sprawling diocese stretches east to Cloyne and west to Ross but is dominated by the great cathedral of St Fin Barre's. When the last electoral college met to appoint a successor to Dr Poyntz, one of the electors was the outgoing bishop, Dr Warke. Once he had been nominated, he had to withdraw as an elector. In an interview with The Irish Times recently, he said he had gone to Dublin to perform a particular task and to his surprise wound up at the end of the day as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
The name of the new bishop may be known by Friday evening.