Achilles Daunt

Achilles Daunt (1832–1878) was a noted Irish preacher and homilist, and Church of Ireland Dean of Cork.

Early life and education

Achilles Daunt descended from a cadet branch of the Daunt family of Owlpen, Gloucestershire, settled since 1575 at Tracton Abbey, County Cork. He was the eldest son of Achilles Daunt who died 28 August 1871, by Mary, third daughter of John Isaac Heard, Member of Parliament for Kinsale.

He was born at Rincurran, near Kinsale, on 23 August 1832. He was educated at Kinsale endowed school, and at the age of sixteen entered Trinity College Dublin, where he gained a classical scholarship, and was awarded the vice-chancellor's prize for English poetry in 1851. At the degree examination in 1853 he came out second senior moderator and gold medallist in classics.

Preacher

He held the curacy of St. Matthias' Church, Dublin, for seven months in 1855, and was afterwards presented by his grandfather, Mr. Heard, to the vicarage of Rincurran.

In Rincurran, he established a special class for servants and a chaplaincy to the garrison at Charles Fort. On 11 January 1867 he resigned Rincurran, was for a short time rector of Ballymoney, County Cork, and then became rector of Stackallen, County Meath, and private chaplain to his friend and diocesan, Samuel Butcher. In August 1867 he left Stackallen for the vicarage of St. Matthias, Dublin. His popularity was such that it became necessary to rebuild his church, and while it was being rebuilt he preached in a large concert hall to a congregation that averaged upwards of three thousand people. He preached his final sermon in the concert hall on 31 July 1870, and then took possession of his new church.