Who was Archdeacon Cecil Pringle? Clergyman behind Paul McCartney's secret 2002 wedding dies at 81

Archdeacon Cecil Pringle, the Irish priest who blessed the secret wedding of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, has died at age 81.

According to a report in the Belfast Telegraph, the clergyman died at the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, on July 29, 2025, surrounded by his family.

He became known after officiating McCartney's wedding in 2002 at San Salvator's Church, Glaslough, Ireland. According to a report on the BBC, the grand event was attended by 300 guests, including Ringo Starr and former Beatles producer George Martin.

Archdeacon Cecil Pringle was a former rector of Rossorry Parish Church. He conducted his last service as a parish rector after 52 years of ministry in 2018. He is survived by his wife, Hilary; son, Mark; and daughters, Tanya and Claire, along with their families.

All we know about Archdeacon Cecil Pringle

Archdeacon Cecil Pringle was an Irish Anglican priest known for his long and dedicated service in the Church of Ireland. His connection to Paul McCartney’s wedding has led people to learn more about his life after his death.

He was born in 1943 near Clones, County Monaghan, Ireland, according to the Church of Ireland. Later, he graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 1965. He was ordained as a priest in 1966 and started his ministry with his curacy (first assignment as a priest) at St. Donard’s Parish in East Belfast.

He was then appointed as the Rector of the Parish of Cleenish in Clogher Diocese from 1969 to 1980. Archdeacon Cecil Pringle later served as the Rector of Rossorry Parish, where he remained from 1980 until 2008. He was appointed a Canon of Clogher Cathedral in 1986 and Archdeacon of Clogher in 1989.

After nearly 28 years as a rector, he stepped down from the parish and continued his ministry as a Bishop’s Curate for the Drumkeeran Group of parishes in north Fermanagh until his retirement in 2018.

His final service was held in February 2018 at Drumkeeran Parish Church, Tubrid, part of the parish grouping of Drumkeeran, Muckross, and Templecarne, according to the Fermanagh Herald. While speaking to The News Letter in 2018 upon his retirement, Archdeacon Cecil Pringle shared about his life. He said:

“My last service will be on Sunday, February 25. I have no plans beyond February 28 apart from just taking it nice and easy and enjoying myself. I’ll be able to spend more time with my family and out walking. I’ll not have an excuse any longer not to do jobs around the house.”

He added:

“I grew up on a farm, long, long, long ago. My father died when we were very young so there were lots of jobs for me to do. I’ve never known what it was like not to have had anything to do, so consequently I just keep at it. I’ve never been one of these people who took Monday off or Thursday off – perhaps unfortunately – but that’s just the way I was since I was back in primary school.”

His funeral service is scheduled to be held at Rossorry Parish Church on Friday, August 1st, at 2:00 pm. It will be followed by his burial in the churchyard.

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