George Dowdall
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George Dowdall (1487 - 15 August 1558) was twice Archbishop of Armagh.
He was appointed Primate of All Ireland by Henry VIII in 1543 to succeed George Cromer. However, this was not recognised by the Pope, who had earlier replaced Cromer with Robert Wauchope. Dowall accepted Henry's position as Supreme Head in Earth of the Church of Ireland, but like Henry took a Catholic and anti-Protestant theological position; this became unsustainable in the reign of Edward VI, and in 1552 he withdrew to be replaced by Hugh Goodacre. By this stage Wauchope had died without replacement.
With Mary's accession in 1553 and re-establishment of Roman Catholicism, Dowall was reappointed to Armagh, this time with the Pope's approval, and held the position until his death, some three months before Mary.
