John Kearney (bishop)

John Kearney, D.D. (10 August 1744 – 22 May 1813) was an Irish academic and bishop who served as the 23rd Provost of Trinity College Dublin from 1799 to 1806. He was the Church of Ireland Bishop of Ossory from 1806 to 1813.

Early life
Kearney was born in Dublin in 1744, the son of a barber-surgeon, and the younger brother of Michael Kearney.

Kearney was elected a Scholar of Trinity College Dublin in 1760 and a Fellow in 1764.

Academic career
He held the Chair of Oratory from 1781 until his appointment as Provost in July 1799.

Kearney was nominated Bishop of Ossory on 4 January and appointed by letters patent on 20 January 1806. He was consecrated at Trinity College Chapel on 2 February 1806, by Charles Agar, Archbishop of Dublin, assisted by Charles Lindsay, Bishop of Kildare and Nathaniel Alexander, Bishop of Down and Connor. His replacement as Provost was George Hall. That year, Kearney was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May 1806.

Kearney died in office in Kilkenny on 22 May 1813.