Robert Howard, D.D. (October 1670 – 3 April 1740) was an Anglican prelate who served in the Church of Ireland as the Bishop of Killala and Achonry (1727–1730) and Bishop of Elphin (1730–1740).
Born in October 1670, he was the son of Ralph Howard, M.D., The Province of Leinster, p. 53. In 1703, Robert Howard became a fellow of Trinity College, Dublin., The Province of Connaught, p. 75. He was appointed Vicar of St. Ann's Church, Dublin in November 1717, then Curate of St. Bride's Church, Dublin. He was then appointed a Prebendary of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin in 1712,, The Province of Leinster, p. 167. and Dean of Ardagh in 1722,, The Province of Ulster, p. 188. Precentor of Christ Church, Dublin in March 1723, and Chancellor of St. Patrick's, Dublin and Vicar of Finglas in April 1723., The Province of Leinster, p. 119. He was nominated Bishop of Killala and Achonry on 14 January 1727 and consecrated on 19 March 1727., Handbook of British Chronology, p. 396., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, p. 393. Three years later, he was appointed Bishop of Elphin by letters patent on 13 January 1730., The Province of Connaught, p. 129., Handbook of British Chronology, p. 392., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, p. 436.
He married Patience Boleyn, only daughter of Godfrey Boleyn of Fennor, County Meath, and Mary Singleton, sister of Henry Singleton, Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas. They had seven children. The Boleyn family of Meath were distant cousins of Queen Anne Boleyn.
He was lineal ancestor of the Earls of Wicklow, his son Ralph having been created Baron Clonmore in 1776 and Viscount Wicklow in 1785.
Bishop Howard died in office on 3 April 1740, aged 69, and was buried in St. Bride's Church, Dublin.
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Bibliography Murdoch, Tessa, ed. (2022). Great Irish Households: Inventories from the Long Eighteenth Century. Cambridge: John Adamson . See pp. 89–103 for transcripts of the inventories of goods drawn up on Robert Howard's death to sell to Edward Synge, his successor as bishop of Elphin. Interestingly the nearly 400 books listed as being in the study were not given a value.