Cardinal Desmond Connell, Archbishop emeritus of Dublin (Ireland), was born on 24 March 1926 in Phibsboro, Ireland. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Dublin on 19 May 1951 and holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain.

In 1953 he started teaching in the Department of Metaphysics at University College Dublin, where he was appointed professor of general metaphysics in 1972 and elected dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Sociology in 1983. He has written on philosophical and theological subjects and for his published work was awarded the decree D.Litt. by the National University of Ireland in 1981. He also served as chaplain to the Poor Clares in Donnybrook, the Carmelites in Drumcondra and the Carmelites in Blackrock.

He was appointed Archbishop of Dublin on 21 January 1988 and received episcopal ordination on 6 March.

Archbishop emeritus of Dublin, 26 April 2004.

He participated in the conclave of April 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by St. John Paul II in the Consistory of 21 February 2001, of the Title of S. Silvestro in Capite (St. Sylvester in Capite).