Bishop of Kilfenora explained

The Bishop of Kilfenora was a distinct episcopal title which took its name from the village of Kilfenora in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. In both the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church, the title is now united with other bishoprics.

History

The monastery at Kilfenora was reportedly founded by Saint Fachanan in the sixth century.[1] It was not until March 1152 that the diocese of Kilfenora was established at the Synod of Kells.[1] The diocese corresponded with the ancient territory of Corcomroe.[1] [2] Part of the Archdiocese of Cashel, it only extended over 200 square miles of very thinly populated land. It was reckoned the poorest diocese, with only 13 parishes. Demand for the position of bishop thus was not great, but for 1189 a bishop is recorded. In 1660, Samuel Pullen was made Archbishop of Tuam and Kilfenora became part of his province.[3]

After the Reformation, there were parallel paths of succession. In the Church of Ireland, Kilfenora continued as a separate see until it was combined with Killaloe to form the united bishopric of Killaloe and Kilfenora in 1752. Under the Church Temporalities (Ireland) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 37), the united see became one of the sees held by bishops of Killaloe and Clonfert in 1834. Since 1976, Kilfenora has been one of the sees held by the bishops of Limerick and Killaloe.

The Roman Catholic Church bishopric of Kilfenora continued as a separate title until 1750 when Pope Benedict XIV decreed that it be united with the bishopric of Kilmacduagh. Since Kilmacduagh was in the ecclesiastical province of Tuam while Kilfenora was in the Province of Cashel, it was arranged that the ordinary of the united dioceses was to be alternately bishop of one diocese and apostolic administrator of the other.[4] The first holder of this unusual arrangement was Peter Kilkelly, who had been Bishop of Kilmacduagh since 1744, and became Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora in September 1750. In 1866, Patrick Fallon, the sitting Bishop of Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora, resigned due to ill health, and John McEvilly, the Bishop of Galway, was appointed Apostolic Administrator of both Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora. McEvilly would be named Coadjutor Archbishop of Tuam in 1878 but retained his duties in Galway until he eventually succeeded to the Tuam archdiocesan throne in 1881. Upon McEvilly's succession in Tuam, the three sees of Galway, Kilmacduagh, and Kilfenora remained vacant for two years. In 1883, Pope Leo XIII combined the dioceses of Galway and Kilmacduagh into a unified see, and made the Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora in perpetuum.[4] [5] [6]

Pre-Reformation bishops

Pre-Reformation Bishops of Kilfenora
FromUntilIncumbentNotes
align=center bef.1172align=center unknown(Name not known)Took the oath of fealty to King Henry II of England in 1172
align=center bef.1205align=center unknownF.Elected before 1205
align=center bef.1224align=center unknownJohnElected before 1224; also known as Johannes
align=center 1251/54align=center 1255ChristianKnown to be bishop fl. 1251 and 1254; died before December 1255; also known as Christianus
align=center unknownalign=center 1264(Name not known)Died on 28 February 1264
align=center 1266align=center 1273MauriceElected after 3 March 1265 and consecrated before 12 February 1266; died before 14 July 1273; also known as Mauricius and called by some as Henry
align=center 1273align=center 1281Florence Ó Tigernaig, O.S.A.Formerly Abbot of Kilsanne; elected bishop before 18 September 1273; died before 12 July 1281; also known as Florentius
align=center 1281align=center 1298Congalach Ó LochlainnFormerly Dean of Kilfenora; elected bishop before 6 September 1281; died before 21 December 1298; also known as Carolus
align=center 1300align=center 1302Simon Ó CuirrinElected on 16 May and confirmed on 22 July 1300; died on 26 December 1302
align=center 1303align=center 1319Maurice Ó BriainFormerly Dean of Kilfenora; elected bishop sometime between 16 March and 10 June 1303; died in office
align=center 1323align=center 1359Risdeard Ó LochlainnConsecrated on 17 April 1323; died on 3 February 1359; also known as Richard O'Loghlain
align=center unknownalign=center 1372DenisDied before October 1372; also known as Dionysius
align=center 1372align=center unknownHenryAppointed on 6 October 1372; also known as Henricus
align=center unknownc.1389CorneliusDied in office circa 1389
align=center 1390align=center 1421PatrickElected before 28 February and appointed on that date; consecrated after 19 March 1390; died before 15 January 1421; also known as Patricius
align=center 1421align=center 1433Feidhlimidh mac Mathghamhna Ó LochlainnAppointed on 15 January 1421; consecrated after 6 February 1421; died before 7 August 1433; also known as Florentius or Florence O'Loughlin
align=center 1433align=center 1434FearghalAppointed on 7 August 1433; died before 17 November 1434
align=center 1434align=center 1491Denis Ó ConnmhaighAppointed on 17 November and consecrated on 26 December 1434; resigned on 12 December 1491; also known as Denis O'Cahan or in Latin as Dionysius
align=center 1491align=center 1541Muircheartach mac Murchadha Ó BriainFormerly a Canon of Kilfenora; appointed bishop on 12 December 1491; Papal bulls expediated on 26 August 1492; died before 21 November 1541; also known as Maurice O'Brien or in Latin as Mauricius
align=center 1514align=center c.1541Maurice O'KellyAppointed 6 November 1514; died in office circa 1541
align=center 1541align=center 1572John O'NialainAppointed by Pope Paul III on 21 November 1541, but seems to have accepted royal supremacy since he was recognised by King Henry VIII; died in 1572; also recorded as John O'Neylan
align=center colspan=4Sources: [7] [8] [9] [10]

Post-Reformation bishops

Church of Ireland succession

Church of Ireland Bishops of Kilfenora
FromUntilIncumbentNotes
align=center 1572align=center 1606See vacant
align=center 1606align=center 1617See held in commendam by Bernard Adams, Bishop of Limerick
align=center 1617align=center 1622John SteereFormerly Archdeacon of Emly; nominated on 9 July and consecrated on 26 August 1617; translated to Ardfert and Aghadoe on 20 July 1622
align=center 1622align=center 1627William MurrayFormerly Chaplain-in-Ordinary to King James I & VI; nominated on 15 March and consecrated on 18 December 1622; translated to Llandaff on 24 December 1627
1628Richard BettsChaplain-in-Ordinary to King James I & VI; appointed by letters patent on 19 September 1628, but when he arrived in Ireland and learned of the poverty of the see, he declined the appointment and left without consecration
align=center 1628align=center 1630See vacant
align=center 1630align=center 1638James HeygateFormerly Archdeacon of Clogher; nominated on 28 February and consecrated on 9 May 1630; died on 30 April 1638
align=center 1638align=center 1643Robert SibthorpFormerly Treasurer of Killaloe and Prebendary of Maynooth, in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin; nominated on 19 June and consecrated on 11 November 1638; translated to Limerick in 1643
align=center 1643align=center 1661See vacant
align=center 1661align=center 1741See held in commendam by the Archbishops of Tuam
align=center 1742align=center 1752See held in commendam by John Whitcombe, Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh
17521834See part of the united bishopric of Killaloe and Kilfenora
18341976See part of the united bishopric of Killaloe and Clonfert
since 1976See part of the united bishopric of Limerick and Killaloe
align=center colspan=4Sources: [11] [12] [13]

Roman Catholic succession

Roman Catholic Bishops of Kilfenora
FromUntilIncumbentNotes
15721629See vacant
1629unknown(Daniel Gryphaeus)Appointed vicar general in 1629 and vicar apostolic by Papal brief on 1 April 1631
1647c.1673Andrew LynchAppointed on 11 March and consecrated on 21 April 1647; died circa 1673
16731722See vacant
1722unknownWilliam O'DalyHe was vicar general of Kilfenora before appointed bishop on 7 August 1722; date of death unknown
17261749James Augustine O'Daly, O.S.A.Appointed on 27 July 1726; died on 20 August 1749
17501883See part of the united bishopric of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora
since 1883See part of the united diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora
align=center colspan=4Sources: [14] [15] [16] [17]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Dioceses of Ireland: Territorial History . RootsWeb . 18 May 2009.
  2. , The Province of Munster, p. 500.
  3. Book: Cunningham, George. Burren Journey. Shannonside Mid Western Regional Tourism Organisation. 1978.
  4. Web site: History of the Diocese. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210930084634/https://www.galwaydiocese.ie/diocese/history. 30 September 2021. Galway Diocese.
  5. , Handbook of British Chronology, p. 436.
  6. , Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 390.
  7. , Handbook of British Chronology, p. 358.
  8. , The Episcopal Succession in England, Scotland and Ireland, volume 2, pp. 125–127.
  9. , The Province of Munster, pp. 501–502.
  10. , Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 299.
  11. , The Province of Munster, pp. 502–504.
  12. , Handbook of British Chronology, p. 395.
  13. , Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 417.
  14. , The Episcopal Succession in England, Scotland and Ireland, volume 2, pp. 127–128.
  15. , Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 430 and 432–433.
  16. http://www.galwaydiocese.ie/diocese/history History of the Diocese
  17. , Maps, Genealogies, Lists, p. 362.

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