The Bishop of Kildare was an episcopal title which took its name after the town of Kildare in County Kildare, Ireland. The title is no longer in use by any of the main Christian churches having been united with other bishoprics. In the Roman Catholic Church, the title has been merged with that of the bishopric of Leighlin and is currently held by the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. In the Church of Ireland, the title has been merged with that of the bishopric of Meath and is currently held by the Bishop of Meath and Kildare.
In the 5th century, the Abbey of Kildare was founded by Saint Brigid, a double monastery of nuns and monks. The abbey was governed by an abbess, who was the 'heir of Brigit' (comarbae Brigte), and by abbots, bishops and abbot-bishops, who were subordinate to the abbess.
Although the bishopric was founded with the abbey in the fifth century, it wasn't until 1111 AD that the diocese of Kildare was established at the Synod of Rathbreasail. The diocese covered roughly the northern part of County Kildare and the eastern part of County Offaly.
After the episcopate of Walter Wellesley (1529–1539), there were parallel apostolic successions. In the Church of Ireland, Kildare continued as an independent diocese until 1846 when it amalgamated with Dublin and Glendalough to form the united Diocese of Dublin, Kildare and Glendalough. In 1976, Kildare broke away from Dublin and Glendalough and combined with Meath to form the current united Diocese of Meath and Kildare. The Roman Catholic bishopric of Kildare too remained separate until it linked with the bishopric of Leighlin. The bishops of Kildare had been apostolic administrators of Leighlin since 1683 and the union of the two sees was formally decreed on 29 November 1694.
See also: List of abbots and abbesses of Kildare.
| Monastic Bishops of Kildare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes | ||
| d. 520 | Conláed ua hEimri | Known as Saint Conleth; died, according to tradition, 3 May 520 | ||
| d. 639 | Áed Dub mac Colmáin | Abbot and Bishop of Kildare; brother of Fáelán mac Colmáin, King of Leinster | ||
| d. 709 | Máel Dobarchon | Died 19 February 709. | ||
| d. 762 | Eóthigern | Killed by a priest "at St Brigit's altar" (i.e. Kildare Abbey, later became Cathedral) | ||
| d. 787 | Lomthuile | |||
| d. 787 | Snéidbran | |||
| d. 834 | Tuathchar | Scribe | ||
| d. 840 | Orthanach ua Cóellámae Cuirrig | |||
| d. 864 | Áedgen Britt | Also a scribe and anchorite; died 18 December 862 (or 864) | ||
| d. 870 | Móengal | |||
| d. 875 | Robartach mac na Cerddac | Also was scribe and Abbot of Killeigh | ||
| d. 875 | Lachtnán mac Mochthigirn | Also was Abbot of Ferns | ||
| d. 881 | Suibne ua Finsnechtai | |||
| d. 884 | Scandal | |||
| d. 888 | Lergus mac Cruinnén | Slain in battle by the Danes | ||
| d. 931 | Crunnmáel | Died 11 December 929 (or 931) | ||
| d. 981 | Anmchad | |||
| d. 1030 | Máel Martain | |||
| d. 1042 | Máel Brigte | |||
| d. 1097 | Máel Brigte int Sair Ua Broicháin | Styled Bishop of Leinster and Kildare | ||
| 1097 - unknown | Ferdomnach | Styled Bishop of Leinster; resigned the see to Áed Ua hEremóin | ||
| d. 1100 | Áed Ua hEremóin | |||
| d. 1101 | Ferdomnach (again) | Resumed as bishop; died in office | ||
| d. 1108 | Máel Finnéin mac Donngaile | Abbot of Terryglass and 'chief' bishop of Leinster, but not specifically styled bishop of Kildare | ||
| d. 1146 | Cormac Ua Cathassaig | |||
| d. 1148 | Ua Duibín | |||
| align=center colspan="4" | Source(s): | |||
| Diocesan Bishops of Kildare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes | |
| bef. 1152 | unknown | Finn mac Máel Muire Mac Cianáin | Bishop at the time of the Synod of Kells in 1152 | |
| unknown | 1160 | Finn mac Gussáin Ua Gormáin | Formerly Abbot of Newry; died in office | |
| bef. 1161 | 1175 | Malachias Ua Brain | Became bishop before 1161; died 1 January 1175 | |
| bef. 1177 | aft. 1090 | Nehemias | Became bishop before 1177; recorded fl. 1080 - 1190; died after 1190 | |
| 1206 | 1223 | Cornelius Mac Fáelán | Formerly Archdeacon of Kildare; elected and consecrated bishop in 1206; died before March 1223; also recorded as Cornelius Mac Gelain | |
| 1223 | 1232 | Ralph of Bristol | Formerly Treasurer of St Patrick's, Dublin; elected bishop before 12 March 1223; died 24 August 1232 | |
| 1233 | 1258 | John of Taunton | Formerly a Canon of St Patrick's, Dublin; elected bishop before 6 August 1233; died circa June 1258 | |
| 1258 | 1272 | Simon of Kilkenny | Formerly a Canon of Kilkenny; elected bishop before 21 October 1258; died April 1272 | |
| 1272 | 1279 | See vacant | ||
| 1279 | 1299 | Nicholas Cusack, O.F.M. | Appointed by the pope on 27 November 1279; consecrated between 15 May and 7 September 1280; died 5 September 1299 | |
| 1300 | 1332 | Walter Calf | Formerly Chancellor of Kildare; elected bishop before January 1300; died circa 29 November 1332; also recorded as Walter de Veel | |
| 1333 | 1352 | Richard Houlot | Formerly Archdeacon of Kildare; elected bishop before May 1333; provided 24 May 1333; consecrated 18 October 1333; died 24 June 1352 | |
| 1352 | 1365 | Thomas Giffard | Formerly Chancellor of Kildare; elected bishop after June 1352; appointed 21 November 1352; consecrated 31 December 1352; died 25 September 1365 | |
| 1365 | 1404 | Robert of Aketon, O.E.S.A. | Formerly Bishop-elect of Down; elected Bishop of Kildare on 18 November 1365 and appointed 2 May 1366; resigned before April 1404; also known as Robert of Acton | |
| 1404 | 1431 | John Madock | Formerly Archdeacon of Kildare; appointed bishop 9 April 1404; died before July 1431 | |
| 1431 | 1446 | William fitzEdward | Formerly Archdeacon of Kildare; appointed 20 July 1431 and again 8 August 1431; died April 1446 | |
| 1447 | 1464 | Geoffrey Hereford, O.P. | Appointed 23 August 1447; consecrated April 1449; acted as suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Hereford; died before 1464 | |
| 1456/7 | 1457 | John Bole | Elected circa 1456/57; never consecrated; provided Armagh 2 May 1457; also recorded as John Bull | |
| 1464 | 1474 | Richard Lang | Appointed (by Pope Pius II) before August 1464; consecrated c.1464; deprived 28 July 1474; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Chichester 1480 and Winchester 1488 | |
| 1474 | 1475 | David Conel | Appointed 28 July 1474; consecrated after 6 September 1474; died before 5 April 1475 | |
| 1475 | unknown | James Wall, O.F.M. | Appointed 5 April 1475; acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of London 1485–1491; died 28 April 1494 | |
| unknown | 1492 | William Barret | Appointment date unknown; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Winchester 1502-1525 and the York 1530; resigned before 1492; also recorded as William Barnett | |
| unknown | 1513 | Edward Lane | Died in office; also known as Edmund Lane | |
| 1526 | c.1529 | Thomas Dillon, O.S.A. | Formerly Prior of St Peter's, Drogheda; appointed 24 August 1526; died before July 1529 | |
| 1529 | 1539 | Walter Wellesley, O.S.A. | Formerly Prior of Great Connell; appointed 1 July 1529; died before 18 October 1539 | |
| align=center colspan="4" | Source(s): | |||
| Church of Ireland Bishops of Kildare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes | |
| 1540 | 1548 | William Miagh | Formerly Dean of Kildare; appointed to the see by Henry VIII in opposition to the Pope's appointment; died 15 December 1548 | |
| 1550 | 1555 | Thomas Lancaster | Nominated 20 April and consecrated July 1550; deprived in 1554 in the reign of Queen Mary I; later became Archbishop of Armagh. Also Dean of Kilkenny in commendam, 1552–1555. | |
| 1555 | 1560 | Thomas Leverous | Formerly Bishop-designate of Leighlin; nominated by Queen Mary I on 1 March 1555 and appointed Bishop of Kildare and Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin on 30 August 1555; deprived of both posts for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy in 1560, however, he was still recognized as the Roman Catholic bishop until his death in Naas circa 1577 | |
| 1560 | 1564 | Alexander Craike | Nominated 17 May 1560; consecrated August 1560; also was Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin; died before 3 March 1564 | |
| 1564 | 1583 | Robert Daly | Nominated 16 April and consecrated in May 1564; died sometime between 23 February and 3 July 1583; also recorded as Robert Dale | |
| 1583 | 1603 | Daniel Neylan | Nominated 3 July and consecrated in November 1583; died 18 May 1603; also recorded as Donnell O'Neilan | |
| 1604 | 1635 | William Pilsworth | Nominated 23 July 1604; consecrated 11 September 1604; died 9 May 1635 | |
| 1636 | 1642 | Robert Ussher | Nominated 19 October 1635; consecrated 25 February 1636; died 7 September 1642 | |
| 1644 | 1650 | William Golborne | Nominated 17 May 1644; consecrated 1 December 1644; died 1650 | |
| 1650 | 1660 | See vacant | ||
| 1661 | 1667 | Thomas Price | Nominated 8 October 1660; consecrated 10 March 1661; translated to Cashel 30 May 1667 | |
| 1667 | 1678 | Ambrose Jones | Nominated 20 April 1667; consecrated 29 June 1667; died 15 December 1678 | |
| 1679 | 1682 | Anthony Dopping | Nominated 3 January 1679; consecrated 2 February 1679; translated to Meath 11 February 1682 | |
| 1682 | 1705 | William Moreton | Nominated 14 January 1682; consecrated 19 February 1682; translated to Meath 18 September 1705 | |
| 1705 | 1732 | Welbore Ellis | Nominated 28 August 1705; consecrated 11 November 1705; translated to Meath 13 March 1732 | |
| 1731 | 1743 | Charles Cobbe | Translated from Dromore; nominated 18 February 1732; letters patent 16 March 1732; translated to Dublin 4 March 1743 | |
| 1743 | 1745 | George Stone | Nominated from Ferns and Leighlin; nominated 15 February 1743; letters patent 10 March 1743; translated to Derry 11 May 1745, and subsequently to Armagh 13 March 1747 | |
| 1745 | 1761 | Thomas Fletcher | Translated from Dromore; nominated 26 April 1745; letters patent 14 May 1745; died 18 March 1761 | |
| 1761 | 1765 | Richard Robinson | Translated from Ferns and Leighlin; nominated 26 March 1761; letters patent 13 April 1761; translated to Armagh 8 February 1765 | |
| 1765 | 1790 | Charles Jackson | Nominated 8 February 1765; letters patent 25 February 1765; died 29 March 1790 | |
| 1790 | 1804 | George Lewis Jones | Translated from Kilmore; nominated 7 May 1790; letters patent 5 June 1790; died 9 March 1804 | |
| 1804 | 1846 | Hon. Charles Dalrymple Lyndsay | Translated from Killaloe and Kilfenora; nominated 9 May 1804; letters patent 14 May 1804; died 8 August 1846 | |
| From 1846 to 1976, the Church of Ireland see was part of the united Diocese of Dublin, Kildare and Glendalough; and since 1976, it has been part of the united Diocese of Meath and Kildare | ||||
| Source(s): | ||||
| Roman Catholic Bishops of Kildare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes | |
| 1540 | Donald O'Beachan, O.F.M. | Appointed 16 July 1540; died shortly afterwards in the same month | ||
| 1540 | unknown | Thady Reynolds | Appointed 15 November 1540; accepted Royal Supremacy and was recognized by King Henry VIII as a suffragan bishop of George Browne, Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland), but not as Bishop of Kildare | |
| 1555 | 1577 | Thomas Leverous | Formerly Bishop-designate of Leighlin; nominated by Queen Mary I on 1 March 1555 and appointed Bishop of Kildare and Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin on 30 August 1555; deprived of both posts for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy in 1560, however, he was still recognized as the Roman Catholic bishop until his death in Naas circa 1577 | |
| 1619 | unknown | James Talbot | Appointed Vicar Apostolic by Papal brief 14 September 1619 | |
| 1622 | unknown | Donatus Doolin | Appointed Vicar Apostolic by Papal brief 14 January 1622 | |
| 1628 | c.1641/44 | Roche MacGeoghegan, O.P. | Appointed 5 May 1628 and again 12 February 1629; died circa 1641 and 1644 | |
| 1665 | unknown | James Dempsey | Vicar Apostolic, provided 24 November 1665 | |
| 1671 | unknown | Patrick Dempsey | Vicar Apostolic, provided 30 June 1671 | |
| 1676 | 1683 | Mark Forestal O.S.A. | Appointed 8 October 1676; appointed administrator of the Diocese of Leighlin on 5 September 1678; died 7 February 1683 | |
| From 1683 to 1694, the bishops of Kildare were administrators of the bishopric of Leighlin. | ||||
| 1683 | 1693 | Edward Wesley | Appointed 2 August 1683; died 1693 | |
| 1694 | c.1707 | John Dempsey | Appointed 8 February 1694; became bishop of Kildare and Leighlin when the two were united on 29 November 1694; died circa 1707 | |
| Since 1694, the Roman Catholic see of Kildare has been amalgamated with Leighlin to form the current united bishopric of Kildare and Leighlin | ||||
| align=center colspan="4" | Source(s): | |||