Bishop of Clonfert

{{Short description|Episcopal title}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Portal|Christianity|Catholicism}}

The '''Bishop of Clonfert''' ({{Langx|ga|Easpag Chluain Fearta}}) is an [[Episcopal polity|episcopal]] title which takes its name after the village of [[Clonfert]] in [[County Galway]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. In the [[Roman Catholic Church]] it remains as a separate title; but in the [[Church of Ireland]] it has been united with other bishoprics.

==History== The [[diocese]] of Clonfert was one of the twenty-four dioceses established at the [[Synod of Rathbreasail]] in 1111, and its boundaries were fixed at the [[Synod of Kells]] in 1152. During the [[Reformation in Ireland|Reformation]], the bishops changed their allegiance back and forth between the Pope and the [[The Crown|Crown]]. After the Reformation, there were parallel [[apostolic succession]]s.

In the [[Church of Ireland]], the title continued until 1625, when it united with [[Bishop of Kilmacduagh|Kilmacduagh]], forming the united see of [[Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh|Clonfert and Kilmacduagh]].

In the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the title remains a separate bishopric. The current incumbent is the Most Reverend [[Michael Duignan (bishop)|Michael Duignan]], Bishop of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Clonfert]], who was [[Appointment of Catholic bishops|appointed]] on 16 July 2019 and [[Bishop (Catholicism)|ordained bishop]] on 13 October 2019. In 2021 the [[Holy See]] determined that the diocese of Clonfert and the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora]] would share a bishop.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGarry |first1=Patsy |title=Two Catholic dioceses in west soon to have just one bishop |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/two-catholic-dioceses-in-west-soon-to-have-just-one-bishop-1.4730670|date= 2021-11-16 |publisher= Irish Times|access-date=2021-12-07}}</ref>

==Pre-Reformation bishops== {{For|abbots of Clonfert and early bishops|Abbot of Clonfert}} {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;"|Pre-Reformation Bishops of Clonfert |- ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; "|From ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; "|Until ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;" width=280pt|Ordinary ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; "|Notes |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | ''unknown'' | align=center | 1117 | '''[[Muiredach Ua hÉnlainge]]''' | Died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | ''unknown'' | align=center | 1149 | '''[[Gilla Pátraic Ua hAilchinned]]''' | Died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | c.1150 | align=center | 1171 | '''[[Petrus Ua Mórda]]''', O.Cist. | Died 27 December 1171 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1172 | align=center | 1173 | '''[[Máel Ísu Mac in Baird]]''' | Died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | bef.1179 | align=center | 1186 | '''[[Celechair Ua hAirmedaig]]''' | Died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1186 | align=center | 1187 | '''[[Muirchertach Ua Máel Uidir]]''' | [[Bishop of Clonmacnoise]] since c. 1152; also became Bishop of Clonfert in 1186; died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | ''unknown'' | align=center | 1195 | '''[[Domnall Ua Finn]]''' | Died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | ''unknown'' | align=center | 1203 | '''[[Muirchertach Ua Carmacáin]]''' | Died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1205 | align=center | ''unknown'' | '''[[Máel Brigte Ua hEruráin]]''' | Elected in 1205 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | bef.1224 | align=center | 1259 | '''[[Cormac Ó Luimlín]]''' | Died c. 19 June 1259; also known as Carus |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1259 | align=center | 1263 | '''[[Tomás Ó Cellaigh]]''' | Elected before 7 November 1259 and received possession of [[temporalities]] after that date; died 6 January 1263; also recorded as Tomás mac Domnaill Móir Ó Cellaig |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1263 | align=center | 1266 | colspan=2 | ''See vacant'' |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1266 | align=center | 1295 | '''Johannes de Alatre''' | Appointed before 29 September 1266 and received possession of temporalities on that date; [[Consecration|consecrated]] 19 December 1266; translated to [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benevento|Benevento]] 2 October 1295 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1296 | align=center | 1307 | '''Robert''', O.S.B. | Appointed 2 January and consecrated after 21 April 1296; received possession of temporalities 24 September 1296; acted as a [[suffragan bishop]] in the [[diocese of Canterbury]] 1296–1307; died after December 1307 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1308 | align=center | 1319 | '''[[Gregorius Ó Brócaig]]''' | Elected before 22 March 1308 and received possession of temporalities after that date; died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1320 | align=center | 1321 | '''Robert Petit''', O.F.M. | Elected 10 February and confirmed by the [[Edward II|king]] 24 February 1320; consecrated c. 1320; deprived c. 1321; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of [[Anglican Diocese of Worcester|Worcester]] 1322 and [[Diocese of Exeter|Exeter]] 1324; later appointed [[Bishop of Annaghdown]] 27 October 1325; also known as Robert Le Petit |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1322 | align=center | 1336 | '''[[Seoán Ó Leaáin]]''' | Elected 10 November 1319, but was not appointed until 6 August 1322; consecrated 20 September and received possession of temporalities 29 December 1322; died 7 April 1336 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1336 | align=center | 1347 | colspan=2 | ''See vacant'' |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1347 | align=center | 1378 | '''[[Tomás mac Gilbert Ó Cellaigh]]''' | Became bishop before 14 October 1347; died 1378; also known as Thomas O'Kelly |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1378 | align=center | 1393 | '''[[Muircheartach mac Pilib Ó Ceallaigh]]''' | Appointed before 6 March 1378 and consecrated in the same year; translated to [[Archbishop of Tuam|Tuam]] 26 January 1393; also known as Mauricius |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1393 | align=center | 1398 | '''[[Uilliam Ó Cormacáin]]''' | Translated from [[Archbishop of Tuam|Tuam]] 27 January 1393; deprived in 1398; also known as Wiliam Ó Cormacáin |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | colspan="2" align=center | 1398 | '''''David Corre''', O.F.M.'' | Appointed 20 March 1398, but did not take effect |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1398 | align=center | 1405 | '''[[Énri Ó Connmhaigh]]''' | Appointed c. July 1398; translated to [[Bishop of Kilmacduagh|Kilmacduagh]] 11 March 1405 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1405 | align=center | 1438 | '''[[Tomás mac Muircheartaigh Ó Cellaigh]]''', O.P. | Translated from [[Bishop of Ardfert and Aghadoe|Ardfert and Aghadoe]] 11 March 1405; translated to [[Archbishop of Tuam|Tuam]] 15 July 1438 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | colspan="2" align=center | 1410 |'''''[[Cobhthach Ó Madagáin]]''''' | Elected in 1410, but was not consecrated |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1438 | align=center | 1459 | '''[[Seaán Ó hEidhin]]''', O.F.M. | Appointed 18 July 1438 and again 25 October 1441; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of [[Diocese of London|London]], [[Diocese of Exeter]], and [[Anglican Diocese of Worcester|Worcester]] 1443–59; died after 1459 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1441 | align=center | 1448 | '''John White''', O.F.M. | Appointed 25 October 1441, but did not obtain possession of the see; resigned in July 1448 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1447 | align=center | 1448 | '''[[Conchobair Ó Maolalaidh]]''', O.F.M. | Appointed 22 May 1447 and again 18 July 1448; translated to [[Bishop of Emly|Emly]] 30 August 1448; also known as Cornelius |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1448 | align=center | 1463 | '''[[Cornelius Ó Cuinnlis]]''', O.F.M. | Translated from [[Bishop of Emly|Emly]] 30 August 1448; resigned in 1463; died after 1469 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1463 | align=center | 1507 | '''[[Matthaeus Mág Raith]]''', O.S.A. | Appointed 22 June 1463; died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1508 | align=center | 1509 | '''[[David de Burgo]]''' | Appointed 5 July 1508; died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1509 | align=center | 1534 | '''[[Dionysius Ó Mórdha]]''', O.P. | Appointed 7 November 1509; died office; also known as Denis O'More |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" |colspan=4 align=center|Sources:{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|pp=339–340}} |}

==Bishops during the Reformation== {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;"|Bishops of Clonfert during the Reformation |- ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|From ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|Until ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;" width=280pt|Ordinary ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|Notes |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1534 | align=center | 1580 | '''[[Roland de Burgo]]''' | Appointed by [[Pope Clement VII]] 18 May 1534; accepted [[royal supremacy]] in 1538; confirmed (re-appointed) by [[Henry VIII of England|King Henry VIII]] 24 October 1541; acknowledged papal authority in the reign of [[Mary I of England|Queen Mary I]], but again accepted royal supremacy under [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth I]]; also was [[Bishop of Elphin]] 1551–1580; died 20 June 1580; also known as Roland Burke |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1536 | align=center | 1538 | '''[[Richard Nangle]]''' | Appointed by [[Henry VIII of England|King Henry VIII]]; consecrated 1536; expelled before July 1538 by the papal nominee who had accepted royal supremacy |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" |colspan=4 align=center|Sources:{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|pp=339; 419}} |}

==Post-Reformation bishops==

===Church of Ireland succession=== {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;"|Church of Ireland Bishops of Clonfert |- ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|From ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|Until ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;" width=280pt|Ordinary ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|Notes |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1582 | align=center | 1601 | '''[[Stephen Kirwan]]''' | Translated from [[Bishop of Kilmacduagh|Kilmacduagh]]; nominated 30 March 1582; [[letters patent]] 24 May 1582; died before 4 November 1601; also known as Stephen Kerovan |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1602 | align=center | 1625 | '''[[Roland Lynch]]''', [[Bishop of Kilmacduagh]] | Held the [[Episcopal see|see]] of Clonfert ''"[[in commendam]]"'' from 1602 until his death in 1625 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" |colspan=4|''In 1625, the Church of Ireland [[Episcopal see|sees]] of Clonfert and [[Bishop of Kilmacduagh|Kilmacduagh]] were amalgamated, forming the united [[Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh|Bishopric of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh]].'' |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" |colspan=4 align=center|Sources:{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=383}} |}

===Roman Catholic succession=== {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;"|Roman Catholic Bishops of Clonfert |- ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|From ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|Until ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;" width=280pt|Ordinary ! style="background-color: #D4B1BB;|Notes |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1580 | align=center | 1587 | colspan=2 | ''See vacant'' |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1587 | align=center | 1602 | '''[[Tadeo O'Farrell|Thady Farrell]]''', O.P. | Appointed 8 June and consecrated 30 August 1587; also appointed an [[Auxiliary bishop]] [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Sigüenza-Guadalajara|of Sigüenza]] in 1589; died 1602; also known as Tadhg O'Farrell, Tadhg MacEoga and Tadeo O'Farrell |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | colspan="2" align=center | appointed 1609 | ''('''Dermot Nolan''')'' | Appointed [[Apostolic vicariate|vicar apostolic]] by [[papal brief]] 4 February 1609 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | colspan="2" align=center | appointed 1622 | ''('''Thady Egan''')'' | Appointed vicar apostolic by papal brief 13 July 1622 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1629 | align=center | 1647 | '''[[John de Burgh (Archbishop)|John de Burgh]]''' | Appointed vicar apostolic by papal brief 13 October 1629, and appointed bishop 16 September 1641; translated to [[Archbishop of Tuam|Tuam]] 11 March 1647; also recorded as John de Burgo and John Burke |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1647 | align=center | 1663 | '''[[Walter Lynch (bishop)|Walter Lynch]]''' | Arrived in Ireland in 1647; appointed 11 March 1647 and consecrated 9 April 1648; left Ireland c. 1648 and spent the rest of his life in Hungary; died 14 July 1663 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1663 | align=center | 1678 | colspan=2 | ''See vacant'' |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1678 | align=center | 1687 | '''[[Thady Keogh]]''', O.P. | Appointed 13 July and consecrated in October 1671; died in office; also known as Tadhg Keogh or Mac Eogha |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1687 | align=center | 1695 | colspan=2 | ''See vacant'' |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1695 | align=center | 1706 | '''Maurice Donnellan''' | Appointed 14 November 1695; died 2 July 1706; also known as Murtagh Donnellan or Muircheartach Ó Domhnalláin |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1706 | align=center | 1713 | colspan=2 | ''See vacant'' |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1713 | align=center | 1715 | '''[[Ambrose O'Madden]]''' | Previously bishop-designate of [[Bishop of Killala|Killala]] and [[Bishop of Kilmacduagh|Kilmacduagh]]; appointed bishop of Clonfert 15 September 1713 and consecrated 15 April 1714; died in July 1715 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1715 | align=center | 1718 | colspan=2 | ''See vacant'' |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1718 | align=center | 1733 | '''[[Edmund Kelly (bishop)|Edmund Kelly]]''' | Appointed in February and consecrated before 14 May 1718; died in office |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1733 | align=center | 1778 | '''[[Peter O'Donnellan]]''' | Appointed 11 August 1733; died 7 May 1778 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1778 | align=center | 1786 | '''[[Andrew O'Donellan]]''' | Appointed [[coadjutor bishop]] 1 December 1776; succeeded 7 May 1778; died before 6 July 1786 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1786 | align=center | 1831 | '''[[Thomas Costello (bishop)|Thomas Costello]]''' | Appointed coadjutor bishop 30 June 1786; succeeded 6 July 1786; died 8 October 1831 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1831 | align=center | 1847 | '''[[Thomas Coen]]''' | Appointed coadjutor bishop 26 January and consecrated 5 May 1816; succeeded 8 October 1831; died 25 April 1847 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1847 | align=center | 1870 | '''[[John Derry (bishop)|John Derry]]''' | Appointed 9 July and consecrated 21 September 1847; died 28 June 1870 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | colspan="2" align=center | 1871 | ''('''Hugh O'Rorke''')'' | Appointed 13 February 1871 but was not accepted |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1872 | align=center | 1896 | '''[[Patrick Duggan (bishop)|Patrick Duggan]]''' | Appointed 2 October 1871 and consecrated 14 January 1872; died 15 August 1896 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1896 | align=center | 1903 | '''[[John Healy (archbishop)|John Healy]]''' | Appointed [[coadjutor bishop]] 26 June and consecrated 31 August 1884; succeeded 15 August 1896; translated to [[Archbishop of Tuam|Tuam]] 13 February 1903 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1903 | align=center | 1909 | '''[[Thomas O'Dea]]''' | Appointed 12 June and consecrated 30 August 1903; translated to [[Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora|Galway and Kilmacduagh]] 29 April 1909 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1909 | align=center | 1918 | '''[[Thomas Gilmartin]]''' | Appointed 3 July 1909 and consecrated 13 February 1910; translated to [[Archbishop of Tuam|Tuam]] 10 July 1918 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1919 | align=center | 1923 | '''[[Thomas O'Doherty]]''' | Appointed 3 July and consecrated 14 September 1919; translated to [[Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora|Galway and Kilmacduagh]] 13 July 1923 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1924 | align=center | 1953 | '''[[John Dignan]]''' | Appointed 24 March and consecrated 1 June 1924; died 12 April 1953 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1953 | align=center | 1962 | '''[[William Philbin|William J. Philbin]]''' | Appointed 22 December 1953 and consecrated 14 March 1954; translated to [[Bishop of Down and Connor|Down and Connor]] 5 June 1962 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1963 | align=center | 1982 | '''[[Thomas Ryan (bishop)|Thomas Ryan]]''' | Appointed 9 May and consecrated 16 June 1963; resigned 1 May 1982; died 20 August 1983 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 1982 | align=center | 1987 | '''[[Joseph Cassidy (archbishop)|Joseph Cassidy]]''' | Appointed [[coadjutor bishop]] 24 August and consecrated 23 September 1979; succeeded 1 May 1982; translated to [[Archbishop of Tuam|Tuam]] 22 August 1987 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;" | align=center | 1988 | align=center | 2019 | '''[[John Kirby (bishop)|John Kirby]]''' | Appointed 18 February and consecrated 9 April 1988; resigned 16 July 2019 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" | align=center | 2019 | align=center | present | '''[[Michael Duignan (bishop)|Michael Duignan]]''' | Appointed 16 July and consecrated 13 October 2019 |- valign="top" style="background-color: #FFFFFF;" |colspan=4 align=center|Sources:{{sfn|Fryde|Greenway|Porter|Roy|1986|p=419}} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |editor1-last=Fryde |editor1-first=E. B. |editor2-last=Greenway |editor2-first=D. E. |editor3-last=Porter |editor3-first=S. |editor4-last=Roy |editor4-first=I. |title=Handbook of British Chronology |edition=3rd, reprinted 2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |year=1986 |isbn=0-521-56350-X }} {{refend}}

==External links== *{{URL|clonfertdiocese.ie|Official website of the Catholic Diocese of Clonfert}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bishop Of Clonfert}} [[Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Clonfert]] [[Category:Religion in County Galway]] [[Category:Lists of Irish bishops and archbishops|Clonfert]] [[Category:Bishops of Killaloe or Kilfenora or Clonfert or of Kilmacduagh]] [[Category:Bishops of Clonfert| Bishop]] [[Category:Lists of bishops and archbishops of former Anglican dioceses in Ireland|Clonfert]]