TheBishop of Kilmore is anepiscopal title which takes its name after the parish ofKilmore, County Cavan inIreland. In theRoman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in theChurch of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.
Thesee of Kilmore was originally known as Breifne (Latin:Tirbrunensis,Tybruinensis orTriburnia;Irish:Tír mBriúin, meaning "the land of the descendants ofBrian", one of thekings of Connaught) and took its name after theKingdom of Breifne.[1][2]
The see became one of the dioceses approved byGiovanni Cardinal Paparoni at thesynod of Kells in 1152,[1] and has approximately the same boundaries as those of the ancientKingdom of Breifne.[2] In theIrish annals, the bishops were recorded ofBreifne,Breifni,Breifny,Tir-Briuin, orUi-Briuin-Breifne.
In the second half of the 12th century, it is likely the sees of Breifne andKells were ruled together under one bishop.[3] In 1172, Tuathal Ua Connachtaig took theoath offealty to KingHenry II of England as bishop of Kells.[4] Soon after 1211 the see of Kells was incorporated into thediocese of Meath.[3]
In 1454,Pope Nicholas V gave permission for the then bishop, Aindrias Mac Brádaigh (Anglicised: Andrew McBrady), to have the ancient church atKilmore, founded in the 6th century bySaint Felim (or Feithlimidh), to be thecathedral church of the diocese.[2] This building passed into the hands of theChurch of Ireland at theReformation, and, following the construction of anew cathedral, is now used as aparochial hall.[5]
After the upheavals of the Reformation, there were parallelapostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the other of theRoman Catholic Church.
In the Church of Ireland, the title was intermittently held withArdagh until they were finally united in 1839. In 1841, thesees of Kilmore and Ardagh were amalgamated withElphin to form the unitedbishopric of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. The current incumbent is The Right Reverend Samuel Ferran Glenfield M.A. M.Th. (Oxon.) M.Litt. He was elected, consecrated, and installed in 2013.
In the Roman Catholic, the title continues as a separate bishopric. The currentBishop of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Kilmore is the Most ReverendMartin Hayes, who was appointed as thediocesan bishop on 29 June and installed at theCathedral Church of Saints Patrick and Felim, Cavan on 20 September 2020.
| Bishops of Breifne | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| unknown | 1136 | Áed Ua Finn | Anglicised as Hugh O'Finn. Died in office on an island inLough Ree. |
| unknown | 1149 | Muirchertach Ua Máel Mochéirge | Died in office. |
| before 1152 | 1179 | Tuathal Ua Connachtaig | Known inLatin as Thaddaeus. Present at theSynod of Kells in March 1152. Took the oath of fealty toHenry II in 1172 as bishop of Kells. Died in office. |
| before 1185 | c. 1185 | (Name not known)[A] | ACistercian monk. Elected and consecrated before 1185. Expelled circa 1185. |
| 1202 | 1211 | M. Ua Dobailén[A] | Became bishop before August 1202. Died in office. |
| unknown | 1231 | Flann Ó Connachtaig | Known in Latin as Florentius. Died in office. |
| c. 1233 | 1250 | Congalach Mac Idneóil | Resigned before May 1250. Died in office in 1250. |
| 1251 | 1285 | Simon Ó Ruairc | Anglicised as Simon O'Rourke. Elected before 20 June 1251. Died in office. |
| 1286 | 1307 | Mauricius,O.S.A. | Elected before October 1286. Died in office. |
| unknown | 1314 | Matha Mac Duibne | Anglicised as Matthew MacGevney. Died in office. |
| before 1320 | 1328 | Pádraic Ó Cridecáin | Anglicised as Patrick O'Cridagain. Elected before 1320. Died in office. |
| unknown | 1355 | Conchobhar Mac Conshnámha | Also known as Cornelius Ford. Died in office. |
| c. 1356 | 1369 | Riocard Ó Raghillaigh | Anglicised as Richard O'Reilly. Elected circa 1356. Died in office. |
| before 1373 | c. 1389 | Johannes | Elected before 1373. Died in office. |
| c. 1388 | ? 1390 | Thomas Rushook,O.P. | Translated fromChichester circa 1388. Possibly resigned 1390 and died circa 1393. |
| 1389 | 1393 | Seoán Ó Raghillaigh I | Anglicised as John O'Reilly. Became bishop after 2 November 1389. Died in office. |
| 1395 | 1421 | Nicol Mac Brádaigh | Alias Ruaidhrí Mac Brádaigh (anglicised as Nicholas or Rory MacBrady). Appointed before 27 August 1395 and consecrated before July 1398. Died in office. |
| dates unknown | John Stokes | Date of appointment not known. Acted as asuffragan bishop in the dioceses ofLichfield in 1407, andWorcester in 1416. | |
| c. 1408/09 | unknown | David Ó Faircheallaigh | Appointed byPope Gregory XII and consecrated between 1408 and 1409. Died in office. |
| 1422 | c. 1445 | Domhnall O Gabhann | Known in Latin as Donatus. Appointed 13 August 1421 and consecrated after 30 June 1422. Resigned circa 1445. |
| Pre-Reformation Bishops of Kilmore | |||
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1445 | 1455 | Aindrias Mac Brádaigh | Anglicised as Andrew McBrady. Appointed on 9 March 1445. Died in office. |
| 1455 | 1464 | Fear Siíhe Mág Dhuibhne,O.S.A. | Appointed on 11 July 1455. Died in office on 27 November 1464. |
| 1465 | 1476 | Seoán Ó Raghillaigh II, O.S.A. | Anglicised as John O'Reilly. Appointed on 17 May 1465. Died in office before November 1476. |
| 1476 | 1512 | Cormac Mág Shamhradháin, O.S.A.[B] | Anglicised as Cormac McGovern. Appointed on 4 November 1476. Died in office in December 1511. |
| 1480 | 1511 | Tomás Mac Brádaigh[B] | Anglicised as Thomas MacBrady. Appointed on 20 October 1480. Died in office on 29 July 1511. |
| 1512 | 1530 | Diarmaid Ó Raghillaigh | Anglicised as Dermot O'Reilly. Appointed on 28 January 1512. Died in office before June 1530. |
| Sources:[6][7][8][9] | |||
During the Reformation, Edmund Nugent and John MacBrady were at one time or another bishops of either the Church of Ireland or Roman Catholic succession. They were each appointed as Roman Catholic bishops, but later accepted or recognized asAnglican bishops.[10]
| Bishops of Kilmore during the Reformation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1530 | c. 1550 | Edmund Nugent,O.S.A. | LastPrior ofTristernagh Abbey. Appointed bishop on 22 January 1530, but continued to hold the abbeyin commendam until he surrendered it toKing Henry VIII in 1536 and acceptedroyal supremacy. Deprived of the Roman Catholic see byPope Paul III in 1540, but continued as the Church of Ireland bishop until his death in circa 1550. |
| 1540 | 1559 | John MacBrady | Appointed byPope Paul III, in opposition to Edmund Nugent, on 5 November 1540. Presumably recognized by the crown in the reign ofQueen Mary I. Died in 1559. |
| Sources:[10][11][12][13] | |||
| Church of Ireland Bishops of Kilmore | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1559 | 1585 | See vacant | |
| 1585 | 1589 | John Garvey | Nominated on 20 January and appointed byletters patent on 27 January 1585.Translated toArmagh on 10 May 1589. |
| 1589 | 1603 | See vacant | During part of this period, the custody of the see was placed under Edward Edgeworth,Prebendary ofChristchurch andSt Patrick's cathedrals inDublin, laterBishop of Down and Connor. |
| 1603 | 1633 | See part of the unitedbishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh | |
| 1633 | 1642 | William Bedell | AppointedBishop of Kilmore and Ardagh in 1629. He relinquished the titleBishop of Ardagh in 1633, but continuedBishop of Kilmore until his death on 7 February 1642. |
| 1643 | 1661 | Robert Maxwell | Nominated on 17 November 1642 and consecrated on 24 March 1643. BecameBishop of Kilmore and Ardagh when the two sees were united again in 1661. |
| 1661 | 1742 | See part of the unitedbishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh | |
| 1742 | 1757 | Joseph Story | Translated fromKillaloe. Nominated on 7 January and appointed by letters patent on 29 January 1742. Died in office on 22 September 1727. |
| 1757 | 1772 | John Cradock | Nominated on 14 October and consecrated on 4 December 1757. Translated toDublin on 5 March 1772. |
| 1772 | 1774 | Denison Cumberland | Translated fromClonfert and Kilmacduagh> Appointed by letters patent on 6 March 1772. Died in office in November 1774 and buried in Kilmore Cathedral churchyard on 22 November 1774. |
| 1775 | 1790 | George Lewis Jones | Nominated on 21 November 1774 and consecrated 22 January 1775. Translated toKildare on 5 June 1790. |
| 1790 | 1796 | William Foster | Translated fromCork and Ross> Nominated on 7 May and appointed by letters patent on 11 June 1790. Translated toClogher on 21 January 1796. |
| 1796 | 1801 | The Hon.Charles Brodrick | Translated fromClonfert and Kilmacduagh. Nominated on 28 December 1795 and appointed by letters patent on 19 January 1796. Translated toCashel on 9 December 1801. |
| 1802 | 1839 | George de la Poer Beresford | Translated fromClonfert and Kilmacduagh. Nominated on 12 January and appointed by letters patent on 1 March 1802. BecameBishop of Kilmore and Ardagh in 1839. Died in office on 15 October 1841. |
| 1839 | 1841 | See part of the unitedbishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh | |
| since 1841 | See part of the unitedbishopric of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. | ||
| Sources:[14][15][16] | |||
| Roman Catholic Bishops of Kilmore | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1560 | 1579 | Hugh O'Sheridan | Appointed on 7 February 1560. Died in office. |
| 1580 | 1607 | Richard Brady,O.F.M. | Translated fromArdagh on 14 March 1580. Died in office in September 1607. |
| 1607 | 1625 | See vacant | No record ofvicars apostolic appointed. |
| 1625 | 1628 | Hugh O'Reilly | Appointed on 9 June and consecrated in July 1626.Translated toArmagh on 21 August 1628. |
| 1629 | 1669 | Eugene Sweeney | Appointed on 18 September 1629 and consecrated in 1630. Died in office on 18 October 1669. |
| 1669 | 1677 | See vacant | Thomas Fitzsymons had been appointedvicar general of Kilmore in 1666, but deprived of the position in 1677. There had been proposals for him to be appointedvicar apostolic on 16 September 1672 and again on 1 February 1678, but was nothing further came from either proposal. |
| 1678 | 1689 | See administered byPatrick Tyrrell,Bishop of Clogher. | |
| 1689 | 1711 | See vacant | Novicars apostolic orapostolic administrators appointed, and the see was governed by unnamedvicars general. |
| 1711 | 1728 | See administered byHugh MacMahon,Bishop of Clogher. | |
| 1728 | 1746 | Michael MacDonagh,O.P. | Appointed on 2 December and consecrated on 12 December 1728. Died in office on 26 November 1746. |
| 1747 | 1753 | Laurence Richardson, O.P. | Appointed on 6 February and consecrated on 1 May 1747. Died in office on 29 January 1753. |
| 1753 | 1769 | Andrew Campbell | Appointed on 3 April 1753. Died in office on 1 (or 23?) December 1769. |
| 1770 | 1798 | Denis Maguire,O.F.M. | Translated fromDromore. Appointed on 25 March andpapal brief dated 7 April 1770. Died in office on 23 December 1798. |
| 1798 | 1800 | Charles O'Reilly | Appointedcoadjutor bishop on 28 April and papal brief dated 17 May 1793. Succeededdiocesan bishop on 23 December 1798. Died in office on 6 March 1800. |
| 1800 | 1806 | James Dillon | PreviouslyCoadjutor bishop of Raphoe (1793–1800). Appointed on 10 August 1800 andpapal brief dated 30 August 1800. Died in office atBallyconnell on 19 August 1806. |
| 1807 | 1829 | Fargal O'Reilly | Also recorded as Farrell O'Reilly. Appointed on 14 December 1806, papal brief dated 16 January 1806, and consecrated on 24 August 1807. Died in office on 30 April 1829. |
| 1819 | 1826 | Patrick Maguire, O.F.M. (coadjutor) | Appointedcoadjutor bishop on 6 December 1818 andpapal brief dated 12 January 1819. Died without succeeding in 1826. |
| 1829 | 1865 | James Browne | Appointed coadjutor bishop on 20 or 23 March 1827 and consecrated on 10 June 1827. Succeededdiocesan bishop on 30 April 1829. Died in office on 11 April 1865. |
| 1865 | 1886 | Nicholas Conaty | Appointed coadjutor bishop on 27 March 1863 and consecrated on 24 May 1863. Succeeded diocesan bishop on 11 April 1865. Died in office on 17 January 1886. |
| 1886 | 1887 | Bernard Finegan | Appointed on 10 May 1886,papal brief dated 18 May 1886, and consecrated on 13 June 1886. Died in office on 11 November 1887. |
| 1888 | 1906 | Edward MacGennis | Appointed on 3 February 1888, papal brief dated 21 February 1888, and consecrated on 15 April 1888. Died in office on 15 May 1906. |
| 1907 | 1910 | Andrew Boylan,C.SS.R. | Appointed on 1 or 13 March 1907 and consecrated on 19 May 1907. Died in office on 25 March 1910. |
| 1910 | 1937 | Patrick Finegan | Appointed on 4 July 1910 and consecrated on 11 September 1910. Died in office on 25 January 1937. |
| 1937 | 1949 | Patrick Lyons | Appointed on 6 August 1937 and consecrated on 3 October 1937. Died in office on 26 (or 27) April 1949. |
| 1950 | 1972 | Austin Quinn | Appointed on 19 July and consecrated on 10 September 1950. Resigned on 10 October 1972 and died on 24 September 1974. |
| 1972 | 1998 | Francis Joseph MacKiernan | Appointed on 11 October and consecrated on 10 December 1972. Resigned on 16 October 1998 and died on 23 December 2005. |
| 1998 | 2018 | Philip Leo O'Reilly | Appointed coadjutor bishop on 20 November 1996 and consecrated on 2 February 1997. Succeeded diocesan bishop on 16 October and installed on 15 November 1998. Resigned on 31 December 2018. |
| 2020 | present | Martin Hayes | Appointed on 29 June and consecrated on 20 September 2020. |
| Sources:[17][18][19][20] | |||
