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Diocese of Clonfert Dioecesis Clonfertensis Deoise Chluain Fearta | |
|---|---|
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| Location | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Territory | Parts of countiesGalway,Offaly andRoscommon |
| Ecclesiastical province | Province of Tuam |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Tuam |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 960 sq mi (2,500 km2) |
| Population |
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| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman rite |
| Established | Bishopric in 550; Diocese in1111 |
| Cathedral | St. Brendan’s Cathedral,Loughrea |
| Patron saint | St Brendan |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Michael Duignan, Bishop of Clonfert |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Francis Duffy, Archbishop of Tuam |
| Bishops emeritus | John Kirby |
| Map | |
 | |
| Website | |
| clonfertdiocese.ie | |
TheDiocese of Clonfert (Irish:Deoise Chluain Fearta) is aLatin Churchdiocese of theCatholic Church[1] in the western part ofIreland. It is in theMetropolitan Province ofTuam.
Michael Duignan was appointed by theHoly See on 16 July 2019 andordained bishop on 13 October 2019.[2] It is Ireland's smallest diocese by population and territory with a declining number of clergy and, in recognition of this, in Feb 2022 the Vatican united the diocesein persona episcopi with Michael Duignan serving simultaneously as Bishop of Clonfert and ofRoman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora.[3]
The diocese covers almost the whole of EastGalway, with one parish (Lusmagh) inCounty Offaly while theparishes ofTaughmaconnell,Creagh and the half-parish ofBallinasloe lie inCounty Roscommon. This was the ancient territory of the kingdom ofUí Maine (Hy-Many), as it existed when the diocese was formed. In fact, the bishop of the diocese was sometimes referred to as the Bishop of Hy-Many. The major towns in the diocese areBallinasloe,Loughrea andPortumna.[4]
Thecathedra is currently located at Loughrea but was historicallyClonfert Cathedral.[5]
Established in A.D. 550 as an abbacy, it was promoted to a diocese in1111.The early Irish monastery and school of Clonfert, founded by SaintBrendan, was the dominant ecclesiastical centre in the area and an important centre of learning in the early Irish church.Cummian, an important theological writer was from there. It was also deeply involved in the eighth century spiritual reform movement of theCéli Dé.[citation needed]
Saint Brendan's fame as a seafaring missionary contributed to its pre-eminence in later times and led to its choice as an episcopal see in the twelfth century. Like most dioceses in Ireland, the present Diocese of Clonfert had its origin in theSynod of Rathbreasail in 1110, reaching its final form at theSynod of Kells in 1152 when it was made asuffragan of theArchdiocese of Tuam.[citation needed]
In 1170, theAnnals of Clonmacnois record that "there was a great convocation of the clergy of Ireland at Clonfert by commission from the Pope for the reformation of certain abuses of a long time used in Ireland", which was presided over by SaintLaurence O'Toole aspapal legate.
In the early 13th century its bishop was one of those appointed byHonorius III to investigate a dispute over the election of theBishop of Ardfert. Later that century it was provided with John, a bishop of Italian birth — one of the very few occasions when this happened in Ireland.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, bishops introduced themendicant orders: theFranciscans toKilconnell,Kinalehin andMeelick, with their 3rd Order toClonkeenkerril andKilbocht; theDominicans toPortumna, with their 3rd Order toKilcorban; and theCarmelites toLoughrea.[4]
In 1704, the diocese had forty-one parishes but by 1800, these were amalgamated into twenty four. There followed a period of church building. Churches were erected inBallymacward andBallinasloe, the latter designed by McCarthy and Pugin.Landlord intransigence prevented the building of a cathedral in Loughrea until 1897 when Bishop Healy laid the foundation stone. The era of theCeltic Revival and Irish Stained Glass had begun, and influenced its interior decoration.[6]TheSisters of Mercy were brought to Loughrea in 1850 by Bishop Derry and spread to five towns in the diocese, operating primary and secondary schools, industrial schools at Loughrea and Ballinasloe and a domestic economy school at Portumna. They also staffed the workhouse hospitals in Loughrea, Ballinasloe and Portumna and latterly the county home in Loughrea. TheSisters of Mount Carmel, who have been in Loughrea since the 17th century, conducted a school there up to 1860 but have since been an enclosed order. In 1945 Bishop Dignan introduced theFranciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood to Ballinasloe, where they builtPortiuncula Hospital, which has been enlarged many times since and is now a general hospital under theWestern Health Board.[citation needed]
The diocesan seminary, begun at Loughrea by Bishop Derry in the 19th century, was succeeded by St. Joseph's College at Cartron, at Esker and finally atGarbally College since 1924.[7]
The following is a basic list of the post-Reformation Roman Catholic bishops.
53°12′01″N8°34′12″W / 53.2004°N 8.5701°W /53.2004; -8.5701
