Diocese of Derry and Raphoe

St Columb's Cathedral in Derry

The Diocese of Derry and Raphoe is a diocese of the Church of Ireland located in the north of Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Armagh. Its geographical remit covers Derry (in Northern Ireland) and County Donegal (in the Republic of Ireland).

Overview and history

When the Church in England broke communion with the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England was established by the state as the established church. Later, by decree of the Irish Parliament, a similar new body became the State Church in the Kingdom of Ireland. It assumed possession of most Church property (and so retained a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population remained faithful to the Latin Rite of Roman Catholicism, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church. They were obliged to find alternative premises and to conduct their services in secret. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the Church of Ireland or to Presbyterianism. On the death of Archbishop Trench of Tuam in 1839, the Province of Tuam was united to the Armagh. Over the centuries, numerous dioceses were merged, in view of declining membership. The historic sees of Derry and Raphoe were united in 1834.^[1] It is for this reason that the united diocese has two cathedrals.

Cathedrals

• The Cathedral Church of St Columb, Derry, Northern Ireland.
• The Cathedral Church of St. Eunan, Raphoe, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.

List of Bishops

Main article: Bishop of Derry and Raphoe

The current Ordinary is the Right Reverend Kenneth (Ken) Good, Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, who was elected on 13 March and consecrated on 11 June 2002.

The following is a basic list the bishops.^[1]

1831–1853: Richard Ponsonby 1853–1867: William Higgin 1867–1896: William Alexander 1896–1916: George Alexander Chadwick 1916–1944: Joseph Irvine Peacocke 1945–1958: Robert McNeil Boyd

1958–1969: Charles John Tyndall 1970–1975: Cuthbert Irvine Peacocke 1975–1980: Robert "Robin" Eames 1980–2003: James Mehaffey 2002–present: Kenneth Raymond Good

See also

• List of Anglican dioceses in the United Kingdom and Ireland
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Derry
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (Third Edition, revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 387–388. ISBN 0-521-56350-X. 

External links

Anglicanism portal

• Diocesan homepage