Bishop of Kilfenora

Christianity portal

The Bishop of Kilfenora was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Kilfenora in County Clare, Ireland. In both the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church, the title is now united with other bishoprics.

History

The diocese of Kilfenora was established at the Synod of Kells in March 1152 and corresponded with the ancient territory of Corcomroe. After the Reformation, there were parallel apostolic successions.^[1][2]

In the Church of Ireland, Kilfenora continued as a separate see until it was combined with Killaloe to form the united bishopric of Killaloe and Kilfenora in 1752. They were combined again to become the bishopric of Killaloe and Clonfert in 1834, and combined further to become part of the current bishopric of Limerick and Killaloe in 1976.^[3][4]

In the Roman Catholic Church, Kilfenora remained as a separate see until it was united with Kilmacduagh to form the united bishopric of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora in 1750. They were united again with Galway to form the current united Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora in 1883.^[5]

Pre-Reformation bishops

Pre-Reformation Bishops of Kilfenora [1][2]
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
bef.1172	unknown	(Name not known)	Took the oath of fealty to King Henry II of England in 1172
bef.1205	unknown	F.	Elected before 1205
bef.1224	unknown	John	Elected before 1224; also known as Johannes
1251/54	1255	Christian	Known to be bishop fl. 1251 and 1254; died before December 1255; also known as Christianus
unknown	1264	(Name not known)	Died 28 February 1264
1266	1273	Maurice	Elected after 3 March 1265 and consecrated before 12 February 1266; died before 14 July 1273; also known as Mauricius and called by some as Henry
1273	1281	Florence Ó Tigernaig, O.S.A.	Formerly Abbot of Kilsanne; elected bishop before 18 September 1273; died before 12 July 1281; also known as Florentius
1281	1298	Congalach Ó Lochlainn	Formerly Dean of Kilfenora; elected bishop before 6 September 1281; died before 21 December 1298; also known as Carolus
1300	1302	Simon Ó Cuirrin	Elected 16 May and confirmed 22 July 1300; died 26 December 1302
1303	1319	Maurice Ó Briain	Formerly Dean of Kilfenora; elected bishop between 16 March and 10 June 1303; died in office
1323	1359	Risdeard Ó Lochlainn	Consecrated 17 April 1323; died 3 February 1359; also known as Richard O'Loghlain
unknown	1372	Denis	Died before October 1372; also known as Dionysius
1372	unknown	Henry	Appointed 6 October 1372; also known as Henricus
unknown	c.1389	Cornelius	Died in office circa 1389
1390	1421	Patrick	Elected before 28 February and appointed on that date; consecrated after 19 March 1390; died before 15 January 1421; also known as Patricius
1421	1433	Feidhlimidh mac Mathghamhna Ó Lochlainn	Appointed 15 January 1421; consecrated after 6 February 1421; died before 7 August 1433; also known as Florentius
1433	1434	Fearghal	Appointed 7 August 1433; died before 17 November 1434
1434	1491	Denis Ó Connmhaigh	Appointed 17 November and consecrated 26 December 1434; resigned 12 December 1491; also known as Denis O'Cahan or in Latin as Dionysius
1491	1541	Muircheartach mac Murchadha Ó Briain	Formerly a Canon of Kilfenora; appointed bishop 12 December 1491; Papal bulls expediated 26 August 1492; died before 21 November 1541; also known as Mauricius
1514	c.1541	Maurice O'Kelly	Appointed 6 November 1514; died in office circa 1541
1541	1572	John O'Nialain	Appointed by Pope Paul III on 21 November 1541, but seems to have accepted royal supremacy since he was recognized by King Henry VIII; died 1572; also recorded as John O'Neylan

Post-Reformation bishops

Church of Ireland succession

Church of Ireland Bishops of Kilfenora [3][4]
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
1572	1606	See vacant
1606	1617	See held in commendam by Bernard Adams, Bishop of Limerick
1617	1622	John Steere	Formerly Archdeacon of Emly; nominated 9 July and consecrated 26 August 1617; translated to Ardfert and Aghadoe 20 July 1622
1622	1627	William Murray	Formerly Chaplain-in-Ordinary to King James I & VI; nominated 15 March and consecrated 18 December 1622; translated to Llandaff 24 December 1627
(1628)		(Richard Betts)	Chaplain-in-Ordinary to King James I & VI; appointed by letters patent on 19 September 1628, but when he arrived in Ireland and learned of the poverty of the see, he declined the appointment and left without consecration
1630	1638	James Heygate	Formerly Archdeacon of Clogher; nominated 28 February and consecrated 9 May 1630; died 30 April 1638
1638	1643	Robert Sibthorp	Formerly Treasurer of Killaloe and Prebendary of Maynooth, in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin; nominated 19 June and consecrated 11 November 1638; translated to Limerick in 1643
1643	1661	See vacant
1661	1741	See held in commendam by the Archbishops of Tuam
1742	1752	See held in commendam by John Whitcomb, Bishop of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh
In 1752, the Church of Ireland see became part of the united bishopric of Killaloe and Kilfenora

Roman Catholic succession

Roman Catholic Bishops of Kilfenora [5]
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
1572	1629	See vacant
1629	unknown	Daniel Gryphaeus	Appointed vicar general in 1629 and vicar apostolic by Papal brief 1 April 1631
1647	c.1673	Andrew Lynch	Appointed 11 March and consecrated 21 April 1647; died circa 1673
1673	1722	See vacant
1722	unknown	William O'Daly	He was vicar general of Kilfenora before appointed bishop on 7 August 1722; date of death unknown
1726	1749	James Augustine O'Daly, O.S.A.	Appointed 27 July 1726; died 20 August 1749
In 1750, the Roman Catholic see became part of the united bishopric of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 358. ISBN 0-521-56350-X. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Cotton, Henry (1851). The Succession of the Prelates and Members of the Cathedral Bodies of Ireland. Fasti ecclesiae Hiberniae. Vol. 1, The Province of Munster (2nd Edition, corrected and englarged ed.). Dublin: Hodges and Smith. pp. 11–32. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Fryde, ibid., p. 395.
4. ^ ^{a b} Cotton, ibid., pp. 502-504.
5. ^ ^{a b} Fryde, ibid., p. 435.