Primate of Ireland

Primate of Ireland is a title possessed by the Roman Catholic and the Anglican Church of Ireland Archbishops of Dublin. It does not however indicate that the Archbishop is the most senior clergyman of his Chistian denomination in Ireland but rather he is the second-most senior figure, the most senior figure in both denominations, the Archbishops of Armagh, possessing the title Primate of All Ireland. [This distinction mirrors the corresponding distinction in the Church of England (and the pre-Reformation English Church) between the "Primate of All England" (ie Archbishop of Canterbury) and the "Primate of England" (ie Archbishop of York).] For the origins of the Archbishoprics and their dioceses, please see the main articles.

tatus

The origins of the two primacy titles is based on rivalry between both archbishoprics as to seniority. Analogous disputes had previously existed between the presiding northern bishops (at Armagh) and those in the south of the Ireland (at Cashel).

The Archbishop of Armagh's leading status is based on the fact that his See was founded by St. Patrick, the city of Armagh thus being the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland. On the other hand, Dublin is the political, cultural, social, economic and secular centre of Ireland, and has been for many centuries, thus making the Archbishop of Dublin someone of considerable influence, with a high national profile.

Dispute has "flared up" on a number of occasions, such as during the time in office of Saint Oliver Plunkett and in the late 18th century.

Within Roman Catholicism, the rivalry was augmented since the 1870s by the awarding to one or other archbishops of a seat in the College of Cardinals by popes. Due to Ireland's small size, two Irish reigning diocesan cardinals are unlikely to be created. [That does not mean there have not been more than one Irish person in the College of Cardinals. Irish archbishops based in the Vatican have been awarded the red hat alongside Irish-based Irish archbishops. In addition, since Pope Paul VI introduced a mandatory retirement age at which point cardinals cease to have a vote in the College of Cardinals, Ireland has had the experience of having two diocesan cardinals; a "voting" cardinal, Desmond Cardinal Connell, Archbishop emeritus of Dublin, and a "superannuated" cardinal, Cahal Cardinal Daly, former Archbishop of Armagh. Given that Connell, retired from his archdiocese, lost his vote in 2006, the question arises as to whether, with two "retired" cardinals, neither with votes at the papal conclave, a third red hat might be offered, whether to Archbishop Martin of Dublin or Archbishop Seán Brady of Armagh.] The apparent dominance of Dublin over Armagh was shown in the 1850s when the then Archbishop of Armagh, Paul Cullen was transferred from Armagh "to" the nominally inferior See of Dublin, he in Dublin becoming the most high profile Catholic prelate in Ireland. Cullen as Archbishop of Dublin played a central role in the proclamation of Papal Infallibility in the First Vatican Council and was some years later made Ireland's first cardinal ahead of the nominally superior Archbishop of Armagh. Cullen's successor in Dublin, Archbishop Edward MacCabe was also made a cardinal. After that however, the "red hat" (i.e., being made a cardinal) was invariably awarded to the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, until in a considerable surprise Pope John Paul II awarded the red hat not to the low-key pastoral Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh, but to the higher profile, more intellectual, and openly conservative, Archbishop Desmond Connell in Dublin. This trend was reversed in 2007 with Pope Benedict XVI's decision to award the red hat again to the See of Patrick, in a surprise move creating Archbishop Seán Brady a cardinal over the reigning Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, himself previously a high profile Vatican official.

The Partition of Ireland in 1920 in effect gave the "Primate of Ireland" and "Primate of All Ireland" differing roles, given that each is based in a different jurisdiction of the divided island, the former in the south, the latter in Northern Ireland. As a result the Primate of Ireland has effectively become the head of the Church in the "Republic" of Ireland, while the Primate of All Ireland is the head of the Church on the "island" of Ireland.

Primates Today

The current Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin is Diarmuid Martin.The current Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin is John Neill.

Notes and references

ources

* New York, 1909: The Catholic Encyclopedia; Robert Appleton Company

External links

* [http://www.gcatholic.com/dioceses/diocese/dubl0.htm Archdiocese of Dublin] by Giga-Catholic Information
* Church of Ireland [http://dublin.anglican.org/archbishop/archbishop.html Archbishop of Dublin]