Roman Catholic Diocese of Achonry
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The Diocese of Achonry (Irish: Deoise Achadh Conaire) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the western part of Ireland. It is one of the five suffragan sees of the Archdiocese of Tuam.[1] The diocese was often called the "bishopric of Luighne" in the Irish annals. It was not established at the Synod of Rathbreasail, but Máel Ruanaid Ua Ruadáin signed as "bishop of Luighne" at the Synod of Kells.[2]
Diocese of Achonry Dioecesis Achadensis Deoise Achadh Conaire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Territory | Parts of counties Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo |
| Ecclesiastical province | Tuam |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 346 sq mi (900 km2) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2015) 39,000 (est.) 36,234 (92.9%) |
| Parishes | 23 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Established | Between 1111 and 1152 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Nathy, Ballaghaderreen |
| Patron saint | Nathy Attracta |
| Secular priests | 41 (diocesan) 1 (Religious Orders) |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Sede vacante |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Francis Duffy, Archbishop of Tuam |
| Apostolic Administrator | Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin |
| Map | |
 | |
| Website | |
| achonrydiocese.org | |
At present there are twenty-three parishes in the diocese, located in Counties Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo. There are twenty-six priests involved in full-time parish ministry and four involved in secondary education.
On 27 January 2020 Pope Francis appointed Paul Dempsey — parish priest of Newbridge — as the new Bishop of Achonry.[3] He received episcopal ordination in the diocesan cathedral, which is dedicated to The Annunciation and St. Nathy, in Ballaghaderreen, on 30 August 2020.[4]
Geography
editThe diocese covers parts of counties Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo. The largest towns are Charlestown, Kiltimagh and Swinford.
Ordinaries
editList of bishops since the Reformation:[2][5]
- Thomas O'Fihely (1547–1555)
- Cormac O'Coyn (1556–1561)
- Eugene O'Hart (1562–1603)
- See vacant (1603–1629)
- Andrew Lynch (Vicar Apostolic, appointed 1629)
- James Fallon (Vicar Apostolic 1631–1662)
- Maurice Durcan (Vicar Apostolic, appointed 1677)
- Hugh MacDermot (Vicar Apostolic 1684–1707, Bishop 1707–1725)
- Dominic O’Daly (1725–1735)
- John O'Hart (1735–1739)
- Walter Blake (1739–1758)
- Patrick Robert Kirwan (1758–1776)
- Philip Phillips (1776–1785)
- Boetius Egan (1785–1787)
- Thomas O'Connor (1788–1803)
- Charles Lynagh (1803–1808)
- John O'Flynn (1809–1817)[6]
- Patrick MacNicholas (1818–1852)[7]
- Patrick Durcan (1852–1875)
- Francis McCormack (1875–1887; coadjutor bishop 1871–1875)
- John Lyster (1888–1911)
- Patrick Morrisroe (1911–1946)[8]
- James Fergus (1947–1976)
- Thomas Flynn (1976–2007)
- Brendan Kelly (2007–2017)
- Paul Dempsey (2020–2024)
See also
edit- Achonry (village)
- Catholic Church in Ireland
- Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry (Church of Ireland diocese)
References
edit- ^ Diocese of Achonry. Retrieved on 14 January 2009.
- ^ a b Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S. & Roy, I. (23 February 1996). Handbook of British Chronology (Third Edition, revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 328–29 and 412–13. ISBN 978-0521563505.
- ^ "Kildare priest appointed new Catholic bishop in west of Ireland". The Irish Times.
- ^ "Bishop Paul Dempsey".
- ^ "Diocese of Achonry". Catholic-Hierarchy. 13 February 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
- ^ 'A Hidden Church: The Diocese of Achonry 1689-1818' by Liam Swords, published by Columba Press(1998).
- ^ 'In Their Own Words: The Famine in North Connacht 1845-1849' by Liam Swords, published by Columba Press(1999).
- ^ 'A Dominant Church: The Diocese of Achonry 1818-1960' by Liam Swords, published by Columba Press(2015).
External links
edit- Diocese of Achonry. Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference website.
- Diocese of Achonry. Catholic-Hierarchy website.
- Diocese of Achonry. GCatholic.org website.
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "The Diocese of Achonry". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.