Diocese of Ardagh

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The Diocese of Ardagh was established in 1111 at the Synod of Rathbreasail as the see for east Connacht. At the subsequent Synod of Kells-Mellifont its area was reduced to the territory of the Conmaicne, with the kingdom of Breifne forming a new Diocese of Kells.^[1]

Tradition states that a monastery was founded at Ardagh by St Patrick, and that his nephew, St. Mel (who died c.490) was its bishop or abbot. Although there is no historical or archaelogical evidence to support the this, Mel is regarded as the founder of the see.^[2]

Ardagh Cathedral was severely damaged by warfare in 1496, and was never restored. There are remains of an eighth or ninth century church at Ardagh, which is known as St. Mel's Cathedral, although it dates from three centuries after the saint's death, and predates the introduction of a diocesan system in Ireland.

In the Roman Catholic Church it has been united with the Diocese of Clonmacnaoise since the eighteenth century. The cathedral for the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise was established at Longford in 1838. Previously the parish church of Ballymahon had served as a pro-cathedral.

In the Church of Ireland, the diocese was held with that of Kilmore from 1604. In 1841 Kilmore and Ardagh were further amalgamated with the Diocese of Elphin to form the present United Dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. The parish church of St John the Baptist, Sligo was designated as the cathedral for Elphin and Ardagh on October 29, 1961.