Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Dioecesis Galviensis, Duacensis et Finaborensis |
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The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, Galway |
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Location | |
Country | Republic of Ireland |
Territory | Parts of counties Mayo, Galway and Clare |
Ecclesiastical province | Province of Tuam |
Statistics | |
Area | 1,008 sq mi (2,610 km2) |
Population - Catholics |
105,707 |
Information | |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Rite | Latin Rite |
Established | United 5 June 1883 |
Cathedral | Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, Galway |
Patron saint | Galway: Our Lady Assumed into Heaven Kilmacduagh: St Colman Kilfenora: St Fachanan |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Pope Benedict XVI |
Bishop | Martin Drennan, Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh, and Administrator of Kilfenora |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam |
Emeritus Bishops | Eamon Casey, Bishop Emeritus of Galway and Kilmacduagh |
Map | |
Province of Tuam (blank).png The Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora, shown in red, within the Province of Tuam |
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Website | |
galwaydiocese.ie |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora (Irish: Deoise Ghaillimh, Chill Mhic Dhuach agus Chill Fhionnúrach) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the western part of Ireland. It is in the Metropolitan Province of Tuam and is subject to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tuam. The current Bishop is the Most Reverend Martin Drennan who was consecrated on 21 September 1997 and appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh on 23 May 2005.
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The See covers the City of Galway, parts of County Galway and the Atlantic coast of County Clare. The seat (Cathedra) is in the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas.
The diocese has its origins in the ancient Kilmacduagh monastery and the Wardenship of Galway (1484-1831). Following the abolition of the Wardenship (see Edmund Ffrench) by the Holy See in 1831 the first Bishop of Galway of the new diocese was appointed in the same year.
In 1866, Bishop John McEvilly of Galway was made Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora. When he was appointed coadjutor to the Archdiocese of Tuam in 1878, he retained Galway until he succeeded as archbishop in 1881. McEvilly continued to oversee Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora until 1883 when Pope Leo XIII united the diocese of Kilmacduagh to Galway and made the Bishop of Galway, in perpetuum, Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora.
The united diocese is divided into five deaneries for which a Vicar Forane (VF) is appointed by the Bishop. The VF exercises limited jurisdiction in the deanery on behalf of the Bishop. The deaneries are divided further into parishes or group parishes.[1]
From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
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1831 | Nicholas Foran | Appointed 16 April 1831, but did not take effect due to illness; later became Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in 1837 | |
1831 | 1844 | George Joseph Plunket Browne | Appointed 6 August and consecrated 23 October 1831; translated to Elphin 26 March 1844 |
1844 | 1855 | Laurence O'Donnell | Appointed 26 September and consecrated 28 October 1844; died 29 June 1855 |
1857 | 1881 | John McEvilly | Appointed 24 December 1856 and consecrated 22 March 1857; also was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora (1866-1883) and Coadjutor archbishop of Tuam (1878-1881); reliquished Galway when he succeeded as Archbishop of Tuam on 7 November 1881 |
1881 | 1883 | Sede vacante |
and Apostolic Administrators of Kilfenora
From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
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1883 | 1886 | Thomas Joseph Carr | Appointed 12 June and consecrated 26 August 1883; translated to Melbourne 29 September 1886 |
1887 | 1908 | Francis MacCormack | Translated from Achrony; appointed 27 April 1887; retired 21 October 1908; died 14 November 1909 |
1909 | 1923 | Thomas O'Dea | Translated from Clonfert; appointed 29 April 1909; died 9 April 1923 |
1923 | 1936 | Thomas O'Doherty | Translated from Clonfert; appointed 13 July 1923; died 15 December 1936 |
1937 | 1976 | Michael Browne | Appointed 6 August and consecrated 10 November 1937; retired 21 July 1976; died 24 February 1980 |
1976 | 1992 | Eamon Casey | Translated from Kerry; appointed 21 July 1976; resigned 6 May 1992 |
1993 | 2005 | James McLoughlin | Appointed 10 February and consecrated 28 March 1993; retired 23 May 2005; died 25 November 2005 |
2005 | present | Martin Drennan | Previously Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin; consecrated 21 September 1997; appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh 23 May 2005 |
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