The Synod of Thurles was the first synod of Catholic clergy since the Middle Ages.[1] The Synod was called by Paul Cullen who had been just appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. The Synod took place in St. Patrick's College, Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland and commenced on Thursday, 22 August 1850.[2]
The synod was used to standardise many practices in the Irish Church which may have evolved differently to the practice on the continent. The synod also occurred at the sensitive time following the devastation of the Famine. Counteracting proslytising efforts by the protestant churches was also discussed.
One of the main commitments from the Synod was to establish a Catholic University in Ireland in response to the establishment of the Queen's Colleges and the Queen's University of Ireland by the Universities Ireland Act of 1845 by the British Government. The consequence was the Catholic University of Ireland established in 1851 and the invitation from the bishops to Cardinal John Henry Newman to become its chancellor and its foundation in 1854.[3]
Decrees of the Plenary Synod of the Bishops of Ireland (Decreta Synodi Plenariae Episcoporum Hiberniae) was published in 1851 following the synod.