Bishop of Ossory

St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny, the episcopal seat of the pre-Reformation and Church of Ireland bishops.
St. Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny, the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic bishops.

The Bishop of Ossory is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.

History

The diocese of Ossory was one the twenty-four dioceses established at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 and coincided with the ancient Kingdom of Ossory. The Episcopal see was originally at Aghaboe but was subsequently transferred to St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny, in 1120s.[1]

Following the Reformation, there were parallel apostolic successions. In the Church of Ireland, the see of Ossory combined with Ferns and Leighlin to form the united bishopric of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin in 1835.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the title continues as a separate bishopric. The bishop's seat (cathedra) is located at St. Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny. The Ordinary is the Most Reverend Séamus Freeman, who was appointed by the Holy See on 14 September 2007 and ordained bishop on 2 December 2007.

Pre-Reformation bishops

Pre-Reformation Bishops of Ossory
From Until Ordinary Notes
bef.1152 1178 Domnall Ua Fogartaig Became bishop before March 1152; died 1178
bef.1180 1202 Felix Ua Duib Sláin, O.Cist. Became bishop before 1180; died 24 January 1202
c.1202 1218 Hugo de Rous, O.S.A. Became bishop circa 1202; died before December 1218; also recorded as Hugo Rufus
1218 1231 Peter Mauveisin, O.S.A. Elected before 8 December 1218; consecrated after 31 August 1220; died before March 1231
1231 1232 William of Kilkenny Elected after 16 March 1231; resigned before May 1232
1232 1243 Walter de Brackley Elected before 13 June 1232; consecrated before 15 July 1233; died before 12 October 1243
1244 1250 Geoffrey de Turville Elected after 5 February 1244; consecrated before 28 October 1245; died before 18 October 1250
1251 1260 Hugh de Malpilton Elected before 17 April 1251; consecrated after 20 August 1251; died before 4 June 1260
1260 1287 Geoffrey St Leger Elected before 29 June 1260; died 10 January 1287
1287 1289 Roger of Wexford Elected before 22 June 1287; consecrated 3 November 1287; died 28 June 1289
1289 1302 Michael d'Exeter Elected 28 September 1289; died 12 July 1302
1302 1317 William FitzJohn Elected 10 September 1302; consecrated after 6 January 1303; translated to Cashel 26 March 1317
1317 1361 Richard Ledred, O.F.M. Appointed 24 April 1317; consecrated circa May 1317; died circa 1361
1361 1364 John de Tatenhale, O.P. Appointed 8 November 1361; consecrated before 14 December 1361; died after March 1364
1366 unknown William Became bishop before February 1366
unknown 1370 John of Oxford, O.E.S.A. died circa 1370
1370 1386 Alexander de Balscot or le Petit Elected circa 1370 and appointed 9 February 1371; translated to Meath circa 10 March 1386
1386 1395 Richard Northalis, O.Carm. Elected 1386, appointed before 17 February 1387 and consecrated 4 December 1387; translated to Dublin 25 October 1395
1395 1398 Thomas Peverel, O.Carm. Appointed 25 October 1395; translated to Llandaff 2 July 1398
1398 1400 John Waltham, O.S.A. Appointed 1 February 1398; translated to Dromore 14 May 1400
1399 1400 John Griffin Translated from Leighlin 2 July 1399; died circa March 1400
1400 John Appointed before 14 May 1400; died after 8 June 1400
1400 1402 Roger Appleby, O.S.A. Appointed 26 September 1400; resigned October 1402
1402 1405 John Waltham, O.S.A. (again) Translated from Dromore 9 or 11 October 1402; died 5 November 1405
1405 1407 See vacant
1407 1417 Thomas Snell Translated from Waterford and Lismore 11 March 1407; died 16 October 1417
1417 1421 Patrick Foxe Translated from Cork 15 December 1417; died 20 April 1421
1421 1426 Dionysius Ó Deadhaidh Appointed 4 July 1421; died before 12 December 1426
1427 1460 Thomas Barry Appointed 19 February 1427; died 3 March 1460
1460 1478 David Hackett Appointed 4 July 1460; died 24 October 1478
1479 1487 Seaán Ó hÉidigheáin Appointed 15 January and consecrated 21 February 1479; died 6 January 1487
1487 1527 Oliver Cantwell, O.P. Appointed 26 March 1487; died 9 January 1527
Source(s): [2][3]

Bishops during the Reformation

Bishops of Ossory during the Reformation
From Until Ordinary Notes
1528 1550 Milo Baron, O.S.A. Appointed 8 June 1528; also held in commendam the priory of Inistioge until the dissolution of religious houses, when surrendered it to King Henry VIII; died sometime between 1 July and 27 September 1550; also known Milo Fitzgerald
1552 1553 John Bale Nominated by King Edward VI 22 October 1552; consecrated 2 February 1553; compelled to flee under Queen Mary I in September 1553; died November 1563
1553 1565 John Tonory, O.S.A. Nominated in December 1553 by Queen Mary I and consecrated January 1554. Allegiance to the papacy was restored on 29 November 1554, but after the accession of Queen Elizabeth I his position is uncertain. He died in 1565.
Source(s): [4][5][6][7]

Post-Reformation bishops

Church of Ireland succession

Church of Ireland Bishops of Ossory
From Until Ordinary Notes
1566 1576 Christopher Gaffney Nominated 4 December 1566 and consecrated May 1567; died 3 August 1576
1578 1585 Nicholas Walsh Appointed by letters patent 23 January 1578 and consecrated February 1578; murdered 14 December 1585
1586 1610 John Horsfall Nominated 1 August 1586 and appointed by letters patent 15 September 1586; died 13 February 1610
1610 1613 Richard Deane Nominated 7 March 1610 and appointed by letters patent 18 April 1610; died 20 February 1613
1613 1640 Jonas Wheeler Nominated 14 March 1613 and consecrated 8 May 1613; died 19 April 1640
1641 1672 Griffith Williams Nominated 19 July 1641 and consecrated 26 September 1641; died 29 March 1672
1672 1677 John Parry Nominated 5 April 1672 and consecrated 28 April 1672; died 21 December 1677
1677 1678 Benjamin Parry Nominated 29 December 1677 and consecrated 27 January 1678; died 4 October 1678
1678 1680 Michael Ward Nominated 25 October 1678 and consecrated 24 November 1678; translated to Derry 22 January 1680
1680 1693 Thomas Otway Translated from Killala and Achonry; nominated 6 January 1680 and appointed by letters patent 7 February 1680; died 6 March 1693
1693 1714 John Hartstonge Nominated 16 March 1693 and consecrated 2 July 1693; translated to Derry 3 March 1714
1714 1730 Sir Thomas Vesey, Bt. Translated from Killaloe; nominated 18 February and appointed by letters patent 28 April 1714; died 6 August 1730
1730 1735 Edward Tenison Nominated 11 September 1730 and consecrated 4 July 1731; died 29 November 1735
1735 1740 Charles Este Nominated 17 December 1735 and consecrated 1 February 1736; translated to Waterford and Lismore 4 October 1740
1741 1743 Anthony Dopping Nominated 19 June 1741 and consecrated 19 July 1741; died 1 February 1743
1743 1754 Michael Cox Nominated 15 February and consecrated 29 May 1743; translated to Cashel 22 January 1754
1754 1756 Edward Maurice Nominated 3 January and consecrated 27 January 1754; died 10 February 1756
1756 1765 Richard Pococke Nominated 5 March and consecrated 21 March 1756; translated to Meath 16 July 1765
1765 1775 Charles Dodgson Nominated 22 June and consecrated 11 August 1765; translated to Elphin 12 April 1775
1775 1779 William Newcome Translated from Dromore; nominated 23 March and appointed by letters patent 13 April 1775; translated to Waterford and Lismore 5 November 1779
1779 1782 John Hotham Nominated 22 October and consecrated 14 November 1779; translated to Clogher 17 May 1782
1782 1794 Hon. William Beresford Translated from Dromore; nominated 11 April and appointed by letters patent 21 May 1782; translated Tuam 10 October 1794
1795 1798 Thomas Lewis O'Beirne Nominated 17 January and consecrated 1 February 1795; translated to Meath 18 December 1798
1799 1805 Hugh Hamilton Translated from Clonfert; nominated 15 January and appointed by letters patent 24 January 1799; died 1 December 1805
1806 1813 John Kearney Nominated 4 January and consecrated 2 February 1806; died 22 May 1813
1813 1841 Robert Fowler Nominated 7 January and consecrated 20 June 1813; became bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin when the dioceses were united on 12 July 1835; died 31 December 1841
In 1835, the Church of Ireland see became part of the united bishopric of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin
Source(s): [4][7]

Roman Catholic succession

Roman Catholic Bishops of Ossory
From Until Ordinary Notes
1565 1582 See vacant
1582 1602 Thomas Strong Appointed 28 March and consecrated 5 April 1582; appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de Compostela 20 January 1597; died 20 January 1602
1603 1609 William Brenan, O.F.M. Appointed vicar apostolic by papal brief 13 November 1603; died in Flanders circa 1609
1609 1620 See vacant During this period there were no bishops or vicars apostolic. Laurence Reneghan was vicar general of Ossory 1609–1613; followed by Luke Archer, O.Cist., who was also vicar apostolic of Leighlin and titular abbot of Holy Cross
1620 1650 David Rothe Appointed 1 October 1618 and consecrated 1620; died 20 April 1650
1657 1668 Terence Fitzpatrick Appointed vicar apostolic by papal 17 April 1657; died circa 1668
1669 1695 James Phelan Appointed 11 January and consecrated 1 August 1669; died January 1695
1696 1712 William Daton Appointed 20 February 1696; ded 26 January 1712; also recorded as William Dalton
1713 1731 Malachy Dulany Appointed 20 September 1713 and consecrated 17 February 1714; died May 1731
1731 1736 Patrick Shee Appointed 28 July 1731; died June. 1736
1736 1748 Colman O'Shaughnessy, O.P. Appointed 5 October 1736; died 2 September 1748
1748 1758 James Bernard Dunne Appointed 17 December 1748; died 30 April 1758
1759 1776 Thomas Burke, O.P. Appointed 9 January and consecrated 22 April 1759; died 25 September 1776; also recorded as Thomas de Burgo
1776 1786 John Thomas Troy, O.P. Appointed 16 December 1776 and consecrated 8 June 1777; translated to Dublin 3 December 1786
1787 1789 John Dunne Appointed 13 July and consecrated 16 September 1787; died 15 March 1789
1789 1812 James Lanigan Appointed 10 July and consecrated 21 September 1789; died 11 February 1812
1812 1814 See vacant
1814 1827 Kyran Marum Appointed 4 October 1814 and consecrated 5 March 1815; died 22 December 1827
1827 1829 See vacant
(1829) (Miles Murphy) Appointed 8 June 1828 and by papal brief 5 March 1829, however, the appointment was not accepted
1829 1845 William Kinsella Appointed 15 May and consecrated 26 July 1829; died 12 December 1845
1846 1872 Edward Walsh Appointed 24 April and consecrated 26 July 1846; died 11 August 1872
1872 1884 Patrick Francis Moran Appointed coadjutor bishop 28 December 1871 and consecrated 5 March 1872; succeeded 11 August 1872; translated to Sydney 14 March 1884
1884 1928 Abraham Brownrigg, S.S.S. Appointed 28 October and consecrated 14 December 1884; died 1 October 1928
1928 1964 Patrick Collier Appointed coadjutor bishop 18 May and consecrated 5 August 1928; succeeded 1 October 1928; died 10 January 1964
1964 1981 Peter Birch Appointed coadjutor bishop 24 July and consecrated 23 September 1962; succeeded 10 January 1964; died 7 March 1981
1981 2007 Laurence Forristal Previously Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin 1979-1981; appointed Bishop of Ossory 30 June 1981; retired 14 September 2007
2007 present Séamus Freeman, S.A.C. Appointed 14 September and consecrated 2 December 2007
Source(s): [5][6][8]

References

  1. ↑ St. Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  2. ↑ Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 369–370. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
  3. ↑ Moody, T. W.; Martin, F. X.; Byrne, F. J., eds. (1984), Maps, Genealogies, Lists: A Companion to Irish History, Part II, New History of Ireland: Volume XI, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 316–318, ISBN 0-19-821745-5
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fryde, ibid., pp. 403–404.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Fryde, ibid., pp. 440–441.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Moody, ibid., pp. 377–378.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Moody, ibid., pp. 429–431.
  8. ↑ Diocese of Ossory. Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 17 December 2009.