Roman Catholic Diocese of Achonry

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Achonry (Irish: Deoise Achadh Conaire) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the western part of Ireland. It is one of the five suffragan sees of the Archdiocese of Tuam.[2] 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.[3]

Diocese of Achonry

Dioecesis Achadensis
Location
Country Republic of Ireland
TerritoryParts of counties Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo
Ecclesiastical provinceProvince of Tuam
MetropolitanArchdiocese of Tuam
Statistics
Area346 sq mi (900 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2015)
39,000 (est.)
36,234 (92.9%)
Parishes23
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteLatin Rite
EstablishedBetween 1111 and 1152
CathedralCathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Nathy, Ballaghaderreen
Patron saintSt Nathy and St Attracta [1]
Secular priests41 (diocesan)
1 (Religious Orders)
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopPaul Dempsey,
Bishop-elect of Achonry
Metropolitan ArchbishopMichael Neary,
Archbishop of Tuam
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. The most recent bishop, Brendan Kelly, was appointed on 20 November 2007 and ordained on 27 January 2008. He was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh on 11 December 2017.

In January 2020 Pope Francis appointed Fr Paul Dempsey, Parish Priest of Newbridge, as the new Bishop of Achonry. Fr Dempsey's episcopal ordination was scheduled for April 2020 but has been delayed until the summer of the same year due to the Covid19 outbreak.The Cathedral, dedicated to The Annunciation and St. Nathy, is in Ballaghaderreen and was built in the 1850s.[2]

Geography

The diocese covers parts of counties Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo. The largest towns are Charlestown, Kiltimagh and Swinford.

Ordinaries
Main article: Bishop of Achonry

List of bishops since the Reformation:[3][4]

  • 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)
  • Patrick MacNicholas (1818–1852)
  • Patrick Durcan (1852–1875)
  • Francis McCormack (1875–1887; coadjutor bishop 1871–1875)
  • John Lyster (1888–1911)
  • Patrick Morrisroe (1911–1946)
  • James Fergus (1947–1976)
  • Thomas Flynn (1976–2007)
  • Brendan Kelly (2007–2017)
  • Paul Dempsey (2020- appointed and awaiting Episcopal ordination)

See also

References
  1. Patrons of the diocese of Achonry, Ireland. Saints.com. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  2. Diocese of Achonry. Retrieved on 14 January 2009.
  3. 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.
  4. "Diocese of Achonry". Catholic-Hierarchy. 13 February 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
 5.Liam Swords: various histories of diocese
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.

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