The Bishop of Ferns is an episcopal

Episcopal polity

Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...

 title which takes its name after the village of Ferns

Ferns, County Wexford

Ferns is a small historic town in north County Wexford, Ireland with a population of about 900. It is 16 km from Enniscorthy, where the Gorey to Enniscorthy N11 road joins the R745 regional road...

 in County Wexford

County Wexford

County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. In the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland

Church of Ireland

The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...

 it has been united with other bishoprics.

History

The diocese of Ferns was one of the twenty-four dioceses established at the Synod of Rathbreasail

Synod of Rathbreasail

The Synod of Ráth Breasail took place in Ireland in 1111. It marked the transition of the Irish church from a monastic to a diocesan and parish-based church...

 in 1111. It comprised roughly with the ancient territory of the Uí Cheinnselaig

Uí Cheinnselaig

The Uí Ceinnselaig , from the Old Irish "grandsons of Cennsalach", are an Irish dynasty of Leinster who trace their descent from Énnae Cennsalach, a supposed contemporary of Niall of the Nine Hostages...

 with the bishop's seat (cathedra

Cathedra

A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...

) located at Ferns Cathedral

Ferns Cathedral

The Cathedral Church of St Edan is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Ferns, County Wexford in Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin....

. During the later medieval period the church at New Ross

New Ross

New Ross is a town located in southwest County Wexford, in the southeast of Ireland. In 2006 it had a population of 7,709 people, making it the third largest town in the county after Wexford and Enniscorthy.-History:...

 enjoyed quasi-cathedral status.

Following the Reformation

English Reformation

The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....

, there are parallel apostolic succession

Apostolic Succession

Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...

s. In the Church of Ireland

Church of Ireland

The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...

, Ferns was united with Leighlin

Bishop of Leighlin

The Bishop of Leighlin was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the small town of Old Leighlin in County Carlow, Ireland.The title is now united with other bishoprics. In the Church of Ireland, it is held by the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, whose full title is the Bishop of Cashel,...

 in 1597 to form the bishopric of Ferns and Leighlin

Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin

The Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin was the Ordinary of the Church of Ireland diocese of Ferns and Leighlin in the Province of Dublin. The diocese comprised all of counties Wexford and Carlow and part of counties Wicklow and Laois in Ireland....

.

In the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

, the bishopric of Ferns continues as a separate title. The current Incumbent is the Most Reverend Denis Brennan

Denis Brennan

Denis Brennan in Enniscorthy, County Wexford) is an Irish Catholic bishop. He has been Bishop of Ferns since 23 April 2006. He is the first native of Wexford to have risen to be a bishop in almost 70 years.- Biography :...

, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns

Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns

The Diocese of Ferns is a Roman Catholic diocese in south-eastern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin. The incumbent Ordinary is Denis Brennan....

, who was appointed

Appointment of Catholic bishops

The appointment of bishops in the Catholic Church is a complicated process. Outgoing bishops, neighbouring bishops, the faithful, the apostolic nuncio, various members of the Roman Curia, and the pope all have a role in the selection...

 by the Holy See

Holy See

The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

 on 1 March 2006 and was ordained bishop

Bishop (Catholic Church)

In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....

 on 23 April 2006.

Pre-Reformation bishops

List of pre-Reformation Bishops of Ferns
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
unknown	1117	Ceallach Ua Colmáin	Died in office
unknown	1125	Máel Eoin Ua Dúnacaín	May have been bishop of Ferns or Leighlin Bishop of Leighlin The Bishop of Leighlin was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the small town of Old Leighlin in County Carlow, Ireland.The title is now united with other bishoprics. In the Church of Ireland, it is held by the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, whose full title is the Bishop of Cashel,... , but was called bishop of Uí Chennselaig Uí Cheinnselaig The Uí Ceinnselaig , from the Old Irish "grandsons of Cennsalach", are an Irish dynasty of Leinster who trace their descent from Énnae Cennsalach, a supposed contemporary of Niall of the Nine Hostages...  in the Annals of the Four Masters Annals of the Four Masters The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history... ; died in office at Leighlin Old Leighlin Old Leighlin is a small town in County Carlow, Ireland, 3.5 km west of Leighlinbridge. The site was at one time one of the foremost monastic houses in Leinster, with 1500 monks in residence...
fl. Floruit Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...  1161–62	1182	Joseph Ua h-Áeda	Known to be bishop around 1160 and 1161; died in office
c.1186	1223	Ailbe Ua Maíl Mhuaidh Ailbe Ua Maíl Mhuaidh Ailbe Ua Maíl Mhuaidh , Irish bishop of Ferns, died 1223.-Background:Ua Maíl Mhuaidh was native of what is now north County Tipperary. He became a Cistercian monk at Baltinglass, and eventually rose to be abbot of that house... , O.Cist.	Formerly Abbot of Baltinglass Baltinglass Baltinglass or Baltinglas is a town in south-west County Wicklow, Ireland. It is situated on the River Slaney near the border with County Carlow and County Kildare, on the N81 road. Its Irish name means "the way of Conglas", Conglas being a member of the mythological warrior collective, the Fianna... ; elected bishop circa 1186; acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of Winchester Diocese of Winchester The Diocese of Winchester forms part of the Province of Canterbury of the Church of England.Founded in 676, it is one of the oldest and largest of the dioceses in England.The area of the diocese incorporates:...  in 1201 and 1214; died 1 January 1223; also known as Albinus, Albin O'Mooley and Alpin O'Moelmhuaidh
1223	1253	John of St John	Formerly Treasurer of Limerick; elected before 6 July 1223 and consecrated before 2 April 1224; died before October 1253
1254	1258	Geoffrey of St John	Formerly Treasurer of Limerick; elected before March 1254; received possession of the temporalities Temporalities Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...  after 16 March 1254; died before May 1258; he was possibly brother to the previous bishop
1258	1282	High of Lamport	Formerly Treasurer of Ferns Cathedral Ferns Cathedral The Cathedral Church of St Edan is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Ferns, County Wexford in Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.... ; elected before 11 July 1258; received possession of the temporalities Temporalities Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...  27 September 1258; died 15 May 1282
1282	1304	Richard of Northampton	Formerly a Canon Canon (priest) A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....  of Killaloe Killaloe Cathedral The Cathedral Church of St. Flannan, Killaloe is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Killaloe, County Clare in Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.... ; elected 28 July 1282; received possession of the temporalities Temporalities Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...  13 October 1282; consecrated in 1283; died 13 January 1304 and buried in Ferns Cathedral
1304		Simon of Evesham	Elected after 12 March 1304; consecrated 22 June 1304; died 1 September 1304
1305	1311	Robert Walrand	Elected after 14 February 1305; consecrated after 13 April 1305; died 17 November 1311
1312	1346	Adam of Northampton	Elected before 14 March 1312; received possession of the temporalities Temporalities Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...  14 March 1312; consecrated 18 June 1312; died 29 October 1346
1347		Hugh of Saltu	Formerly a Canon Canon (priest) A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....  of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin; elected before 10 March and consecrated 8 April 1347, but was deprived of the see later in the same year; also known as Hugh of Leixlip
1347	1348	Geoffrey Grandfield, O.E.S.A.	Appointed 5 March and consecrated at Avignon Avignon Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...  in June 1347; received possession of the temporalities Temporalities Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...  15 November 1347; died of the plague Black Death The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...  22 October 1348; also known as Geoffrey Grosseld
1349	1353	John Esmond	Elected and consecrated in 1349, but did not get possession of the see due to a prior papal reservation; deprived in the same year; he was appointed Bishop of Emly Bishop of Emly The Bishop of Emly was an episcopal title which took its name after the village of Emly in County Tipperary, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1569 and by the Roman Catholic Church until 1718...  on 28 February 1356
1350	1362	William Carnells, O.P.	Appointed 19 April and consecrated 1350; received possession of the temporalities Temporalities Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...  15 October 1350; also was Lord High Treasurer of Ireland Lord High Treasurer of Ireland The Lord High Treasurer of Ireland was the chief financial officer of that kingdom until the treasuries of Great Britain and Ireland were united in 1817... ; died in July 1362
1363	1400	Thomas Dene	Formerly Archdeacon of Ferns; appointed bishop before 15 April and consecrated 18 June 1363; received possession of the temporalities the 27 August 1363; died 27 August 1400
1400	1415	Patrick Barrett Patrick Barrett Patrick Barrett was an Irishman who held religious and secular high offices in Ireland.-Biography:He was an Augustinian Canon at Kells Priory in County Kilkenny until appointed Bishop of Ferns on 10 December 1400. He was consecrated bishop at Rome in December 1400. Barrett was also the Lord... , O.S.A.	Formerly a Canon Canon (priest) A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....  of Kells Priory Kells Priory Kells Priory is one of the largest and most impressive medieval monuments in Ireland.The Augustine priory is situated alongside King's River beside the village of Kells, about 15 km south of the medieval city of Kilkenny. The priory is a National Monument and is in the guardianship of the Office of... ; appointed 10 December 1400 and consecrated in the same month; received possession of the temporalities the 11 April 1401; also was Lord Chancellor of Ireland Lord Chancellor of Ireland The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:... ; died 10 November 1415
1418	1457	Robert Whittey	Formerly Precentor Precentor A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....  of Ferns Cathedral Ferns Cathedral The Cathedral Church of St Edan is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Ferns, County Wexford in Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.... ; appointed 16 February 1418; resigned 5 October 1457; died 1458
1451		Tadgh O'Beirn, O.S.A.	Appointed 8 October 1451, but did not take effect
1457	1479	John Purcell I	Appointed 4 October 1457; died before October 1479
1479	1503	Laurence Neville	Formerly a Canon Canon (priest) A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....  of Ferns Ferns Cathedral The Cathedral Church of St Edan is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Ferns, County Wexford in Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.... ; appointed 26 October 1479 and received possession of the temporalities Temporalities Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...  20 May 1480; died 1503
1505	1509	Edmund Comerford	Formerly Dean of Kilkenny St Canice's Cathedral St Canice's Cathedral , is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Kilkenny city, Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.... ; consecrated at Ferns Cathedral in 1505; died 15 April 1509
1510	1519	Nicholas Comyn	Appointed bishop before 20 January 1510 and consecrated at St Paul's Cathedral, London Old St Paul's Cathedral Old St Paul's Cathedral is a name used to refer to the medieval cathedral of the City of London which until 1666 stood on the site of the present St Paul's Cathedral. Built between 1087 and 1314 and dedicated to St Paul, the cathedral was the fourth church on the site at Ludgate Hill...  on that date; translated to Waterford and Lismore Bishop of Waterford and Lismore The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Waterford and town of Lismore in the Republic of Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1838, and is still used by the Catholic Church....  in 1519
1519	1539	John Purcell II	Appointed 13 April and consecrated at Rome 6 May 1519; died 20 July 1539

Church of Ireland succession

List of Church of Ireland Bishops of Ferns
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
1539	1566	Alexander Devereux	Last Abbot of Dunbrody Dunbrody Abbey Dunbrody Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery in County Wexford, Ireland. The cross-shaped church was built in the 13th century, and the tower was added in the 15th century. With a length of 59m the church is one of the longest in Ireland... ; elected bishop by the dean and chapter in 1539 and confirmed by King Henry VIII Henry VIII of England Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France... ; consecrated at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin 14 December 1539; died in Fethard-on-Sea Fethard-on-Sea Fethard-on-Sea , or Fethard, is a village inn south-western County Wexford, Ireland on the eastern side of the Hook peninsula. It is in the parish of Templetown in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns. Neighbouring parishes are Duncannon, Ramsgrange and Ballycullane.- History :Now known as a fishing...  before 19 August 1556
1566	1578	John Devereux	Dean of Ferns; nominated 10 October and appointed by letters patent Letters patent Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...  19 October 1556; died in 1578 and was buried at St Mary's Church in Wexford
1579		(James Proctor)	Appointed by letters patent 11 April 1579, but died before consecration
1579	1582	See vacant
1582	1597	Hugh Allen	Translated from Down and Connor Bishop of Down and Connor The Bishop of Down and Connor is an episcopal title which takes its name from the town of Downpatrick and the village of Connor in Northern Ireland... ; appointed by letters patent 24 May 1582; became Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin The Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin was the Ordinary of the Church of Ireland diocese of Ferns and Leighlin in the Province of Dublin. The diocese comprised all of counties Wexford and Carlow and part of counties Wicklow and Laois in Ireland....  when the two dioceses where united in 1597.
In 1597, the Church of Ireland see became part of the united bishopric of Ferns and Leighlin Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin The Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin was the Ordinary of the Church of Ireland diocese of Ferns and Leighlin in the Province of Dublin. The diocese comprised all of counties Wexford and Carlow and part of counties Wicklow and Laois in Ireland....

Roman Catholic succession

List of Roman Catholic Bishops of Ferns
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
1539	1541	See vacant
1541		Bernard O'Donnell, O.F.M	Appointed 30 March 1541; translated to Elphin 3 June 1541
1541	1542	Gabriel de S. Serio, O.S.B.	Translated from Elphin 3 June 1541; died 5 May 1542
unknown	1566	Alexander Devereux	Appointed by King Henry VIII Henry VIII of England Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...  in 1539, but was not deprived in the reign of Queen Mary I Mary I of England Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547... ; died in Fethard-on-Sea Fethard-on-Sea Fethard-on-Sea , or Fethard, is a village inn south-western County Wexford, Ireland on the eastern side of the Hook peninsula. It is in the parish of Templetown in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns. Neighbouring parishes are Duncannon, Ramsgrange and Ballycullane.- History :Now known as a fishing...  before 19 August 1566
1566	1582	See vacant
1582	1587	Peter Power	Appointed 27 April 1582; died 1587
1587	1607	See vacant
1607	unknown	Daniel Drihin	Appointed vicar apostolic by papal brief Papal brief The Papal Brief is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a Papal Bull.-History:The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugenius IV , was clearly prompted for the same desire for greater simplicity...  17 November 1607
1624	1636	John Roche	Appointed 29 April 1624; died 9 April 1636
1636	1645	See vacant
1645	1678	Nicolas Franch Nicholas French Nicholas French , Roman Catholic Bishop of Ferns, was an Irish political activist and pamphleteer, who was born at Wexford....	Appointed 6 February and consecrated 23 November 1645; also appointed auxiliary bishop Auxiliary bishop An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...  of Santiago de Compostela 1652-1666, Paris 1666-1668, and Ghent Roman Catholic Diocese of Gent The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ghent, , also known as or ; is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium. The diocese was erected in 1559 from the surrounding dioceses in Belgium. The Current Bishop is Lucas von Looy, who was appointed in 2003...  1668-1678; died 23 August 1678
1678	1683/84	See vacant
1683/84	1691/92	Luke Wadding	Appointed coadjutor bishop Coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...  of Ferns on 26 August 1671, but declined the post later that year; consecrated bishop of Ferns in 1683 (or 1684); died 1691 (or 1692)
1691/92	1697	See vacant
1697	1709	Michael Rossiter	Appointed 1 July 1697; possibly died 1709
1709	1728	John Verdon	Appointed 14 September 1709; died circa 1728
1729	1744	Ambrose O’Callaghan, O.F.M.	Appointed 26 September 1729; died 8 August 1744
1745	1786	Nicholas Sweetman	Appointed 25 January 1745; died 19 October 1786
1786	1814	James Caulfield	Appointed coadjutor bishop 26 February and consecrated 7 July 1782; succeeded 19 October 1786; died 14 January 1814
1814	1819	Patrick Ryan	Appointed coadjutor bishop 2 October 1804 and consecrated 2 February 1805; succeeded 14 January 1814; died 9 March 1819
1819	1849	James Keatinge	Appointed coadjutor bishop 6 December 1818; succeeded 9 March and consecrated 21 March 1819; died 7 September 1849
1849	1856	Myles Murphy	Appointed 19 November 1849 and consecrated 10 March 1850; died 13 August 1856
1857	1875	Thomas Furlong	Appointed 9 January and consecrated 22 March 1857; died 12 November 1875
1876	1884	Michael Warren	Appointed 13 or 14 March and consecrated 7 May 1876; resigned 22 April 1884; died 22 April 1885
1884	1917	James Browne James Browne (Bishop of Ferns) The Most Reverend James Browne was an Irish Roman Catholic clergyman who served as Bishop of Ferns from 1884 to 1917.He was born on 28 August 1842 in Mayglass, County Wexford, Ireland. He was ordained to the priesthood on 25 December 1865. He was appointed Bishop of Ferns on 6 July 1884 and...	Appointed 6 or 8 July and consecrated 14 September 1884; died 21 June 1917
1917	1938	William Codd	Appointed 7 December 1917 and consecrated 25 February 1918; died 12 March 1938
1938	1963	James Staunton	Appointed 10 December 1938 and consecrated 5 February 1939; died 26 or 27 June 1963
1964	1983	Donald J. Herlihy	Appointed 30 October and consecrated 15 November 1964; died 2 April 1983
1984	2002	Brendan Oliver Comiskey Brendan Comiskey Brendan Comiskey, is the Roman Catholic Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Ferns. He was born on 13 August 1935 in Clontibret, County Monaghan, Ireland.He resigned on 1 April 2002, over charges that he had failed to deal adequately with allegations that Fr... , SS.CC.	Formerly auxiliary bishop Auxiliary bishop An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...  of Dublin Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dublin, , is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in eastern Ireland centred around the republic's capital city – Dublin. The see of Dublin was raised to the status of a Metropolitan Province by the Synod of Kells in 1152. Its jurisdiction includes much of the Province of...  1979-1984; appointed bishop of Ferns 4 or 11 April 1984; resigned 6 April 2002
2006	present	Denis Brennan Denis Brennan Denis Brennan in Enniscorthy, County Wexford) is an Irish Catholic bishop. He has been Bishop of Ferns since 23 April 2006. He is the first native of Wexford to have risen to be a bishop in almost 70 years.- Biography :...	Appointed 1 March and consecrated 23 April 2006.