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Diocese of Kilmore Elphin Ardagh (Church of Ireland)
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh is a diocese
of the Church of Ireland
located in central Ireland
. It is in the ecclesiastical province
of Armagh.
It is one of twelve Anglican
dioceses in the island of Ireland. The geographical remit covers all of County Leitrim
, almost all of counties Cavan
, Longford
and Roscommon
, plus smaller parts of counties Westmeath
, Sligo, Donegal
and Fermanagh
.
There had been two other cathedrals, but are now in ruins.
The historic sees
of Kilmore
and Ardagh
were intermittently united in the 17th and 18th centuries until they were finally united in 1839. They were further merged with the see of Elphin in 1841 to form the current Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. It is for this reason that the united diocese has two cathedral
s in current use as well as a number of deconsecrated cathedrals.
Diocese of Kilmore
Diocese of Elphin
Diocese of Ardagh
is the Right Reverend Kenneth Herbert Clarke
, who was elected Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
by the Electoral College on 13 November 2000 and consecrated at a service in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh
on 25 January 2001.
of Elphin and Ardagh
were established at the Synod of Rathbreasail
in 1111 and the see of Kilmore
(originally called Tirbrunensis, Triburnia or Tybruinensis) at the Synod of Kells in 1152.
Following the Reformation
in the 16th century, the church in "communion with the Bishop of Rome" used the term "Catholic" to distinguish itself from the various Protestant churches. The Parliament of Ireland
broke communion when it created the Church of Ireland
as the State Religion
in the Kingdom of Ireland
assuming possession of most Church property. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the either the Church of Ireland or, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church, to Presbyterianism
.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of 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...
located in central 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,...
. It is in the ecclesiastical province
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
of Armagh.
It is one of twelve Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
dioceses in the island of Ireland. The geographical remit covers all of County Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
, almost all of counties Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Longford
County Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
and Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
, plus smaller parts of counties Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
, Sligo, Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
and Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
.
Cathedrals
- St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, KilmoreKilmore, County CavanKilmore is a civil and ecclesiastical parish of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. It is located about south-west of the county town of Cavan.-Civil parish:...
- St John the Baptist's Cathedral, SligoSligoSligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
.
There had been two other cathedrals, but are now in ruins.
- St Mel's Cathedral, ArdaghArdagh, County LongfordArdagh is a village in County Longford, Ireland about from Longford Town. It is located off the N4 road.There are several important Early Christian sites in and near Ardagh, including the Church of St. Mel...
was severely damaged by warfare in 1496 and was never restored. - St Mary's Cathedral, ElphinElphin, County RoscommonElphin, sometimes spelt Elfin , is a village in north County Roscommon, Ireland. It forms the southern tip of a triangle with Boyle and Carrick-on-Shannon to the north west and north east respectively. It is at the junction of the R368 and R369 regional roads...
was destroyed by a violent storm on 4 February 1957.
The historic sees
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Kilmore
Bishop of Kilmore
The Bishop of Kilmore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the parish of Kilmore in County Cavan, 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:...
and Ardagh
Bishop of Ardagh
The Bishop of Ardagh was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Ardagh in County Longford, Ireland. It was used by the Roman Catholic Church until 1756, and intermittently by the Church of Ireland until 1839....
were intermittently united in the 17th and 18th centuries until they were finally united in 1839. They were further merged with the see of Elphin in 1841 to form the current Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. It is for this reason that the united diocese has two cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
s in current use as well as a number of deconsecrated cathedrals.
Parishes
Each of the dioceses is divided into a number parish groups.Diocese of Kilmore
- Annagh (BelturbetBelturbetBelturbet is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It is from Cavan town from Dublin city. Belturbet lies on the N3 road. It is from the border with Northern Ireland between the counties of Cavan and Fermanagh and is south of Enniskillen.- History :...
) - ArvaghArvaghArvagh or Arva, is a town in County Cavan, Ireland, on the shores of Garty Lough and overlooked by Bruse Hill. It is a scenic town situated in the centre of the drumlin belt...
- BailieboroughBailieboroughBailieborough or Bailieboro is a medium-sized town in the townland of Tanderagee, County Cavan, Ireland.Bailieborough is a thriving town in co cavan and is also experiencing a large population increase, its population now stands at 3,908+ which makes it the second largest town in Cavan.The town is...
- Drumgoon (CootehillCootehillCootehill, known before the Plantation of Ulster as Munnilly , is a prominent market town in County Cavan, Ireland.-History:Cootehill was established as a market town in 1725 when a charter was obtained to hold markets and fairs, and developed strong ties to the Irish linen industry...
) - Drung
- FlorencecourtFlorencecourtFlorencecourt is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 135 people. It lies within the Fermanagh District Council area. Historically the area was called Mullanashangan ....
- Kildallan
- Kildrumferton
- KilleshandraKilleshandraKilleshandra or Killashandra is a village in County Cavan, Ireland, located 20 km northwest of Cavan town and is central to County Cavan's lakeland and geopark region, set in the unique Erne catchment environment of rivers, lakes, wetlands and woodland...
- KilmoreKilmore, County CavanKilmore is a civil and ecclesiastical parish of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. It is located about south-west of the county town of Cavan.-Civil parish:...
(Cathedral)
- KinawleyKinawleyKinawley or Kinawly is a small village and townland in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 75 people. Kinawley is also the name of the parish in which the village lies...
- Lurgan (VirginiaVirginia, County CavanVirginia is a small town of 3,939 inhabitants in County Cavan, Ireland. It was founded at Aghanure during the Plantation of Ulster and was named Virginia after Queen Elizabeth I of England....
) - Manorhamilton
- SwanlinbarSwanlinbarSwanlinbar is a small village on the N87 national secondary road in north-west County Cavan, Ireland, close to the Cladagh river and near the Fermanagh border.The village is in the barony of Tullyhaw....
- Urney (CavanCavanCavan is the county town of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the north central part of Ireland, near the border with Northern Ireland...
)
Diocese of Elphin
- BoyleBoyle, County RoscommonBoyle is a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located at the foot of the Curlew Mountains near Lough Key in the north of the county. Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery, the Drumanone Dolmen and the popular fishing lakes of Lough Arrow and Lough Gara are also close by...
and RiverstownRiverstownRiverstown, historically called Ballyederdaowen , is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. It is located at a bridging point of the River Unshin , about 19 km south of Sligo town and 4 km east of the N4.... - Calry
- DrumcliffeDrumcliffeDrumcliffe, officially Drumcliff , is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. It is 8 km north of Sligo town on the N15 road between Ben Bulben and the sea.-History:...
- RoscommonRoscommonRoscommon is the county town of County Roscommon in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 5,017 . The town is located near the junctions of the N60, N61 and N63 roads.-History:...
- SligoSligoSligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
(Cathedral)
Diocese of Ardagh
- ArdaghArdagh, County LongfordArdagh is a village in County Longford, Ireland about from Longford Town. It is located off the N4 road.There are several important Early Christian sites in and near Ardagh, including the Church of St. Mel...
- Mostrim (EdgeworthstownEdgeworthstownEdgeworthstown or Mostrim is a town in County Longford, Ireland. The Edgeworthstown name is derived from the Edgeworth Family who have a long association with the town as the family estate of Henry Essex Edgeworth de Firmont was nearby, while Mostrim is an anglicisation of the town's pre-conquest...
)
- South LeitrimCounty LeitrimCounty Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
- Templemichael (LongfordLongfordLongford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
)
List of bishops
The current OrdinaryOrdinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
is the Right Reverend Kenneth Herbert Clarke
Kenneth Herbert Clarke
The Rt Rev Kenneth Herbert Clarke is the current Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh Educated at Sullivan Upper School and Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1965, his first posts were curacies at Magheralin and Dundonald...
, who was elected Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
The Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh is the Ordinary of the Church of Ireland Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh in the Province of Armagh....
by the Electoral College on 13 November 2000 and consecrated at a service in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
on 25 January 2001.
- John Powell LeslieJohn Powell LeslieJohn Powell Leslie an Anglican bishop on the Church of Ireland.,Leslie was the Bishop of Dromore from 1812 to 1820 when he was translated to the see of Elphin. In 1841 he became the first bishop of the united diocese of Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh.Leslie's son Charles was later briefly...
(1841–1854) - Marcus Gervais BeresfordMarcus Gervais BeresfordMarcus Gervais Beresford DD, DCL, PC was the Church of Ireland Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh from 1854 to 1862 and Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland from 1862 until his death.-Early life:...
(1854–1863) - Hamilton VerschoyleHamilton VerschoyleA “judicious but not brilliant preacher”, The Rt Rev Hamilton Verschoyle was a 19th century Irish Anglican Bishop of Dutch ancestry. He was educated at Oswestry School and Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1829. His first post was that of Curate at Newtownforbes after which he was the...
(1863–1870) - Charles LeslieCharles Leslie (bishop)The Rt. Rev. Charles Leslie, was briefly Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh in 1870. His father John Powell Leslie was the first Bishop of the Diocese.-Notes:...
(1870) - Thomas CarsonThomas CarsonThe Rt Rev Thomas CarsonLLD was a 19th century Irish Anglican Bishop . He held incumbencies at Urney, Cavan and then Cloon. Next he was Archdeacon of Ardagh , and after that Vicar general and then Dean of Kilmore in 1860 before elevation in 1870 to the Episcopate as the 5th Bishop of the United...
(1870–1874) - John Richard DarleyJohn Richard DarleyJohn Richard Darley DD , a "man who laboured strenuously to awaken and sustain the practical interest of the clergy and laity", was a 19th century Irish Anglican Bishop . Born in County Monaghan and educated at the Royal School Dungannon and Trinity College, Dublin, he was later Headmaster of his...
(1874–1884) - Samuel ShoneSamuel ShoneThe Rt Rev Samuel Shone was Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh from 1884 to 1897. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin , he was ordained in 1843 and his first post a curacy on Rathlin Island. After this he was Vicar of Cavan and Archdeacon of Kilmore before elevation to the Episcopate as the...
(1884–1897) - Alfred George ElliottAlfred George ElliottThe Rt Rev Alfred George Elliott was Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh from 1897 to 1915. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin , he was ordained in 1858 and his first post a curacy at Bailieborough. He later held Incumbencies at Muntoconnaught, Castleraghan and Drumlease before elevation to...
(1897–1915) - William Richard MooreWilliam Richard MooreThe Rt Rev William Richard Moore was Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh from 1915 to 1930. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin , he was ordained in 1882 and his first post a curacy at Temple Michael. After this he was Vicar of Donnybrook and Kiltoghert before elevation to the Episcopate as...
(1915–1930)
- Arthur William BartonArthur William BartonArthur William Barton DD was a Church of Ireland clergyman, from 1939 Archbishop of Dublin.-Early life:Born in 1881, the son of the Rev...
(1930–1939) - Albert Edward HughesAlbert Edward HughesThe Rt Rev Albert Edward Hughes was Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh from 1939 to 1950. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, he was an Inspector of Education for the Diocese of Dublin, Rector of Rathfarnham and then Christ Church Leeson Park before elevation to the Episcopate as the 10th ...
(1939–1950) - Frederick Julian MitchellFrederick Julian MitchellThe Rt Rev Frederick Julian Mitchell was the 12th Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh who was later translated to Down and Dromore Educated at Campbell College and Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1925, his first post was a curacy at St Mary’s, Belfast...
(1950–1955) - Charles John TyndallCharles John TyndallThe Rt Rev Charles John Tyndall, DD was the 13th Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh who was later translated to Derry and Raphoe....
(1956–1958) - Edward Francis Butler MooreEdward Francis Butler MooreThe Rt Rev Edward Francis Butler Moore was Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh from 1959 to 1981. He was born into an ecclesiastical family and educated at Drogheda Grammar School and Trinity College, Dublin. After ordination he was a curate at Bray and then held incumbencies at Castledermot...
(1959–1981) - William Gilbert WilsonWilliam Gilbert WilsonThe Rt Rev William Gilbert Wilson was Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh from 1981 to 1993. Educated at Belfast Royal Academy and Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1942, his first posts were curacies at St Mary Magdalene, Belfast and St Comgall’s, Bangor...
(1981–1993) - Michael Hugh Gunton MayesMichael Hugh Gunton MayesMichael Hugh Gunton Mayes was Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh from 1993 to 2000 and then of Limerick and Killaloe until 2008.Mayes was educated at The Royal School, Armagh and Trinity College, Dublin...
(1993–2000) - Kenneth Herbert ClarkeKenneth Herbert ClarkeThe Rt Rev Kenneth Herbert Clarke is the current Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh Educated at Sullivan Upper School and Trinity College, Dublin and ordained in 1965, his first posts were curacies at Magheralin and Dundonald...
(2001–present)
Overview
The three dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh were first created in the early and mid 12th-century. The seesEpiscopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of Elphin and Ardagh
Bishop of Ardagh
The Bishop of Ardagh was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Ardagh in County Longford, Ireland. It was used by the Roman Catholic Church until 1756, and intermittently by the Church of Ireland until 1839....
were 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 and the see of Kilmore
Bishop of Kilmore
The Bishop of Kilmore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the parish of Kilmore in County Cavan, 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:...
(originally called Tirbrunensis, Triburnia or Tybruinensis) at the Synod of Kells in 1152.
Following the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in the 16th century, the church in "communion with the Bishop of Rome" used the term "Catholic" to distinguish itself from the various Protestant churches. The Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
broke communion when it created 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...
as the State Religion
State religion
A state religion is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state...
in the Kingdom of Ireland
Kingdom of Ireland
The Kingdom of Ireland refers to the country of Ireland in the period between the proclamation of Henry VIII as King of Ireland by the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 and the Act of Union in 1800. It replaced the Lordship of Ireland, which had been created in 1171...
assuming possession of most Church property. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the either the Church of Ireland or, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church, to Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
.
See also
- List of Anglican dioceses in the United Kingdom and Ireland
- Roman Catholic Diocese of KilmoreRoman Catholic Diocese of KilmoreThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Kilmore is a Roman Catholic diocese which is mainly in the Republic of Ireland although a few parishes are in Northern Ireland. It is one of eight suffragan dioceses which are subject to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Armagh...
- Roman Catholic Diocese of ElphinRoman Catholic Diocese of ElphinThe Diocese of Elphin 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 Dr. Christopher Jones DD who was appointed in 1994.-Geographical remit:The diocese covers parts...
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Ardagh and ClonmacnoiseRoman Catholic Diocese of Ardagh and ClonmacnoiseThe Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise is a Roman Catholic diocese in Ireland.-Geographic remit:The diocese is spread over parts of seven counties in the centre of Ireland. It includes almost all of County Longford, half of County Leitrim and parts of counties Westmeath, Offaly, Cavan, Roscommon...