Bishop of Kildare

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St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare KildareCathedral.JPG
St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare

The Bishop of Kildare was an episcopal title which took its name after the town of Kildare in County Kildare, Ireland. The title is no longer in use by any of the main Christian churches having been united with other bishoprics. In the Roman Catholic Church, the title has been merged with that of the bishopric of Leighlin and is currently held by the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. In the Church of Ireland, the title has been merged with that of the bishopric of Meath and is currently held by the Bishop of Meath and Kildare.

Contents

History

In the 5th century, the Abbey of Kildare was founded by Saint Brigid, a double monastery of nuns and monks. The abbey was governed by an abbess, who was the 'heir of Brigit' ( comarbae Brigte), and by abbots, bishops and abbot-bishops, who were subordinate to the abbess. [1]

Although the bishopric was founded with the abbey in the fifth century, it wasn't until 1111 AD that the diocese of Kildare was established at the Synod of Rathbreasail. [2] The diocese covered roughly the northern part of County Kildare and the eastern part of County Offaly.

After the episcopate of Walter Wellesley (1529–1539), there were parallel apostolic successions. In the Church of Ireland, Kildare continued as an independent diocese until 1846 when it amalgamated with Dublin and Glendalough to form the united Diocese of Dublin, Kildare and Glendalough. In 1976, Kildare broke away from Dublin and Glendalough and combined with Meath to form the current united Diocese of Meath and Kildare. The Roman Catholic bishopric of Kildare too remained separate until it linked with the bishopric of Leighlin. The bishops of Kildare had been apostolic administrators of Leighlin since 1683 and the union of the two sees was formally decreed on 29 November 1694. [3]

Pre-Reformation bishops

Monastic bishops of Kildare

Monastic Bishops of Kildare
TenureIncumbentNotes
d. 520 Conláed ua hEimri Known as Saint Conleth; died, according to tradition, 3 May 520
d. 639 Áed Dub mac Colmáin Abbot and Bishop of Kildare; brother of Fáelán mac Colmáin, King of Leinster
d. 709Máel DobarchonDied 19 February 709.
d. 762EóthigernKilled by a priest "at St Brigit's altar" (i.e. Kildare Abbey, later became Cathedral)
d. 787Lomthuile
d. 787Snéidbran
d. 834TuathcharScribe
d. 840Orthanach ua Cóellámae Cuirrig
d. 864Áedgen BrittAlso a scribe and anchorite; died 18 December 862 (or 864)
d. 870Móengal
d. 875Robartach mac na CerddacAlso was scribe and Abbot of Killeigh
d. 875Lachtnán mac MochthigirnAlso was Abbot of Ferns
d. 881Suibne ua Finsnechtai
d. 884Scandal
d. 888Lergus mac CruinnénSlain in battle by the Danes
d. 931CrunnmáelDied 11 December 929 (or 931)
d. 981Anmchad
d. 1030Máel Martain
d. 1042Máel Brigte
d. 1097Máel Brigte int Sair Ua BroicháinStyled Bishop of Leinster and Kildare
1097–unknownFerdomnachStyled Bishop of Leinster; resigned the see to Áed Ua hEremóin
d. 1100Áed Ua hEremóin
d. 1101Ferdomnach (again)Resumed as bishop; died in office
d. 1108Máel Finnéin mac DonngaileAbbot of Terryglass and 'chief' bishop of Leinster, but not specifically styled bishop of Kildare
d. 1146Cormac Ua Cathassaig
d. 1148Ua Duibín
Source(s): [1]

Diocesan bishops of Kildare

Diocesan Bishops of Kildare
FromUntilIncumbentNotes
bef. 1152unknownFinn mac Máel Muire Mac CianáinBishop at the time of the Synod of Kells in 1152
unknown1160Finn mac Gussáin Ua GormáinFormerly Abbot of Newry; died in office
bef. 11611175Malachias Ua BrainBecame bishop before 1161; died 1 January 1175
bef. 1177aft. 1090NehemiasBecame bishop before 1177; recorded fl. 1080–1190; died after 1190
12061223Cornelius Mac FáelánFormerly Archdeacon of Kildare; elected and consecrated bishop in 1206; died before March 1223; also recorded as Cornelius Mac Gelain
12231232 Ralph of Bristol Formerly Treasurer of St Patrick's, Dublin; elected bishop before 12 March 1223; died 24 August 1232
12331258John of TauntonFormerly a Canon of St Patrick's, Dublin; elected bishop before 6 August 1233; died circa June 1258
12581272Simon of KilkennyFormerly a Canon of Kilkenny; elected bishop before 21 October 1258; died April 1272
12721279See vacant
12791299 Nicholas Cusack , O.F.M. Appointed by the pope on 27 November 1279; consecrated between 15 May and 7 September 1280; died 5 September 1299
13001332Walter CalfFormerly Chancellor of Kildare; elected bishop before January 1300; died circa 29 November 1332; also recorded as Walter de Veel
13331352Richard HoulotFormerly Archdeacon of Kildare; elected bishop before May 1333; provided 24 May 1333; consecrated 18 October 1333; died 24 June 1352
13521365Thomas GiffardFormerly Chancellor of Kildare; elected bishop after June 1352; appointed 21 November 1352; consecrated 31 December 1352; died 25 September 1365
13651404Robert of Aketon, O.E.S.A. Formerly Bishop-elect of Down; elected Bishop of Kildare on 18 November 1365 and appointed 2 May 1366; resigned before April 1404; also known as Robert of Acton
14041431John MadockFormerly Archdeacon of Kildare; appointed bishop 9 April 1404; died before July 1431
14311446William fitzEdwardFormerly Archdeacon of Kildare; appointed 20 July 1431 and again 8 August 1431; died April 1446
14471464Geoffrey Hereford, O.P. Appointed 23 August 1447; consecrated April 1449; acted as suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Hereford; died before 1464
1456/71457John BoleElected circa 1456/57; never consecrated; provided Armagh 2 May 1457; also recorded as John Bull
14641474Richard LangAppointed (by Pope Pius II) before August 1464; consecrated c.1464; deprived 28 July 1474; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Chichester 1480 and Winchester 1488
14741475David ConelAppointed 28 July 1474; consecrated after 6 September 1474; died before 5 April 1475
1475unknownJames Wall, O.F.M. Appointed 5 April 1475; acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of London 1485–1491; died 28 April 1494
unknown1492William BarretAppointment date unknown; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Winchester 1502-1525 and the York 1530; resigned before 1492; also recorded as William Barnett
unknown1513Edward LaneDied in office; also known as Edmund Lane
1526c.1529Thomas Dillon, O.S.A. Formerly Prior of St Peter's, Drogheda; appointed 24 August 1526; died before July 1529
15291539 Walter Wellesley , O.S.A. Formerly Prior of Great Connell; appointed 1 July 1529; died before 18 October 1539
Source(s): [2]

Post-Reformation bishops

Church of Ireland succession

Church of Ireland Bishops of Kildare
FromUntilIncumbentNotes
15401548 William Miagh Formerly Dean of Kildare; appointed to the see by Henry VIII in opposition to the Pope's appointment; died 15 December 1548
15501555 Thomas Lancaster Nominated 20 April and consecrated July 1550; deprived in 1554 in the reign of Queen Mary I; later became Archbishop of Armagh. Also Dean of Kilkenny in commendam, 1552–1555.
15551560 Thomas Leverous [A] Formerly Bishop-designate of Leighlin; nominated by Queen Mary I on 1 March 1555 and appointed Bishop of Kildare and Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin on 30 August 1555; deprived of both posts for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy in 1560, however, he was still recognized as the Roman Catholic bishop until his death in Naas circa 1577
15601564 Alexander Craike Nominated 17 May 1560; consecrated August 1560; also was Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin; died before 3 March 1564
15641583 Robert Daly Nominated 16 April and consecrated in May 1564; died sometime between 23 February and 3 July 1583; also recorded as Robert Dale
15831603 Daniel Neylan Nominated 3 July and consecrated in November 1583; died 18 May 1603; also recorded as Donnell O'Neilan
16041635 William Pilsworth Nominated 23 July 1604; consecrated 11 September 1604; died 9 May 1635
16361642 Robert Ussher Nominated 19 October 1635; consecrated 25 February 1636; died 7 September 1642
16441650 William Golborne Nominated 17 May 1644; consecrated 1 December 1644; died 1650
16501660 See vacant
16611667 Thomas Price Nominated 8 October 1660; consecrated 10 March 1661; translated to Cashel 30 May 1667
16671678 Ambrose Jones Nominated 20 April 1667; consecrated 29 June 1667; died 15 December 1678
16791682 Anthony Dopping Nominated 3 January 1679; consecrated 2 February 1679; translated to Meath 11 February 1682
16821705 William Moreton Nominated 14 January 1682; consecrated 19 February 1682; translated to Meath 18 September 1705
17051732 Welbore Ellis Nominated 28 August 1705; consecrated 11 November 1705; translated to Meath 13 March 1732
17311743 Charles Cobbe Translated from Dromore; nominated 18 February 1732; letters patent 16 March 1732; translated to Dublin 4 March 1743
17431745 George Stone Nominated from Ferns and Leighlin; nominated 15 February 1743; letters patent 10 March 1743; translated to Derry 11 May 1745, and subsequently to Armagh 13 March 1747
17451761 Thomas Fletcher Translated from Dromore; nominated 26 April 1745; letters patent 14 May 1745; died 18 March 1761
17611765 Richard Robinson Translated from Ferns and Leighlin; nominated 26 March 1761; letters patent 13 April 1761; translated to Armagh 8 February 1765
17651790 Charles Jackson Nominated 8 February 1765; letters patent 25 February 1765; died 29 March 1790
17901804 George Lewis Jones Translated from Kilmore; nominated 7 May 1790; letters patent 5 June 1790; died 9 March 1804
18041846 Hon. Charles Dalrymple Lyndsay Translated from Killaloe and Kilfenora; nominated 9 May 1804; letters patent 14 May 1804; died 8 August 1846
From 1846 to 1976, the Church of Ireland see was part of the united Diocese of Dublin, Kildare and Glendalough; and since 1976, it has been part of the united Diocese of Meath and Kildare
Source(s): [4]

Roman Catholic succession

Roman Catholic Bishops of Kildare
FromUntilIncumbentNotes
1540Donald O'Beachan, O.F.M. Appointed 16 July 1540; died shortly afterwards in the same month
1540unknownThady ReynoldsAppointed 15 November 1540; accepted Royal Supremacy and was recognized by King Henry VIII as a suffragan bishop of George Browne, Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland), but not as Bishop of Kildare
15551577Thomas Leverous [B] Formerly Bishop-designate of Leighlin; nominated by Queen Mary I on 1 March 1555 and appointed Bishop of Kildare and Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin on 30 August 1555; deprived of both posts for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy in 1560, however, he was still recognized as the Roman Catholic bishop until his death in Naas circa 1577
1619unknownJames TalbotAppointed Vicar Apostolic by Papal brief 14 September 1619
1622unknownDonatus DoolinAppointed Vicar Apostolic by Papal brief 14 January 1622
1628c.1641/44 Roche MacGeoghegan , O.P. Appointed 5 May 1628 and again 12 February 1629; died circa 1641 and 1644
1665unknownJames DempseyVicar Apostolic, provided 24 November 1665
1671unknownPatrick DempseyVicar Apostolic, provided 30 June 1671
16761683Mark Forestal O.S.A. Appointed 8 October 1676; appointed administrator of the Diocese of Leighlin on 5 September 1678; died 7 February 1683
From 1683 to 1694, the bishops of Kildare were administrators of the bishopric of Leighlin.
16831693Edward WesleyAppointed 2 August 1683; died 1693
1694c.1707John DempseyAppointed 8 February 1694; became bishop of Kildare and Leighlin when the two were united on 29 November 1694; died circa 1707
Since 1694, the Roman Catholic see of Kildare has been amalgamated with Leighlin to form the current united bishopric of Kildare and Leighlin
Source(s): [5]

See also

Notes

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References

  1. 1 2 Moody, Martin & Byrne (1984) , pp. 259–262
  2. 1 2 Fryde et al. (1986) , pp. 357–358
  3. ↑ Fryde et al. (1986) , pp. 394–395, 431
  4. ↑ Fryde et al. (1986) , pp. 394–395
  5. ↑ Fryde et al. (1986) , p. 431

Bibliography

  • Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN   0-521-56350-X.
  • 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. Vol. XI. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-821745-5.
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