Roman Catholic Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise

The Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise (Latin: Dioecesis Ardachadensis et Cluanensis; Irish: Deoise Ardach agus Chluain Mhic Nóis) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise

Dioecesis Ardachadensis et Cluanensis

Deoise Ardach agus Chluain Mhic Nóis
St Mel's cathedral, Longford
Location
CountryIreland
TerritoryMost of counties Longford and Leitrim and parts of counties Cavan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath
Ecclesiastical provinceProvince of Armagh
MetropolitanArchdiocese of Armagh
Statistics
Area940 sq mi (2,400 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2015)
89,100
76,626 (86%)
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteRoman Rite
Established1756
CathedralSt. Mel's Cathedral, Longford
Patron saintSt Mel
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopPaul Connell,
Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise
Metropolitan ArchbishopEamon Martin
Vicar GeneralMonsignor Patrick Early
Bishops emeritusColm O'Reilly
Map
Website
ardaghdiocese.org

Geography

The diocese is entirely within the Republic of Ireland and contains most of counties Longford and Leitrim, with parts of counties Cavan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath. The main towns in the diocese are Athlone, Ballymahon, Carrick-on-Shannon, Edgeworthstown, Granard and Longford.

Ecclesiastical history

Lordship and Kingdom of Ireland

The union of the sees of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, which had been proposed in 1709, was carried into effect following the death of Stephen MacEgan, Bishop of Meath on 30 May 1756, who had been administering the see of Clonmacnoise.[1][2] Augustine Cheevers, Bishop of Ardagh, was translated to the see of Meath on 7 August 1756, and Anthony Blake was appointed as the first bishop of united see of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise on 11 August 1756.[1][2]

Modern times

On Christmas Day 2009, St Mel's cathedral in Longford was destroyed by fire. Bishop O'Reilly said that the building is "just a shell" and "burned out from end to end". The bishop said construction on the cathedral began in 1840 and he described it as a flagship Cathedrals of the midlands. After a long investigation the cause of the fire was traced back to a brick lined chimney at the rear of the cathedral[3]

Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise
Main article: Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise

On 5 April 2023, Paul Connell was appointed the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise by Pope Francis.

List of parishes

The following are the current parishes in the diocese (official names in italics where they differ from the currently-used names)

See also

References
  1. Fryde et al. 1986, Handbook of British Chronology, p. 414.
  2. Moody, Martin & Byrne 1984, A New History of Ireland, vol. IX, p. 341.
  3. St Mel’s Cathedral rises again from the ashes, 14 October 2014.

Bibliography
  • Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I., eds. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd, reprinted 2003 ed.). Cambridge: 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. A New History of Ireland. Vol. IX. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-821745-5.

Further reading
  • Devaney, Rev. Owen, Ardagh and Clonmacnois: Footsteps of Mel and Ciarán, Booklink, 2005.

53.7272°N 7.7963°W / 53.7272; -7.7963

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