# Bishop of Cloyne

The Bishop of Cloyne is an episcopal title that takes its name after the small town of Cloyne in County Cork, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church, it is a separate title; but, in the Church of Ireland, it has been united with other bishoprics.

## Pre-Reformation bishops

The diocese of Cloyne has its origins in the monastic settlement founded by St Colman in the 6th century. Cloyne was not one of the dioceses established at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111, but a bishop of Cloyne was ruling the diocese by 1148, which was recognised at the Synod of Kells in March 1152.
In 1326, Pope John XXII issued a papal bull for the union of the dioceses of Cork and Cloyne to be united on the death of the bishop of either see. But on the death of Philip of Slane, Bishop of Cork in 1327, the two dioceses remained separate. Bishop Payn of Cloyne obtained a confirmation of the union of the two dioceses from Pope Martin V on 21 September 1418. However, the union did not take effect due to opposition by Bishop Milo fitzJohn of Cork. Bishop Payn of Cloyne resigned in 1429 and Jordan Purcell was appointed bishop of the united see of Cork and Cloyne on 15 June 1429.
List of pre-Reformation Bishops of Cloyne :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| bef.1148 | 1149 | Gilla na Náem Ua Muirchertaig | Became bishop before 1148; died 1149; also known as Nehemias |
| unknown | 1159 | Ua Dubchróin | Abbot of Cloyne; died in office |
| unknown | 1167 | Ua Flannacáin | Died in office |
| fl. 1173–77 | 1192 | Mattaeus Ua Mongaig | fl. 1173 – 1177; died in office |
| bef.1201 | 1205 | Laurentius Ua Súillebáin | Became bishop before 1201; died in office |
| c. 1205 | unknown | C. | Became bishop c. 1205 |
| bef.1218 | 1223 | Luke | Became bishop before 1218; died in office |
| 1224 | 1224 | (Florentius) | Elected before 24 August 1224, but never consecrated |
| 1226 | 1226 | (William), an O.August | Elected before 20 July 1226, but never consecrated |
| 1226 | 1234 | Daniel | Elected after 31 August 1226; died after October 1234 |
| 1234 | 1240 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1240 | 1246 | Ailinn Ó Súillebáin, O.P. | Consecrated c. 1240; translated to Lismore after 26 October 1246 |
| 1247 | 1264 | Daniel, O.F.M. | Elected before 12 October 1247 and consecrated after that date; received possession of temporalities 2 July 1248; died before 2 June 1264 |
| 1265 | 1274 | Reginaldus | Translated from Down 13 April 1265; died 7 February 1274 |
| 1275 | 1284 | Alanus Ó Longáin, O.F.M. | Elected before 18 February 1275; received possession of temporalities 21 February 1275; died c. 5 January 1284 |
| 1284 | 1321 | Nicholas of Effingham | Elected after 18 March 1284; received possession of temporalities 2 September 1284; died in June 1321 |
| 1321 | 1333 | Mauricius Ó Solcháin | Appointed 8 October 1321; received possession of temporalities 1 August 1322; consecrated after 25 August 1323; died 31 March 1333 |
| 1333 | c.1351 | John Brid, O.Cist. | Appointed 10 August and consecrated after 9 October 1333; received possession of temporalities 16 September 1335; died c. 1351 |
| 1351 | 1362 | John Whitekot | Elected before June 1351; received possession of temporalities 18 September 1351; died 7 February 1362 |
| 1363 | 1376 | John Swaffham, O.Carm. | Appointed 1 March 1363; received possession of temporalities 14 July 1363; translated to Bangor 2 July 1376 |
| 1376 | 1394 | Richard Wyre, O.Carm. | Appointed 2 July 1376; received possession of temporalities 9 November 1376; deprived before 16 March 1394 |
| 1394 | c.1405 | Gerard Caneton, O.E.S.A. | Appointed 16 March 1394; received possession of temporalities 9 November 1394; translated to Elphin c. 1405 |
| 1413 | 1429 | Adam Payn, O.E.S.A. | Appointed 26 July 1413; resigned before 15 June 1429; died before January 1432 |
| In 1429, the see part of the united see of Cork and Cloyne. ||||

## Post-Reformation bishops
### Church of Ireland succession

After the Reformation, the Church of Ireland see of Cork and Cloyne continued until 1583 when they were united with Ross. For a short while they were separated in 1638 into the bishopric of Cork and Ross and the bishopric of Cloyne, but were reunited again in 1660. Cloyne once again became separate bishopric in 1679. Since 1835, Cloyne has been part of the united diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
List of Church of Ireland Bishops of Cloyne :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1638 | 1652 | George Synge | Nominated 21 June and consecrated 11 November 1638; died 3 August 1652 |
| 1652 | 1661 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1661 | 1679 | The see was part of the united bishopric of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. | The see was part of the united bishopric of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. |
| 1679 | 1682 | Patrick Sheridan, Cloyne | Nominated 11 February and consecrated 27 April 1679; died 22 November 1682 |
| 1682 | 1692 | Edward Jones | Nominated 22 December 1682 and consecrated 11 March 1683; translated to St Asaph 13 December 1692 |
| 1693 | 1694 | William Palliser | Nominated 20 January and consecrated 5 March 1693; translated to Cashel 26 June 1694 |
| 1694 | 1695 | Tobias Pullein | Nominated 29 September and consecrated November 1694; translated to Dromore 7 May 1695 |
| 1695 | 1697 | St George Ashe | Nominated 17 March and consecrated 18 July 1695; translated to Clogher 25 June 1697 |
| 1697 | 1702 | John Pooley | Nominated 1 June and consecrated 5 December 1697; translated to Raphoe 12 September 1702 |
| 1702 | 1726 | Charles Crow | Nominated 18 May and consecrated 18 October 1702; died 26 June 1726 |
| 1726 | 1732 | Henry Maule | Nominated 28 July and consecrated 11 September 1726; translated to Dromore 20 March 1732 |
| 1732 | 1734 | Edward Synge | Translated from Clonfert and Kilmacduagh; nominated 18 February and letters patent 22 March 1732; translated to Ferns and Leighlin 8 February 1734 |
| 1734 | 1753 | George Berkeley | Nominated 18 January and consecrated 19 May 1734; died 14 January 1753 |
| 1753 | 1759 | James Stopford | Nominated 19 January and consecrated 11 March 1753; died 24 August 1759 |
| 1759 | 1767 | Robert Johnson | Nominated 19 September and consecrated 21 October 1759; died 16 January 1767 |
| 1767 | 1768 | Hon.Frederick Augustus Hervey | Nominated 2 February and consecrated 31 May 1767; translated to Derry 18 February 1768 |
| 1768 | 1779 | Charles Agar | Nominated 12 February and consecrated 20 March 1768; translated to Cashel 6 August 1779 |
| 1780 | 1780 | George Chinnery | Translated from Killaloe and Kilfenora; nominated 29 January and letters patent 15 February 1780; died 13 August 1780 |
| 1781 | 1794 | Richard Woodward | Nominated 17 January and consecrated 4 February 1781; died 12 May 1794 |
| 1794 | 1820 | William Bennet | Translated from Cork; nominated 20 May and letters patent 27 June 1794; died 16 July 1820 |
| 1820 | 1826 | Charles Mongan Warburton | Translated from Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe; nominated 26 August and letters patent 18 September 1820; died 9 August 1826 |
| 1826 | 1835 | John Brinkley | Nominated 13 September and consecrated 8 October 1826; died 14 September 1835 |
| Since 1835, Cloyne has been part of the Church of Ireland bishopric of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. ||||

### Roman Catholic succession

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne remained united with Cork until 10 December 1747 when Pope Benedict XIV approved their separation. On the same day it was decreed that Cloyne to be united with Ross. Following a recommendation at the Synod of Thurles, Cloyne and Ross were separated on 24 November 1850.
The current bishop of Cloyne is the Most Reverend William Crean, who was appointed by the Holy See on 25 November 2012 and installed on 27 January 2013.
List of Roman Catholic Bishops of Cloyne and Ross :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1747 | 1769 | John O'Brien | Appointed 10 January 1747 and by papal brief 10 January 1748; died 13 March 1769 |
| 1769 | 1791 | Matthew McKenna | Appointed 7 August 1769; died 4 June 1791 |
| 1791 | 1830 | William Coppinger | Appointed coadjutor bishop 15 January 1788; succeeded 4 June 1791; died 1830 |
| 1830 | 1832 | Michael Collins | Appointed coadjutor bishop 7 April 1827; succeeded 1830; died 1832. |
| 1833 | 1846 | Bartholomew Crotty | Appointed 22 March 1833; consecrated 11 June 1833; died 3 October 1846 |
| 1847 | 1849 | David Walsh | Appointed 6 February 1847; consecrated 2 May 1847; died 19 January 1849 |
| 1849 | 1850 | Timothy Murphy | Appointed 19 April 1849 and consecrated 16 September 1849; relinquished the title bishop of Ross in 1850, but continued as bishop of Cloyne |
| On 24 November 1850, the Roman Catholic see was separated into the bishoprics of Cloyne and Ross. ||||
List of Roman Catholic Bishops of Cloyne :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1850 | 1856 | Timothy Murphy | Hitherto bishop of Cloyne and Ross; died 4 December 1856 |
| 1857 | 1874 | William Keane | Translated from Ross; appointed 5 May 1857; died 15 January 1874 |
| 1874 | 1893 | John MacCarthy | Appointed 22 August and consecrated 28 October 1874; died 9 December 1893 |
| 1894 | 1935 | Robert Browne | Appointed 26 June and consecrated 19 August 1894; died 23 March 1935; uncle of Titanic photographer Fr.Francis Browne |
| 1935 | 1956 | James Roche | Translated from Ross; appointed coadjutor bishop of Cloyne 26 June 1931; succeeded 23 March 1935; died 31 August 1956 |
| 1957 | 1987 | John Ahern | Appointed 30 March and consecrated 9 June 1957; retired 17 February 1987; died 25 September 1997 |
| 1987 | 2010 | John Magee, S.P.S. | Appointed 17 February and consecrated 17 March 1987; acted as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Limerick from July 1994 to March 1996; stood aside from running the Diocese of Cloyne on 7 March 2010, and formally resigned as Bishop of Cloyne on 24 March 2010. |
| 2012 | present | William Crean | Appointed 25 November 2012 and consecrated 27 January 2013. |