# Bishop of Achonry

The Bishop of Achonry (Irish: Easpag Achadh Conaire) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Achonry in County Sligo, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.

## History

In the sixth century, the monastery at Achonry was founded by Saint Nathy, a disciple of Saint Finnian of Clonard. The superiors of the monastery were styled abbots or bishops of Achad Cain or Achad Conaire, and in some of the Irish annals they were called bishops of Luighne. It was not until 1152 that the Diocese of Achonry was established at the Synod of Kells.
During the Reformation, the bishops changed their allegiance back and forth between the Pope and the Tudors. After the Reformation, there were parallel apostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the other of the Roman Catholic Church.
In the Church of Ireland, the see of Achonry continued as a separate title until 1622 when it combined with Killala to form the united bishopric of Killala and Achonry. Under the Church Temporalities (Ireland) Act 1833 (3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 37), the combined sees Killala and Achonry became part of the archbishopric of Tuam in 1834. On the death of Archbishop Le Poer Trench in 1839, the Ecclesiastical Province of Tuam lost its metropolitan status and became the united bishopric of Tuam, Killala and Achonry in the Ecclesiastical Province of Armagh.
In the Roman Catholic Church, Achonry remains a separate title. The Roman Catholic bishop's seat (Cathedra) is now located at the Cathedral Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nathy in Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon. The most recent incumbent was the Most Reverend Paul Dempsey, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Achonry, who was appointed by Pope Francis on 27 January 2020, and ordained bishop on 30 August 2020.

## Pre-Reformation bishops

Pre-Reformation Bishops of Achonry :
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| bef. 1152 | 1170 | Máel Ruanaid Ua Ruadáin | Present at the Synod of Kells in 1152; died in office |
| bef. 1179 | 1208 | Gilla na Náem Ua Ruadáin | Resigned before 1208; died 1214; also known as Gelasius |
| bef. 1208 | 1219 | Clemens Ua Sniadaig, O.Cist | Died in office; also known as Carus |
| 1220 | 1227 | Connmach Ó Torpaig | Previously Abbot of Mellifont; elected before 10 March 1220; died 16 January 1227; buried in Mellifont Abbey |
| c.1227 | 1230 | Gilla Ísu Ó Cléirig | Died in office; also recorded as Gelasius |
| c.1231 | 1237 | Tomás Ó Ruadáin | Died in office |
| c.1238 | 1248 | Áengus Ó Clúmain | Consecrated in circa 1238; resigned before 14 November 1248; retired to the Boyle Abbey and died there in 1264; also known as Eugenius |
| 1248 | 1251 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1251 | 1265 | Tomás Ó Maicín | Elected bishop after 14 February 1251; consecrated before 20 June 1251; died in office in the spring of 1265 |
| 1266 | 1285 | Tomás Ó Miadacháin | Previously Archdeacon of Archonry; elected before 27 April 1266; consecrated 19 December 1266; died circa 27 November 1285; also known as Dionysius |
| 1286 | 1312 | Benedictus Ó Bracáin | Elected after 29 April 1286; received possession of the temporalities 17 September 1286; died 19 March 1312; his surname is also recorded as O'Bran, O'Bragan and O'Brogan |
| 1312 | 1344 | David of Kilheny | Elected after 1 May 1312; received possession of the temporalities 1 August 1312; died in office |
| 1348 | 1373 | Nichol alias Muircheartach Ó hEadhra, O.Cist. | Appointed and consecrated bishop 22 October 1348; took received possession of the temporalities 19 March 1349; died in office |
| 1374 | 1380 | William Andrew, O.P. | Appointed 17 October 1373; received possession of the temporalities 1 August 1374; acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Canterbury in 1380; Translated to Meath |
| 1385 | unknown | Simon, O.Cist. | Appointed before 9 July 1385; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of London 1385, Winchester 1385–95, Canterbury 1386, and Lichfield 1387 |
| unknown | 1396 | Donatus Ó hEadhra | Died in office; surname also recorded as O'Hara |
| 1396 | unknown | Johannes | Appointed before 13 September 1396 |
| unknown | 1398 | Tomás mac Muirgheasa Mac Donnchadha | Died in office; surname anglicised McDonagh |
| 1401 | 1409 | Brian mac Seaain Ó hEadhra | Appointed before September 1400; consecrated after January 1401; died in office |
| 1410 | 1434 | Maghnus Ó hEadhra | Appointed 14 April 1410; consecrated before June 1410; died after October 1434; also known as Magonius. |
| 1424 | 1436 | Richard Belmer, O.P. | Appointed 12 April 1424; consecrated 14 June 1424; titlar Bishop of Scattery Island; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses Worcester and Hereford 1426–33; died before September 1436 |
| 1436 | 1442 | Tadhg Ó Dalaigh, O.P. | Appointed 3 September 1436; died in Rome before 15 October 1442; also known as Thaddaeus and Nicholas O'Daly. |
| 1442 | 1453 | James Blakedon, O.P. | Appointed 15 October 1442; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Salisbury, Bath and Wells, Exeter, and Worcester between 1442 and 1453; Translated to Bangor 7 February 1453 |
| 1449 | 1473 | Cornelius Ó Mochain, O.Cist. | Previously Abbot of Boyle; appointed 15 October 1449; confirmed 5 April 1452; died before July 1473 |
| 1463 | unknown | Brian Ó hEasdhra | Appointed 2 September 1463; died before May 1484; also known as Benedictus and Bernardus. |
| 1470 | unknown | Nicholas Forden | Appointed 22 April 1470 |
| 1475 | unknown | Robert Wellys, O.F.M. | Appointed 14 July 1473; consecrated 4 June 1475; did not get possession |
| unknown | 1492 | Thomas fitzRichard | Died before October 1492 |
| 1484 | 1508 | Tomás Ó Conghaláin | Appointed 10 May 1484; died in office |
| 1489 | 1489 | John Bustamente | Spanish monk; Preceptor of the Convent of St. Catherine, Toledo; appointed 23 September 1489, but did not take effect; also recorded as John de Bustamente |
| 1492 | after 1504 | Thomas de Rivis, O.S.A. | Previously Prior of Huntingdon; appointed 8 October 1492; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Lichfield 1495, and Lincoln 1496–1504; died after 1504 |
| 1508 | 1522 | Eugenius Ó Flannagáin, O.P. | Appointed 22 December 1508; died before June 1522 |
| 1522 | 1547 | Cormac Ó Snighe | Appointed 15 June 1522, but did not get possession; died before June 1547 |
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## Bishops during the Reformation

Bishops of Achonry during the Reformation :
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1547 | 1555 | Thomas O'Fihely | Appointed 16 June 1547; translated to Leighlin 30 August 1555 |
| 1556 | 1561 | Cormac O'Coyn, O.P. | Perhaps nominated in 1556 by Queen Mary I, but no record of a papal appointment; died before 12 October 1561; also known as Cormac O'Quin |
| 1562 | 1603 | Eugene O'Hart, O.P. | Formerly Prior of Sligo Abbey; appointed by Pope Pius IV on 28 January 1562; assisted in the Council of Trent; appears to have been recognized by Queen Elizabeth I in circa 1585; died in office; his surname was also recorded as O'Harte |
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## Post-Reformation bishops
### Church of Ireland succession

Church of Ireland Bishops of Achonry :
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1603 | 1613 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1613 | 1622 | Miler Magrath | Archbishop of Cashel since 1571, he also held "in commendam" the bishopric of Achonry from 1613 until his death on 14 November 1622 |
| 1623 | 1834 | See part of the Anglican bishopric of Killala and Achonry | See part of the Anglican bishopric of Killala and Achonry |
| 1834 | 1839 | See part of the Anglican archbishopric of Tuam | See part of the Anglican archbishopric of Tuam |
| since 1839 | since 1839 | See part of the Anglican bishopric of Tuam, Killala and Achonry | See part of the Anglican bishopric of Tuam, Killala and Achonry |
| Sources: ||||

### Roman Catholic succession

Roman Catholic Bishops of Achonry :
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1603 | 1629 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1629 | unknown | (Andrew Lynch) | Appointed vicar apostolic 28 November 1629 |
| 1631 | 1662 | (James Ó Fallamháin) | Appointed vicar apostolic 13 January 1631; active as vicar apostolic from 1631 to 1652 (including while Louis Dillon was bishop); imprisoned between 1652 and 1660; died 1662 |
| 1641 | c.1645 | Louis Dillon | Appointed bishop 16 September 1641; died or resigned by 1645 |
| 1662 | 1677 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1677 | unknown | (Maurice Ó Duarcáin) | Appointed vicar apostolic 8 July 1677 |
| 1684 | 1725 | Hugh Mac Diarmata | Appointed as vicar apostolic 21 December 1684 and as bishop 30 April 1707; died 1725 |
| 1725 | 1735 | Dominic Ó Dálaigh, O.P. | Appointed 20 September 1725; consecrated 30 November 1725; died 1735 |
| 1735 | 1739 | John Ó hAirt | Appointed 30 September 1735; died May 1739 |
| 1739 | 1758 | Walter Blake | Appointed 13 August 1739; died 1758 |
| 1758 | 1776 | Patrick Robert Kirwan | Appointed 21 August 1758; died March or April 1776 |
| 1776 | 1785 | Philip Phillips | Translated from Killala 22 June 1776; later translated Tuam 22 November 1785 |
| 1785 | 1787 | Boetius Egan | Appointed 22 November 1785; translated to Tuam 15 December 1787 |
| 1788 | 1803 | Tomás Ó Conchúir | Appointed 4 January 1788; consecrated April 1788; died 18 February 1803 |
| 1803 | 1808 | Charles Lynagh | Appointed 13 May 1803; consecrated 4 June 1804; died April or May 1808; also recorded as Charles Lynan |
| 1809 | 1817 | John O'Flynn | Appointed 30 June 1809; consecrated 12 November 1809; died 17 July 1817 |
| 1818 | 1852 | Patrick MacNicholas | Appointed 23 February 1818; consecrated 17 May 1818; died 11 February 1852 |
| 1852 | 1875 | Patrick Durcan | Appointed 4 October 1852; consecrated 30 November 1852; died 1 May 1875 |
| 1875 | 1887 | Francis McCormack | Appointed Coadjutor Bishop 21 November 1871; consecrated 4 February 1872; succeeded 1 May 1875; translated to Galway and Kilmacduagh 27 April 1887 |
| 1888 | 1911 | John Lyster | Appointed 25 February 1888; consecrated 8 April 1888; died 17 January 1911 |
| 1911 | 1946 | Patrick Morrisroe | Appointed 13 May 1911; consecrated 3 September 1911; died 27 May 1946 |
| 1947 | 1976 | James Fergus | Appointed 15 February 1947; consecrated 4 May 1947; retired 17 March 1976; died 24 March 1989 |
| 1976 | 2007 | Thomas Flynn | Appointed 30 December 1976; consecrated 20 February 1977; retired 20 November 2007 |
| 2007 | 2018 | Brendan Kelly | Appointed 20 November 2007; consecrated 27 January 2008; installed as Bishop of Galway 11 February 2018. |
| 2018 | 2020 | See vacant | |
| 2020 | 2024 | Paul Dempsey | Appointed 27 January 2020; consecrated 30 August 2020; translated to Dublin 10 April 2024. |
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