# Bishop of Kilmore

The Bishop of Kilmore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the parish of Kilmore, County Cavan in 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

The see of Kilmore was originally known as Breifne (Latin: Tirbrunensis, Tybruinensis or Triburnia; Irish: Tír mBriúin, meaning "the land of the descendants of Brian", one of the kings of Connaught) and took its name after the Kingdom of Breifne.
The see became one of the dioceses approved by Giovanni Cardinal Paparoni at the synod of Kells in 1152, and has approximately the same boundaries as those of the ancient Kingdom of Breifne. In the Irish annals, the bishops were recorded of Breifne, Breifni, Breifny, Tir-Briuin, or Ui-Briuin-Breifne.
In the second half of the 12th century, it is likely the sees of Breifne and Kells were ruled together under one bishop. In 1172, Tuathal Ua Connachtaig took the oath of fealty to King Henry II of England as bishop of Kells. Soon after 1211 the see of Kells was incorporated into the diocese of Meath.
In 1454, Pope Nicholas V gave permission for the then bishop, Aindrias Mac Brádaigh (Anglicised: Andrew McBrady), to have the ancient church at Kilmore, founded in the 6th century by Saint Felim (or Feithlimidh), to be the cathedral church of the diocese. This building passed into the hands of the Church of Ireland at the Reformation, and, following the construction of a new cathedral, is now used as a parochial hall.
After the upheavals of 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 title was intermittently held with Ardagh until they were finally united in 1839. In 1841, the sees of Kilmore and Ardagh were amalgamated with Elphin to form the united bishopric of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. The current incumbent is The Right Reverend Samuel Ferran Glenfield M.A. M.Th. (Oxon.) M.Litt. He was elected, consecrated, and installed in 2013.
In the Roman Catholic, the title continues as a separate bishopric. The current Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kilmore is the Most Reverend Martin Hayes, who was appointed as the diocesan bishop on 29 June and installed at the Cathedral Church of Saints Patrick and Felim, Cavan on 20 September 2020.

## Pre-Reformation bishops

Bishops of Breifne :
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| unknown | 1136 | Áed Ua Finn | Anglicised as Hugh O'Finn. Died in office on an island in Lough Ree. |
| unknown | 1149 | Muirchertach Ua Máel Mochéirge | Died in office. |
| before 1152 | 1179 | Tuathal Ua Connachtaig | Known in Latin as Thaddaeus. Present at the Synod of Kells in March 1152. Took the oath of fealty to Henry II in 1172 as bishop of Kells. Died in office. |
| before 1185 | c. 1185 | (Name not known) | A Cistercian monk. Elected and consecrated before 1185. Expelled circa 1185. |
| 1202 | 1211 | M. Ua Dobailén | Became bishop before August 1202. Died in office. |
| unknown | 1231 | Flann Ó Connachtaig | Known in Latin as Florentius. Died in office. |
| c. 1233 | 1250 | Congalach Mac Idneóil | Resigned before May 1250. Died in office in 1250. |
| 1251 | 1285 | Simon Ó Ruairc | Anglicised as Simon O'Rourke. Elected before 20 June 1251. Died in office. |
| 1286 | 1307 | Mauricius, O.S.A. | Elected before October 1286. Died in office. |
| unknown | 1314 | Matha Mac Duibne | Anglicised as Matthew MacGevney. Died in office. |
| before 1320 | 1328 | Pádraic Ó Cridecáin | Anglicised as Patrick O'Cridagain. Elected before 1320. Died in office. |
| unknown | 1355 | Conchobhar Mac Conshnámha | Also known as Cornelius Ford. Died in office. |
| c. 1356 | 1369 | Riocard Ó Raghillaigh | Anglicised as Richard O'Reilly. Elected circa 1356. Died in office. |
| before 1373 | c. 1389 | Johannes | Elected before 1373. Died in office. |
| c. 1388 | ? 1390 | Thomas Rushook, O.P. | Translated from Chichester circa 1388. Possibly resigned 1390 and died circa 1393. |
| 1389 | 1393 | Seoán Ó Raghillaigh I | Anglicised as John O'Reilly. Became bishop after 2 November 1389. Died in office. |
| 1395 | 1421 | Nicol Mac Brádaigh | Alias Ruaidhrí Mac Brádaigh (anglicised as Nicholas or Rory MacBrady). Appointed before 27 August 1395 and consecrated before July 1398. Died in office. |
| dates unknown | dates unknown | John Stokes | Date of appointment not known. Acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Lichfield in 1407, and Worcester in 1416. |
| c. 1408/09 | unknown | David Ó Faircheallaigh | Appointed by Pope Gregory XII and consecrated between 1408 and 1409. Died in office. |
| 1422 | c. 1445 | Domhnall O Gabhann | Known in Latin as Donatus. Appointed 13 August 1421 and consecrated after 30 June 1422. Resigned circa 1445. |
| Pre-Reformation Bishops of Kilmore ||||
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1445 | 1455 | Aindrias Mac Brádaigh | Anglicised as Andrew McBrady. Appointed on 9 March 1445. Died in office. |
| 1455 | 1464 | Fear Siíhe Mág Dhuibhne, O.S.A. | Appointed on 11 July 1455. Died in office on 27 November 1464. |
| 1465 | 1476 | Seoán Ó Raghillaigh II, O.S.A. | Anglicised as John O'Reilly. Appointed on 17 May 1465. Died in office before November 1476. |
| 1476 | 1512 | Cormac Mág Shamhradháin, O.S.A. | Anglicised as Cormac McGovern. Appointed on 4 November 1476. Died in office in December 1511. |
| 1480 | 1511 | Tomás Mac Brádaigh | Anglicised as Thomas MacBrady. Appointed on 20 October 1480. Died in office on 29 July 1511. |
| 1512 | 1530 | Diarmaid Ó Raghillaigh | Anglicised as Dermot O'Reilly. Appointed on 28 January 1512. Died in office before June 1530. |
| Sources: ||||

## Bishops during the Reformation

During the Reformation, Edmund Nugent and John MacBrady were at one time or another bishops of either the Church of Ireland or Roman Catholic succession. They were each appointed as Roman Catholic bishops, but later accepted or recognized as Anglican bishops.
Bishops of Kilmore during the Reformation :
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1530 | c. 1550 | Edmund Nugent, O.S.A. | Last Prior of Tristernagh Abbey. Appointed bishop on 22 January 1530, but continued to hold the abbey in commendam until he surrendered it to King Henry VIII in 1536 and accepted royal supremacy. Deprived of the Roman Catholic see by Pope Paul III in 1540, but continued as the Church of Ireland bishop until his death in circa 1550. |
| 1540 | 1559 | John MacBrady | Appointed by Pope Paul III, in opposition to Edmund Nugent, on 5 November 1540. Presumably recognized by the crown in the reign of Queen Mary I. Died in 1559. |
| Sources: ||||

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

Church of Ireland Bishops of Kilmore :
| From | Until | Ordinary | Notes |
| 1559 | 1585 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1585 | 1589 | John Garvey | Nominated on 20 January and appointed by letters patent on 27 January 1585. Translated to Armagh on 10 May 1589. |
| 1589 | 1603 | See vacant | During part of this period, the custody of the see was placed under Edward Edgeworth, Prebendary of Christchurch and St Patrick's cathedrals in Dublin, later Bishop of Down and Connor. |
| 1603 | 1633 | See part of the united bishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh | See part of the united bishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh |
| 1633 | 1642 | William Bedell | Appointed Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh in 1629. He relinquished the title Bishop of Ardagh in 1633, but continued Bishop of Kilmore until his death on 7 February 1642. |
| 1643 | 1661 | Robert Maxwell | Nominated on 17 November 1642 and consecrated on 24 March 1643. Became Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh when the two sees were united again in 1661. |
| 1661 | 1742 | See part of the united bishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh | See part of the united bishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh |
| 1742 | 1757 | Joseph Story | Translated from Killaloe. Nominated on 7 January and appointed by letters patent on 29 January 1742. Died in office on 22 September 1727. |
| 1757 | 1772 | John Cradock | Nominated on 14 October and consecrated on 4 December 1757. Translated to Dublin on 5 March 1772. |
| 1772 | 1774 | Denison Cumberland | Translated from Clonfert and Kilmacduagh> Appointed by letters patent on 6 March 1772. Died in office in November 1774 and buried in Kilmore Cathedral churchyard on 22 November 1774. |
| 1775 | 1790 | George Lewis Jones | Nominated on 21 November 1774 and consecrated 22 January 1775. Translated to Kildare on 5 June 1790. |
| 1790 | 1796 | William Foster | Translated from Cork and Ross> Nominated on 7 May and appointed by letters patent on 11 June 1790. Translated to Clogher on 21 January 1796. |
| 1796 | 1801 | The Hon. Charles Brodrick | Translated from Clonfert and Kilmacduagh. Nominated on 28 December 1795 and appointed by letters patent on 19 January 1796. Translated to Cashel on 9 December 1801. |
| 1802 | 1839 | George de la Poer Beresford | Translated from Clonfert and Kilmacduagh. Nominated on 12 January and appointed by letters patent on 1 March 1802. Became Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh in 1839. Died in office on 15 October 1841. |
| 1839 | 1841 | See part of the united bishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh | See part of the united bishopric of Kilmore and Ardagh |
| since 1841 | since 1841 | See part of the united bishopric of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. | See part of the united bishopric of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. |
| Sources: ||||

### Roman Catholic succession

Roman Catholic Bishops of Kilmore :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1560 | 1579 | Hugh O'Sheridan | Appointed on 7 February 1560. Died in office. |
| 1580 | 1607 | Richard Brady, O.F.M. | Translated from Ardagh on 14 March 1580. Died in office in September 1607. |
| 1607 | 1625 | See vacant | No record of vicars apostolic appointed. |
| 1625 | 1628 | Hugh O'Reilly | Appointed on 9 June and consecrated in July 1626. Translated to Armagh on 21 August 1628. |
| 1629 | 1669 | Eugene Sweeney | Appointed on 18 September 1629 and consecrated in 1630. Died in office on 18 October 1669. |
| 1669 | 1677 | See vacant | Thomas Fitzsymons had been appointed vicar general of Kilmore in 1666, but deprived of the position in 1677. There had been proposals for him to be appointed vicar apostolic on 16 September 1672 and again on 1 February 1678, but was nothing further came from either proposal. |
| 1678 | 1689 | See administered by Patrick Tyrrell, Bishop of Clogher. | See administered by Patrick Tyrrell, Bishop of Clogher. |
| 1689 | 1711 | See vacant | No vicars apostolic or apostolic administrators appointed, and the see was governed by unnamed vicars general. |
| 1711 | 1728 | See administered by Hugh MacMahon, Bishop of Clogher. | See administered by Hugh MacMahon, Bishop of Clogher. |
| 1728 | 1746 | Michael MacDonagh, O.P. | Appointed on 2 December and consecrated on 12 December 1728. Died in office on 26 November 1746. |
| 1747 | 1753 | Laurence Richardson, O.P. | Appointed on 6 February and consecrated on 1 May 1747. Died in office on 29 January 1753. |
| 1753 | 1769 | Andrew Campbell | Appointed on 3 April 1753. Died in office on 1 (or 23?) December 1769. |
| 1770 | 1798 | Denis Maguire, O.F.M. | Translated from Dromore. Appointed on 25 March and papal brief dated 7 April 1770. Died in office on 23 December 1798. |
| 1798 | 1800 | Charles O'Reilly | Appointed coadjutor bishop on 28 April and papal brief dated 17 May 1793. Succeeded diocesan bishop on 23 December 1798. Died in office on 6 March 1800. |
| 1800 | 1806 | James Dillon | Previously Coadjutor bishop of Raphoe (1793–1800). Appointed on 10 August 1800 and papal brief dated 30 August 1800. Died in office at Ballyconnell on 19 August 1806. |
| 1807 | 1829 | Fargal O'Reilly | Also recorded as Farrell O'Reilly. Appointed on 14 December 1806, papal brief dated 16 January 1806, and consecrated on 24 August 1807. Died in office on 30 April 1829. |
| 1819 | 1826 | Patrick Maguire, O.F.M. (coadjutor) | Appointed coadjutor bishop on 6 December 1818 and papal brief dated 12 January 1819. Died without succeeding in 1826. |
| 1829 | 1865 | James Browne | Appointed coadjutor bishop on 20 or 23 March 1827 and consecrated on 10 June 1827. Succeeded diocesan bishop on 30 April 1829. Died in office on 11 April 1865. |
| 1865 | 1886 | Nicholas Conaty | Appointed coadjutor bishop on 27 March 1863 and consecrated on 24 May 1863. Succeeded diocesan bishop on 11 April 1865. Died in office on 17 January 1886. |
| 1886 | 1887 | Bernard Finegan | Appointed on 10 May 1886, papal brief dated 18 May 1886, and consecrated on 13 June 1886. Died in office on 11 November 1887. |
| 1888 | 1906 | Edward MacGennis | Appointed on 3 February 1888, papal brief dated 21 February 1888, and consecrated on 15 April 1888. Died in office on 15 May 1906. |
| 1907 | 1910 | Andrew Boylan, C.SS.R. | Appointed on 1 or 13 March 1907 and consecrated on 19 May 1907. Died in office on 25 March 1910. |
| 1910 | 1937 | Patrick Finegan | Appointed on 4 July 1910 and consecrated on 11 September 1910. Died in office on 25 January 1937. |
| 1937 | 1949 | Patrick Lyons | Appointed on 6 August 1937 and consecrated on 3 October 1937. Died in office on 26 (or 27) April 1949. |
| 1950 | 1972 | Austin Quinn | Appointed on 19 July and consecrated on 10 September 1950. Resigned on 10 October 1972 and died on 24 September 1974. |
| 1972 | 1998 | Francis Joseph MacKiernan | Appointed on 11 October and consecrated on 10 December 1972. Resigned on 16 October 1998 and died on 23 December 2005. |
| 1998 | 2018 | Philip Leo O'Reilly | Appointed coadjutor bishop on 20 November 1996 and consecrated on 2 February 1997. Succeeded diocesan bishop on 16 October and installed on 15 November 1998. Resigned on 31 December 2018. |
| 2020 | present | Martin Hayes | Appointed on 29 June and consecrated on 20 September 2020. |
| Sources: ||||