# Bishop of Killaloe

The Bishop of Killaloe (/ˌkɪləˈluː/ kil-ə-LOO) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killaloe in County Clare, 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 Diocese of Killaloe was one of the twenty-four dioceses established at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111. The boundaries of the diocese consisted of almost all of County Clare, the northern part of County Tipperary and the western part of County Offaly. Its Irish name is Cill-da-lua (Church of Lua), so named from St Mo Lua, an abbot who lived in the late 6th century. At the Synod of Kells in March 1152, Killaloe some lost territory when the dioceses of Kilfenora, Roscrea and Scattery Island were created.
Following the Reformation, there are now parallel Killaloe dioceses: one of the Church of Ireland and the other of the Roman Catholic Church.

### In Church of Ireland

The pre-Reformation Cathedral Church of St Flannan, Killaloe continued as the Church of Ireland bishop's seat (cathedra). The Church of Ireland title was united with Kilfenora in 1752, and again with Clonfert & Kilmacduagh in 1834. Since 1976, it has been part of the united bishopric of Limerick and Killaloe.

### In the Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic bishop's seat is located at St Peter and St Paul Cathedral in Ennis, County Clare. The current bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe is the Most Reverend Fintan Monahan who succeeded on 25 September 2016.

## Pre-Reformation bishops

Pre-Reformation Bishops of Killaloe :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| unknown | 1098 | Domnall Ua hÉnna I | died 1 December 1098 |
| dates unknown | dates unknown | Gilla Pátrick Ua hÉnna | |
| unknown | 1131 | Domnall Ua Conaing | translated to Cashel in 1131 |
| c. 1131 | c. 1137/38 | Domnall Ua Lonngargáin | translated to Cashel c. 1137 or 1138 |
| c. 1138 | 1161 | Tadg Ua Lonngargáin | died in office |
| c. 1161 | 1164 | Donnchad mac Diarmata Ua Briain | died in office |
| bef. 1179 | 1194 | Constantín mac Toirrdelbaig Ua Briain | died in office |
| 1194 | 1195 | Diarmait Ua Conaing | died in office |
| bef. 1201 | 1216 | Conchobhar Ua h-Énna | died in office; also known as Cornelius |
| 1216 | unknown | Domnall Ua h-Énna II | elected 1216; confirmed by Pope Honorius III 1219; consecrated 1221; also known as Donatus |
| 1217 | 1221/26 | Robert Travers | elected before 14 January 1217; consecrated after 14 January 1217; deprived 1221, and again May 1226 |
| 1231 | 1252 | Donat O'Kennedy | elected before 1231; died before 1252; also known as Donatus |
| 1253 | 1267 | Ísóc Ó Cormacáin | elected before 5 April 1253; appointed and consecration 23 June 1253; resigned before 10 November 1267; also known as Isaac |
| 1268 | 1281 | Mathgamain Ó h-Ócáin | elected before 20 March 1268; died 12 August 1281; also known as Matthaeus |
| 1281 | 1298 | Mauricius Ó h-Ócáin | elected 23 November 1281; died before October 1298 |
| 1299 | 1317 | David Mac Mathghamna | elected 7 January 1299; consecrated May 1299; died 9 February 1317; also known as David Mac Mahon |
| 1317 | 1322 | Tomás Ó Cormacáin I | elected before 2 July 1317; died 31 July 1322 |
| 1323 | c. 1325 | Brian Ó Coscraig | elected before 1 August 1323; died c. 1325; also known as Benedictus |
| 1326 | 1342 | David Mac Briain | elected before May 1326; appointed 25 May 1326; died 12 December 1342; also known as 'David of Emly' |
| ? 1326 | 1334 | Unatus O Heime | possibly elected in 1326; died 1334; also may known as Uaithne Ó hÉnna |
| unknown | 1354 | Tomás Ó h-Ógáin | died 30 October 1354 |
| 1355 | 1382 | Tomás Ó Cormacáin II | elected before May 1355; appointed 27 May 1355; died 1382 |
| 1389 | 1400 | Mathghamhain Mág Raith | appointed before August 1398; died before February 1400; also known as Matthaeus |
| 1400 | 1421 | Donatus Mág Raith, O.S.A. | appointed before 8 February 1400; consecrated before 9 April 1400; died after August 1421 |
| 1409 | 1409 | Robert Mulfield, O.Cist. | appointed 9 September 1409, but did not get possession; acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Lichfield c. 1418 to 1440 |
| 1418 | 1431 | Eugenius Ó Faoláin | translated from Kilmacduagh; resident in a portion of the diocese; died before 24 July 1431 |
| 1423 | 1443 | Thaddaeus Mág Raith I | appointed 25 October 1423; consecrated after 5 November 1423; died before July 1443 |
| 1429 | 1443 | Séamus Ó Lonnghargáin | translated from Annaghdown 9 December 1429; consecrated c. December 1429; resigned c. July 1443 |
| 1443 | 1460 | Donnchadh mac Toirdhealbhaigh Ó Briain | appointed 26 July 1443; consecrated after 12 August 1443; died before August 1460 |
| 1460 | 1463 | Thaddaeus Mág Raith II | appointed 18 August 1460; consecrated 2 September 1460; died before May 1463 |
| 1463 | 1483 | Matthaeus Ó Gríobhtha | appointed 23 May 1463; consecrated after 7 July 1463; died c. September 1483 |
| 1483 | 1526 | Toirdhealbhach mac Mathghamhna Ó Briain | appointed 19 September 1483; died before August 1526; also known as Theodoricus or Thaddaeus |
| 1526 | 1542 | Séamus Ó Cuirrín | appointed 24 August 1526; swore the Oath of Supremacy at Clonmel early in 1539; resigned 5 May 1542; died before June 1554; also known as James O'Currin |
| Source(s): ||||

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

Church of Ireland Bishops of Killaloe :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1546 | c. 1554 | Cornelius O'Dea | nominated by King Henry VIII 30 May 1546; consecrated 12 July 1546; died between 1568 and 1576 |
| 1554 | 1569 | Turlough O'Brien | appointed bishop of both successions on 25 June 1554 when they were temporarily reunited under Queen Mary I; in a letter of 12 October 1561, the papal legate Fr David Wolfe SJ described all the bishops in Munster as 'adherents of the Queen'; died 1569; also known as Terence O'Brien |
| 1570 | 1612 | Murtogh O'Brien-Arra | nominated 17 May 1570. Queen Elizabeth I ordered the revenues of the see to be allowed to him until he should be old enough to be consecrated. In 1575, the queen still considered he was too young. He resigned in 1612 and died 30 April 1632 |
| 1612 | 1632 | John Rider | nominated 5 July 1612; consecrated 12 January 1613; died 12 November 1632 |
| 1633 | 1646 | Lewis Jones | previously Dean of Cashel (1607–33); nominated 14 December 1632; consecrated 12 April 1633; died 2 November 1646; buried at St Werburgh's Church, Dublin |
| 1647 | 1650 | Edward Parry | nominated 29 December 1646; consecrated 28 March 1647; died of the plague in Dublin 20 July 1650 and buried at St. Audoen's Church, Dublin. |
| 1650 | 1660 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1660 | 1669 | Edward Worth | native of County Cork; nominated 7 August 1660; consecrated 27 January 1661; died in Hackney 2 August 1669 and buried at St Mildred's Church, Bread Street, London |
| 1669 | 1675 | Daniel Witter | nominated 4 August and consecrated September 1669; died 16 March 1675 |
| 1675 | 1692 | John Roan | a Welshman; nominated 28 March and consecrated June 1675; died 5 September 1692 and buried in Killaloe Cathedral |
| 1693 | 1695 | Henry Rider | nominated 13 May and consecrated 11 June 1693; died in Dublin 30 January 1696 |
| 1695 | 1713 | Thomas Lindsay, D.D. | nominated 12 February and consecrated 22 March 1696; translated to Raphoe 6 June 1713, and subsequently to Armagh 4 January 1714 |
| 1713 | 1714 | Sir Thomas Vesey, 1st Baronet | son of John Vesey, Archbishop of Tuam (1679–1716); nominated 11 May 1713 and consecrated 12 July 1713; translated to Ossory 28 April 1714 |
| 1714 | 1716 | Nicholas Forster | senior Fellow of Trinity College Dublin; nominated bishop 7 October and consecrated 7 November 1714; translated from Killaloe to Raphoe. |
| 1716 | 1739 | Charles Carr, M.A. | previously chaplain of the Irish House of Commons; nominated bishop 26 May and consecrated in June 1716; died in Dublin on 26 December 1739 |
| 1740 | 1742 | Joseph Story, M.A. | previously Dean of Ferns (1734–40); nominated 16 January and consecrated 10 February 1740; translated to Kilmore 29 January 1742 |
| 1742 | 1743 | John Ryder, D.D. | nominated 18 January and consecrated 21 February 1742; translated to Down and Connor 1 August 1743 |
| 1743 | 1745 | Jemmett Browne | previously Dean of Ross (1733–43); nominated 29 August and consecrated 9 October 1743; translated to Dromore 16 May 1745 |
| 1745 | 1746 | Richard Chenevix, D.D. | nominated 26 April and consecrated 28 July 1745; translated to Waterford and Lismore 15 January 1746 |
| 1746 | 1752 | Nicholas Synge, D.D. | nominated 23 December 1745 and consecrated 26 January 1746; became Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora in 1752 |
| In 1752, the Church of Ireland see became the united bishopric of Killaloe and Kilfenora. ||||
| Source(s): ||||

### Roman Catholic succession

Roman Catholic Bishops of Killaloe :
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| appointed 1539 | appointed 1539 | Richard Hogan, O.F.M. | appointed Apostolic Administrator of Killaloe (and Bishop of Clonmacnoise) 16 June 1539; died later in the same year |
| appointed 1539 | appointed 1539 | Florence Kirwan, O.F.M. | appointed Apostolic Administrator of Killaloe (and Bishop of Clonmacnoise) 5 December 1539; died c. 1555 |
| appointed 1542 | appointed 1542 | Dermot O'Brien | appointed Apostolic Administrator of Killaloe 5 May 1542 |
| 1554 | 1569 | Turlough O'Brien | appointed bishop of both successions on 25 June 1554 when they were temporarily reunited under Queen Mary I; died 1569; also known as Terence O'Brien |
| 1569 | 1571 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1571 | 1576 | Malachy O'Moloney | appointed 10 January 1571; translated to Kilmacduagh 22 August 1576 |
| 1576 | 1616 | Cornelius O'Mulrian, O.F.M. | appointed 22 August 1576; died 1616; also known as Cornelius Ryan |
| 1616 | 1619 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1619 | 1630 | Malachy O'Queely | appointed vicar apostolic to administer the see by Papal brief 30 August 1619; translated to Tuam 22 April 1630 |
| 1630 | 1651 | John O'Mollony I | appointed 12 August 1630; consecrated in November 1630; died October 1651 |
| appointed 1652 | appointed 1652 | John O'Molony II | appointed vicar apostolic to administer the see by Papal brief 17 October 1652; afterwards became bishop in 1671 |
| appointed 1657 | appointed 1657 | Denis Harty | appointed vicar apostolic to administer the see by Papal brief 17 April 1657; also known as Dionysius Harty |
| appointed 1666 | appointed 1666 | John de Burgo | formerly vicar apostolic of Cashel; appointed vicar apostolic to administer the see of Killaloe in 1666 |
| appointed 1668 | appointed 1668 | Denis Harty (again) | appointed vicar apostolic to administer the see of Killaoe again in August 1668 |
| 1671 | 1702 | John O'Molony II | previously vicar apostolic of Killaloe; appointed bishop 26 May 1671; consecrated in March 1672; translated to Limerick 24 January 1698, although continued as Apostolic Administrator of Killaloe until his death on 3 September 1702 |
| 1702 | 1713 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1713 | 1729 | Eustace Browne | appointed 30 June and consecrated 16 August 1713; died c. 1729 |
| 1729 | 1739 | Sylvester Lloyd, O.F.M. | appointed 25 September 1729; translated to Waterford 29 May 1739 |
| 1739 | 1752 | Patrick MacDonogh | appointed 14 August 1739; died 25 February 1752 |
| 1752 | 1752 | Patrick O'Nachten | appointed 12 May 1752, but was not accepted |
| 1752 | 1753 | Nicholas Madgett | appointed 11 December 1752; consecrated 23 February 1753; translated to Ardfert and Aghadoe 23 February 1753 |
| 1753 | 1763 | William O'Meara | translated from Ardfert and Aghadoe 23 February 1753; died after 1763 |
| 1763 | 1765 | See vacant | See vacant |
| 1765 | 1807 | Michael Peter MacMahon, O.P. | appointed 5 June and consecrated 4 August 1765; died 20 February 1807 |
| 1807 | 1828 | James O'Shaughnessy | appointed coadjutor bishop 23 September 1798; consecrated 13 January 1799; succeeded 20 February 1807; died 5 August 1828 |
| 1828 | 1836 | Patrick MacMahon | appointed coadjutor bishop 8 August and consecrated 18 November 1819; succeeded 5 August 1828; died 7 June 1836 |
| 1836 | 1851 | Patrick Kennedy | appointed coadjutor bishop 31 May 1835; consecrated 17 January 1836; succeeded 7 June 1836; died 19 November 1851 |
| 1851 | 1859 | Daniel Vaughan | appointed 30 March and consecrated 8 June 1851; died 29 July 1859 |
| 1859 | 1891 | Michael Flannery | appointed coadjutor bishop 6 July and consecrated 5 September 1858; succeeded 29 July 1859; died 19 June 1891 |
| 1891 | 1904 | Thomas McRedmond | appointed coadjutor bishop September 1889; consecrated 12 January 1890; succeeded 19 June 1891; died 5 April 1904 |
| 1904 | 1955 | Michael Fogarty (bishop) | appointed 8 July and consecrated 4 September 1904; died 25 October 1955 |
| 1955 | 1966 | Joseph Rodgers | appointed coadjutor bishop 10 January and consecrated 7 March 1948; succeeded 25 October 1955; died 10 July 1966 |
| 1967 | 1994 | Michael Anthony Harty | appointed 28 September and consecrated 19 November 1967; died 2 October 1994 |
| 1994 | 2010 | William (Willie) Walsh | appointed coadjutor bishop of Killaloe on 21 June 1994; episcopal ordination 8 August 1994; succeeded 2 October 1994; retired 18 May 2010 |
| 2010 | 2014 | Kieran O'Reilly, S.M.A. | appointed 18 May 2010 and received episcopal ordination on 29 August 2010; appointed Archbishop of Cashel & Emly on 22 November 2014 and installed to that see on 8 February 2015 |
| 2016 | Incumbent | Fintan Monahan | Appointed 29 July 2016 and received episcopal ordination on 25 September 2016. |
| Source(s): ||||