An ablation tip for an ablation catheter, the ablation tip comprising: a thermally and electrically conductive housing comprising a conductive shell that comprises an inner surface; a thermally-insulative tip insert , wherein the conductive shell surrounds at least a portion of the tip insert , and the thermally-insulative tip insert includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending sensor channels and a plurality of longitudinally-extending lead wire channels (76") positioned between the plurality of longitudinally-extending sensor channels , such that each of the plurality of longitudinally-extending lead wire channels extends between adjacent longitudinally-extending sensor channels; a plurality of thermal sensors (68; 68') are circumferentially distributed around the tip insert in the plurality of longitudinally-extending sensor channels and in thermally-transmissive contact with the inner surface of the conductive shell , wherein the plurality of thermal sensors (68; 68') are configured to receive and report temperature feedback received via the conductive shell ; and a wired or wireless communication pathway communicatively connected to the plurality of thermal sensors (68; 68') and configured to facilitate reporting of the temperature feedback to an ablation control system, wherein the plurality of thermal sensors are circumferentially distributed around the tip *insert in the plurality of longitudinally-extending sensor channels in a proximal circumferential ring and a distal circumferential ring, wherein the proximal circumferential ring is longitudinally offset relative to the distal circumferential ring, and the wired or wireless communication pathway further includes a plurality of lead wires extending from each of the thermal sensors (68; 68'), the plurality of lead wires extending from the thermal sensors (68; 68') in the distal circumferential ring are routed along at least one of the plurality of longitudinally-extending lead wire channels (76"). a thermally and electrically conductive housing comprising a conductive shell that comprises an inner surface; a thermally-insulative tip insert , wherein the conductive shell surrounds at least a portion of the tip insert , and the thermally-insulative tip insert includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending sensor channels and a plurality of longitudinally-extending lead wire channels (76") positioned between the plurality of longitudinally-extending sensor channels , such that each of the plurality of longitudinally-extending lead wire channels extends between adjacent longitudinally-extending sensor channels; a plurality of thermal sensors (68; 68') are circumferentially distributed around the tip insert in the plurality of longitudinally-extending sensor channels and in thermally-transmissive contact with the inner surface of the conductive shell , wherein the plurality of thermal sensors (68; 68') are configured to receive and report temperature feedback received via the conductive shell ; and a wired or wireless communication pathway communicatively connected to the plurality of thermal sensors (68; 68') and configured to facilitate reporting of the temperature feedback to an ablation control system, wherein the plurality of thermal sensors are circumferentially distributed around the tip *insert in the plurality of longitudinally-extending sensor channels in a proximal circumferential ring and a distal circumferential ring, wherein the proximal circumferential ring is longitudinally offset relative to the distal circumferential ring, and the wired or wireless communication pathway further includes a plurality of lead wires extending from each of the thermal sensors (68; 68'), the plurality of lead wires extending from the thermal sensors (68; 68') in the distal circumferential ring are routed along at least one of the plurality of longitudinally-extending lead wire channels (76"). <EOS>