Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe
| Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe Church of Ireland | |
| Province: | Dublin |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick | |
| Bishop: | Kenneth Kearon |
| Cathedral: | St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick, Killaloe Cathedral, Clonfert Cathedral |
| Organisation | |
| Details | |
| Website: | limerick.anglican.org |
The Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe (also known as 'The United Dioceses of Limerick, Ardfert, Aghadoe, Killaloe, Kilfenora, Clonfert, Kilmacduagh and Emly') is a diocese of the Church of Ireland that is located in mid-western Ireland. It is part of the Province of Dublin.
The diocese was formed by a merger of neighbouring dioceses in 1976, and covers all of counties Limerick, Kerry and Clare, plus parts of counties Galway, Cork and Tipperary.
Overview and history
When the Church of England broke communion with Rome, the Church of Ireland followed. The dioceses remained in the immediate period but reformed. Over the centuries, a number of dioceses were merged, in view of declining population. It is for this reason that the united diocese has three cathedrals.
The present united diocese dates from 1976, the end result of a number of mergers of sees beginning in the seventeenth century:[1]
| Ancient dioceses | Unions before 1976 | 1976 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Ardfert & Aghadoe | 1661: Diocese of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe | Diocese of Limerick & Killaloe | |
| Diocese of Limerick | |||
| Diocese of Clonfert | 1602: Diocese of Clonfert & Kilmacduagh | 1834: Diocese of Killaloe & Clonfert | |
| Diocese of Kilmacduagh | |||
| Diocese of Kilfenora | 1752: Diocese of Killaloe & Kilfenora | ||
| Diocese of Killaloe | |||
| Diocese of Emly | United to Cashel from 1569-1976 | ||
Cathedrals
- St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick,[2]
- St Flannan's Cathedral, Killaloe,[3]
- St Brendan's Cathedral, Clonfert.[4]
Five others are in ruins or no longer exist:
- St Brendan's Cathedral, Ardfert was destroyed by fire in 1641
- St Alibeus' Cathedral, Emly was demolished in 1877.[4]
- Kilmacduagh cathedral, which is partly in ruins
- Aghadoe Cathedral, which is partly in ruins
- Kilfenora Cathedral, which is partly in ruins, dates from the 12th century.
Bishops
| Bishops of Limerick and Killaloe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1976 | 1981 | Edwin Owen | Formerly Bishop of Killaloe and Clonfert; elected Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe on 21 September 1976; enthroned 5 December 1976; retired on 6 January 1981; died 2 April 2005.[5] |
| 1981 | 1985 | Walton Empey | Born 26 October 1934; elected 14 January 1981; consecrated 25 March 1981;[5] translated to Meath and Kildare in 1985, and subsequently to Dublin in 1996. |
| 1985 | 2000 | Edward Darling | Born 24 July 1933; consecrated on 30 November 1985; retired on 31 July 2000.[6] |
| 2000 | 2008 | Michael Mayes | Born 1941; translated from Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh;[7] elected 8 September 2000;[7] retired 31 March 2008.[8] |
| 2008 | 2014 | Trevor Williams | Elected 6 May 2008;[9] consecrated at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin on 11 July 2008.[10] Retired in July 2014. |
| 2015 | Present | Kenneth Kearon | Elected 8 September 2014; consecrated 24 January 2015 |
Outside links
References
- ↑ Galloway, Peter: 'The Cathedrals of Ireland' (Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University Belfast, 1992) ISBN 0853894523 pages 10, 48,97,142
- ↑ St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick. Retrieved on 9 January 2009.
- ↑ St Flannan's Cathedral, Killaloe. Retrieved on 9 January 2009.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Cathedral Churches of Limerick and Killaloe. Retrieved on 9 January 2009.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (Third Edition, revised ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 401. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
- ↑ Bishop Darling of Limerick announces his retirement. Retrieved on 9 January 2009.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Election of new Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe. Retrieved on 9 January 2009.
- ↑ Retirement of the Bishop of Limerick. Retrieved on 9 January 2009.
- ↑ The Revd Canon Trevor Williams Elected Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe. Retrieved on 9 January 2009.
- ↑ Consecration of the Rt Revd Trevor Williams as Bishop of Limerick. Retrieved on 9 January 2009.