Bishop_of_Derry

Bishop of Derry

The Bishop of Derry is an episcopal title which takes its name after the monastic settlement originally founded at Daire Calgach and later known as Daire Colm Cille, Anglicised as Derry. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.

History

At the Synod of Ráth Breasail in 1111 Ireland was divided up into ecclesiastical dioceses based on territorial units. One of these was for the Cenel Conaill who could have its Episcopal see either at Raphoe or Derry. At the Synod of Kells in 1152 however Derry and the Inishowen peninsula were moved from the diocese of the Cenel Conaill to that of the Cenel Eogain who controlled both areas. Derry was a Columban establishment founded by Columba who was a prince of the Cenel Conaill. It opposed many of the church reforms as well as being made part of the diocese of the Cenel Eogain. As a compromise the foundation of Derry was essentially made a diocese of its own within that of the Cenel Eogain and its comarb styled as the bishop of Derry.[1]

In regards to the diocese of the Cenel Eogain, its see was at Rathlowry (Maghera), with the diocese in Latin became known as Rathlurensis and its bishop as Episcopis Rathlurensis. In 1246 its bishop, Germanus O'Carolan, obtained sanction from Pope Innocent IV to have the see transferred to Derry due to the remoteness of Rathlowry. By this stage the Columban foundation at Derry had become extinct and was replaced by the Augustinian Order.[1] From 1254 the diocese became known as Derry and the bishop of the Cenel Eogain was styled as the bishop of Derry.[2]

Following the Reformation, there are parallel apostolic successions. In the Church of Ireland, Derry continued a separate see until 1834 when it amalgamated with Raphoe and became the united bishopric of Derry and Raphoe.[3]

In the Roman Catholic Church, the title is still a separate bishopric. On 25 February 2014, Pope Francis appointed the then auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor – Most Reverend Donal McKeown – as the new Bishop of Derry. He was installed as Bishop of Derry on Sunday 6 April 2014 in Saint Eugene's Cathedral Derry.[4][5]

Pre-Reformation bishops

Bishops of the diocese of Cinél nEógain
More information List of Bishops of the diocese of Cinél nEógain, From ...
Pre-Reformation Bishops of Derry
More information List of pre-Reformation Bishops of Derry, From ...

Post-Reformation bishops

Church of Ireland succession

More information List of Church of Ireland Bishops of Derry, From ...

Roman Catholic succession

More information List of Roman Catholic Bishops of Derry, From ...

Notes

  • A B These two Ua Brolcháin bishops were members of the Cenél Feredaig, who were closely associated with Derry.[11]

References

  1. Lawlor, H.J., The Genesis of the Dioceses of Derry and Raphoe, The Irish Church Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 39 (Jul., 1917), pp. 219-236 (18 pages)
  2. "Diocese of Derry, Northern Ireland". GCatholic. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  3. Fryde, ibid., pp. 387-388
  4. "Derry's new Bishop is Donal McKeown – Derry Journal". Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  5. Fryde, ibid., pp. 345-346
  6. Charles, McNeill (1910). "Irish Confessors and Martyrs". The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 12 December 2015 via newadvent.org.
  7. Fryde, ibid., pp. 422-423
  8. "Diocese of Derry". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  9. Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (Third ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 345. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Bishop_of_Derry, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.