Patrick McKenna (9 August 1868 – 7 February 1942) was a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Bishop of Clogher The Bishop of Clogher is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Clogher in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Following the Reformation, there are now parallel apostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the ot ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Early life and priestly ministry

Born at Moybridge in the parish of Errigal Truagh, County Monaghan, he studied at St Macartan's College, Monaghan and Maynooth College. He was a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Clogher,

, ordained in 1894. Following post-graduate studies at Maynooth he returned to the Diocese to serve as curate in the parish of Currin. He taught for a time in

St Kieran's College St Kieran's College (Coláiste Chiaráin) is a Roman Catholic secondary school, located on College Road, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland. History St Kieran's College was founded in Kilkenny, in the diocese of Ossory in 1782, after the pas ...

, Kilkenny, following which he returned to Clogher Diocese to become curate in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. He was appointed Professor of Moral Theology & Canon Law in

St Patrick's College, Maynooth St Patrick's Pontifical University, Maynooth ( ga, Coláiste Naoimh Phádraig, Maigh Nuad), is the "National Seminary for Ireland" (a Roman Catholic college), and a pontifical university, located in the town of Maynooth, from Dublin, Ireland. ...

, in 1904. He was appointed the

on 1 June 1909, following the death of his predecessor,

Richard Owens (bishop) Richard Owens (4 January 1840 – 1909) was a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Clogher, Ireland. Dr. Owens was born in Clogher, County Tyrone. He was born at Aghavea on 4 January 1840; and educated at St Macartan's College, Monaghan and ...

. McKenna was ordained bishop on 10 October 1909.

Bishop of Clogher

During his term as Bishop he had to contend with political strife and enormous political change, most especially the effects of the

Partition of Ireland The partition of Ireland ( ga, críochdheighilt na hÉireann) was the process by which the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland divided Ireland into two self-governing polities: Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. ...

which also brought political partition to his diocese. He was a strong supporter of the Irish language and culture and did not hide from aligning himself with Nationalist and Republican leaders such as

Eoin O'Duffy Eoin O'Duffy (born Owen Duffy; 28 January 1890 – 30 November 1944) was an Irish military commander, police commissioner and politician. O'Duffy was the leader of the Monaghan Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and a prominent figure i ...

, on one occasion giving O'Duffy a glowing reference for a post with

Monaghan County Council Monaghan County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Mhuineacháin) is the authority responsible for local government in County Monaghan, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for ho ...

. While he regularly condemned the actions of the British forces in Ireland and the excesses of the IRA during the Irish War of Independence, he supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. However, he also opposed partition and was specially mindful of the nationalist people of his diocese who were cut off from the new

Irish Free State The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between ...

. As a Bishop he was very popular among his priests and people and his clerical changes of priests between parishes became known as promotions rather than transfers. He introduced many changes to Diocesan policy, particularly regarding the celebrations of funerals. He died in office on 7 February 1942 having served as bishop of his diocese for just over thirty-two years. McKenna was succeeded by

Eugene O'Callaghan Eugene O'Callaghan (7 January 1888 – 21 May 1973) was a Roman Catholic bishop. Early life and education O'Callaghan was born in Errigal and educated at St Macartan's College, Monaghan and St Patrick's College, Maynooth. He was ordained prie ...

. The Ulster Council of the

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include t ...

(

Ulster GAA The Ulster Council ( ga, Comhairle Uladh) is a provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in the city o ...

) has a Gaelic Football competition, the

Dr McKenna Cup The Dr McKenna Cup is an annual Gaelic football competition played between counties and universities in the province of Ulster. It is the secondary Gaelic football competition based in Ulster behind the Ulster Senior Football Championship, an ...

, named after the bishop. He presented the Dr McKenna Cup to the Ulster Council GAA in 1925. It was first played for in 1927.The McKenna Cup History
Gaelic Life

References

External links

* 1868 births 1942 deaths Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth Christian clergy from County Monaghan Roman Catholic bishops of Clogher 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland {{Ireland-RC-bishop-stub

Early life and priestly ministry

Bishop of Clogher

See also

References

External links