Bishop William Coppinger (1753-1830) was an Irish Catholic priest, who served as Bishop of Cloyne and Ross, from 1791 until his death.

Life

William Coppinger was born on 20 May 1753 in County Cork, the son of Stephen and Joanna Coppinger. Prohibited by the Penal Laws from obtaining a liberal education at home, he studied successfully on the continent. He considered a military career and applied for a commission in the French army, but dissuaded by some friends, decided instead to train for the priesthood at the

Irish College, Paris The Irish College in Paris (french: Collège des Irlandais, links=no, la, Collegium Clericorum Hibernoram) was for three centuries a major Roman Catholic educational establishment for Irish students. It was founded in the late 16th century, and c ...

. He was ordained in 1780."Most Rev. William Coppinger", Diocese of Cork and Ross
/ref> Coppinger returned to Ireland becoming a curate at his home parish, and then parish priest first at

Carrigaline Carrigaline () is a town and civil parish in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the River Owenabue. Located about south of Cork city, and with a population of 15,770 people, it is one of the largest commuter towns of the city. The R611 regiona ...

, and then at

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in County Cork. In 1786 Bishop Francis Moylan of Cork named Coppinger vicar-general of the diocese, and shortly thereafter arranged for Coppinger to be appointed coadjutor to Bishop Matthew McKenna of Cloyne. McKenna was not pleased that he had not been consulted. Coppinger was consecrated a bishop in 1788, and succeeded to the See in 1791. As Bishop of Cloyne and Ross, Dr. Coppinger, served as a trustee of Maynooth College upon its establishment in 1795. He was a strong opponent of the Veto giving the crown a say in episcopal appointments. He opposed the

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, partly due to the anti-religion ethos of the French Revolution which inspired it, and partly because he believed that the government was attempting to provoke the people. With the failure of the French

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, Coppinger issued a pastoral letter in 1797 urging his clergy to offset "the suggestion of designing men" and "confound the malice of agitators". He stood up for the rights of Catholics, in opposing the 1800 Act of Union, and tithes tenant farmers were forced to pay. Bishop Coppinger supported Daniel O'Connell's,

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, whose methods he approved of. In September 1820, he attended the episcopal consecration of John England, first bishop of the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, in St. Finbar's church in Cork."Attestation to the Consecration Of The Most Reverend Doctor John, First Bishop of Charleston", Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston
/ref> Bishop Coppinger died on 9 August 1831 and was buried in Cobh cathedral, Co. Cork. He was succeeded as bishop of Cloyne and Ross by his coadjutor,

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Publications

Dr. Coppinger was a noted author and translator and a publisher of papers and pamphlets. * ''Imitation of Christ'', translated William Coppinger, (1795) * ''Life of Nano Nagle'', by William Coppinger, (1794) * ''Monita pastoralia'', by William Coppinger, (1821)William Coppinger
Cambridge, Dictionary of Irish Biography.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coppinger, William 1753 births 1830 deaths Christian clergy from County Cork 18th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland 19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland