The Diocese of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe (full title The United Dioceses of Tuam, Killala, Achonry, Limerick, Ardfert, Aghadoe, Killaloe, Kilfenora, Clonfert, Kilmacduagh and Emly) is a

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...

of the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland (, ; , ) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomy, autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the Christianity in Ireland, second-largest Christian church on the ...

that is located in the west of Ireland. The diocese was formed by a merger of the former

Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry The Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry (also known as the United Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry) is a former diocese in the Church of Ireland located in Connacht; the western province of Ireland. It was in the ecclesiastical province o ...

and the former

Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe The Diocese of Limerick and Killaloe (formally: 'The United Dioceses of Limerick, Ardfert, Aghadoe, Killaloe, Kilfenora, Clonfert, Kilmacduagh and Emly') was a former diocese of the Church of Ireland that was located in mid-western Irelan ...

in 2022, after the retirement of the separate dioceses' bishops and the appointment of

Michael Burrows Michael Burrows may refer to: * Michael Burrows (computer scientist), British computer scientist * Michael Burrows (artist), Australian singer-songwriter *Michael Burrows (bishop) Michael Andrew James Burrows (born 1961) is a bishop in the Church ...

as bishop of the united diocese. It is in the

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian churches, including those of both Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity, that have traditional hierarchical structures. An ecclesiastical province consist ...

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

. It is one of the eleven Church of Ireland dioceses that cover the whole of

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. The largest diocese by area in the Church of Ireland, it covers all of counties Clare,

Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...

, Kerry,

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

and Mayo, plus parts of counties

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

Sligo Sligo ( ; , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of 20,608 in 2022, it is the county's largest urban centre (constituting 2 ...

Roscommon Roscommon (; ; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60 road (Ireland), N60, N61 road (Ireland), N61 and N63 road (Irelan ...

Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in honour of Philip II of Spain ...

Laois County Laois ( ; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medieval kingdom. Hist ...

and Tipperary.

Overview and history

When the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

and the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

broke communion, it was established by the state as the established church. Later, by decree of the Irish Parliament, the Church of Ireland became the independent State Church of the

Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland (; , ) was a dependent territory of Kingdom of England, England and then of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1542 to the end of 1800. It was ruled by the monarchs of England and then List of British monarchs ...

. It assumed possession of most Church property (and so retained a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population remained faithful to Roman Catholicism, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the Church of Ireland or to

Presbyterianism Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

. On 13 April 1834, the diocese of Killala and Achonry was united to the Archdiocese of Tuam. On the death of Archbishop Trench of Tuam in 1839, the

Province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

of Tuam was united to the Province of Armagh and the see ceased to be an archbishopric and became a bishopric with Thomas Plunket becoming the first bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. Meanwhile, in 1833, the two provinces of

and Cashel were merged. Over the centuries, a number of dioceses were merged (see below), in view of declining membership. It is for this reason that the united diocese has five

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

s. In 2019, the Church of Ireland General Synod agreed to amalgamate the two dioceses upon the retirement of their incumbent bishops. These retirements took place in 2021, and in 2022, Burrows was elected as the first bishop of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe. He finished his service in the Diocese of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory in April 2022 and was installed in the united diocese that same month. Despite being the largest single diocese in area, the two prior dioceses each saw the lowest average Sunday attendance of any Church of Ireland dioceses with just 612 in attendance in Tuam, Killala and Achonry and 1,205 in attendance in Limerick and Killaloe, according to the most recently available Church of Ireland census data. The united diocese's attendance of 1,817 makes it the second-least-attended diocese in the Church of Ireland after Meath and Kildare.

Predecessor dioceses

The present united diocese dates from 2022, the result of a number of mergers of sees beginning in the seventeenth century:

Cathedrals

* St. Mary's Cathedral,

Tuam Tuam (; , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midland Region, Ireland, midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. The town is in a civil parishe ...

* St. Patrick's Cathedral,

Killala Killala () is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is the townland of Townsplots West (known locally as Enagh Beg), which contains a num ...

. *

St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick Saint Mary's Cathedral, Limerick, is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Limerick (city), Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Province o ...

, * St Flannan's Cathedral, Killaloe, * St Brendan's Cathedral, Clonfert.The Cathedral Churches of Limerick and Killaloe
Retrieved on 9 January 2009. Five others are in ruins or no longer exist: * St Brendan's Cathedral, Ardfert was destroyed by fire in 1641 *St Alibeus' Cathedral,

Emly Emly or Emlybeg () is a village in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical Barony (Ireland), barony of Clanwilliam (County Tipperary), Clanwilliam. It is also an Ecclesiastical parish in the Roman ...

was demolished in 1877. * 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. St. Crumnathy's Cathedral, Achonry was

deconsecrated Deconsecration, also referred to as decommissioning or ''secularization'' (a term also used for the external confiscation of church property), is the removal of a religious sanction and blessing from something that had been previously consec ...

in 1998 and is now used for

ecumenical Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...

events. File:St Mary's Cathedral, Tuam, by Deane.jpg, An engraving of St Mary's Cathedral, Tuam. File:StMarysLimerickIreland.jpg,

File:Killaloe Saint Flannans Cathedral 2003 09 05.jpg, St Flannan's Cathedral, Killaloe File:ClonfertCathedral.JPG, St Brendan's Cathedral, Clonfert File:Ardfert cathedral.jpg, St. Brendan's Cathedral, Ardfert File:Kilfenora Cathedral.jpg, St. Fachnan's Cathedral, Kilfenora

Parish groups

As of 2022, the united diocese is divided into a number of parishes, each led by a priest serving multiple churches. * Achonry Parish: St George's Church,

Tubbercurry Tubbercurry or Tobercurry () is the second-largest town in terms of both population and land area in County Sligo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It lies at the foot of the Ox Mountains, on the N17 road (Ireland), N17 national primary road, and ...

Rathbarron. * Adare Parish: St Nicholas', Adare Croom St Peter & St Paul's, Kilmallock St Beacon's, Kilpeacon. * Aughaval (Westport) Parish: Christ Church,

Castlebar Castlebar () is the county town of County Mayo, Ireland. Developing around a 13th-century castle of the de Barry family, from which the town got its name, the town now acts as a social and economic focal point for the surrounding hinterland. Wi ...

St. Thomas' Church, Dugort Turlough Church Holy Trinity Church, Westport. * Aughrim Parish: St Catherine's, Ahascragh Ardrahan Holy Trinity, Aughrim St John the Evangelist, Creagh Woodlawn, Kilconell. * Birr Parish: St Brendan's, Birr

Dorrha Dorrha () is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ormond Lower, County Tipperary, Ireland. It is located in the extreme north of County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It i ...

Lockeen St Ruadhan's,

Lorrha Lorrha (from ) is a small village at the northern tip of County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Ledewich described village as 'Larah' which is the common name for the talk-motes, mote hills etc. P. Dixon Hardy M.R.I.A. describes it as 'L ...

. * Clonfert Parish: St Brendan's Cathedral, Clonfert St John the Baptist, Donanaughta Christ Church, Lickmolassy St Paul's, Rynagh. * Cloughjordan Parish: Ballingarry Borrisnafarney

Borrisokane Borrisokane () is a town in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is 15 km north of Nenagh, at the junction of the N52 road (Ireland), N52 and N65 road (Ireland), N65 roads. At the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had a p ...

St Kieran's,

Cloughjordan Cloughjordan, officially Cloghjordan ( , ), is a town in County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Barony (Ireland), barony of Ormond Lower, and it is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe. The town is si ...

. * Drumcliffe (Ennis) Parish: St Columba, Drumcliffe Kilfarboy St Fachan's, Kilfenora St James', Kilfieragh Kilnasoolagh. * Galway Parish: St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church,

Kilcummin Church,

Oughterard Oughterard () is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in Connemara, County Galway, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located about northwest of Galway on the N59 road (Ireland), N59 road. ...

. * Kenmare Parish: St Patrick's, Kenmare Church of the Transfiguration, Sneem St. Michael and All Angels, Waterville St. John the Baptist, Valentia * Kilcolman (Killorglin) Parish: St Michael's, Killorglin St Carthage's, Kiltallagh. * Killala Parish: St. John's Church, Ballycastle St. Mary's Church,

Crossmolina Crossmolina () is a town in the barony (Ireland), historical barony of Tirawley, Tyrawley in County Mayo, Ireland, as well as the name of the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Catholic parish in which the town is situated. The town s ...

St. Patrick's Cathedral,

* Killaloe Parish: Iniscaltra St Flannan's Cathedral, Killaloe St Senan's, Kiltinanlea All Saints', Stradbally St. Cronan's Church, Tuamgraney. * Killarney Parish: St Mary, Killarney Holy Trinity, Muckross. * Kilmoremoy Parish: St. Michael's, Ballina Killanley Church, Castleconnor St. Anne's Easkey

Kilglass Kilglass or Kilglas () is a rural townland in County Sligo, Ireland, in the hinterland of Enniscrone. Kilglass is in a civil parish of the same name. The area is the location of an Anglican church, built in 1829 with funding provided by the B ...

. * Limerick City Parish:

Sts John and Ailbe, Abington St Michael's, Limerick. * Nenagh Parish: Killodiernan St Mary's,

Nenagh Nenagh ( ; , or simply 'the Fair') is the county town of County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the East Munster Ormond Fair. Nenagh was the county town of the former county of Nort ...

Templederry. * Omey (Clifden) Parish: Christ Church,

Clifden Clifden () is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara". Frequen ...

Holy Trinity Church, Errislannan St. Thomas' Church, Ballynakill St. Mary's Church, Roundstone. * Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Parish: St Mary's, Askeaton Castletown, Kilcornan St Brendan's, Kilnaughtin Holy Trinity, Rathkeale. * Roscrea Parish: St Bruchin's, Bourne Christ Church, Corbally St Molua, Kyle St Cronan's, Roscrea. * Shinrone Parish: Aghancon Dunkerrin St Finnian's, Kinnitty St Mary's, Shinrone. * Skreen Parish: Christ Church, Dromard St. Mary's Church, Kilmacshalgan

Skreen Skreen () is a small village and parish in County Sligo, Ireland. The village is in a civil parish of the same name. History St Adomnán, the first biographer of St Columba (Colmcille) and one of his successors at Iona, first served as abbot ...

. * Tralee Parish: Ballymacelligott Ballyseedy St James's, Dingle Kilgobbin Camp St. Brendan's, Killiney, Castlegregory St John's, Tralee. * Tuam Parishes: St. John the Baptist, Aasleagh St. Mary's, Cong St. Mary's Cathedral,

. * University:

University of Limerick University of Limerick (UL) () is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972, as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it became a university in Septemb ...

Chaplaincy

Lists of bishops

Bishops of Tuam, Killala and Achonry

The Hon. ''The Honourable'' (Commonwealth English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of cert ...

Thomas Plunket (1839–1866) * The Hon. Charles Brodrick Bernard (1867–1890) * James O'Sullivan (1890–1913) * The Hon. Benjamin John Plunket (1913–1919) * Arthur Edwin Ross (1920–1923) * John Orr (192–1927) * John Mason Harden (1928–1931) *

William Hardy Holmes William Hardy Holmes was an Anglican Bishop. Born on 25 June 1873 and educated at Trinity College Dublin, he was ordained in 1897, and began his career with a curacy at Christ Church, Derry. He then held incumbencies at Kilbarron and Ballys ...

(1932–1938) * John Winthrop Crozier (1939–1957) * Arthur Hamilton Butler (1958–1969) * John Coote Duggan (1970–1985) * John Robert Winder Neill (1986–1997) * Richard Crosbie Aitken Henderson (1998–2011) * Patrick William Rooke (2011–2021)

Bishops of Limerick and Killaloe

* Edwin Owen (1976–1981) * Walton Newcombe Francis Empey (1981–1985) * Edward Flewett Darling (1985–2000) * Michael Hugh Gunton Mayes (2000–2008) * Trevor Williams (2008–2014) * Kenneth Kearon (2015–2021)

Bishops of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe

(2022–present)

References

External links

Church of Ireland diocesan webpage

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe, Diocese of Religion in County Limerick Religion in County Clare Religion in County Kerry Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe Church of Ireland in the Republic of Ireland Religion in County Galway Religion in County Mayo Religion in County Sligo