Murtogh O'Brien (

1545 Year 1545 ( MDXLV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events January–March * January 1 – King Francis I of France issues the "Arrêt de Mérindol", to destroy the Protestant Waldensians of Provenc ...

– 30 April 1613) was an

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

bishop of Killaloe The Bishop of Killaloe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killaloe in County Clare, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bis ...

, in

County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...

, Ireland. He was of a branch of the clan O'Brien known as O'Brien-Arra, from

County Tipperary County Tipperary () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary (tow ...

. His seat was St. Flannan's Cathedral in Killaloe, which was actually built by his 10-Great Grandfather, Donal Ó Briain, King of Thomond,

King of Munster The kings of Munster () ruled the Kingdom of Munster in Ireland from its establishment during the Irish Iron Age until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasions'', the earli ...

, in the later 12th century. It is named for Saint Flannan Uí Thoirdhealbhaigh, son of Toirdhealbhach Uí Bloid, a direct ancestor of Bishop O'Brien. Murtogh was born to

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

parents, Turlogh Ó Briain and Máire Ó Cearbhaill. He was educated in England at

Magdalene College, Cambridge Magdalene College ( ) is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary ...

, and became an

priest. On 15 May 1570, he was appointed Protestant Bishop of Killaloe by

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

; however, he was not consecrated until six years later. Even before his appointment, because of his family's position of power in the kingdom of

Thomond Thomond ( Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the Kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nena ...

, O'Brien received all of the profits from that see. O'Brien ruled his diocese for 36 years before voluntarily retiring in 1612. He married Slaney O'Brien, of Clan O'Brien,

Inchiquin Inchiquin () is a Barony (Ireland), barony in County Clare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. This geographical unit of land is one of 11 baronies in the county. Its chief town is Corofin, County Clare, Corofin. It is administered by Clare County C ...

branch. She was the daughter of Murrough O'Brien, Baron of Inchiquin. They were known to have two sons; Turlogh O'Brien and John O'Brien. O'Brien died on 30 April 1613 in Killaloe.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Obrien-Arra, Murtogh 1540s births 1613 deaths 16th-century Anglican bishops in Ireland Alumni of Magdalene College, Cambridge Anglican bishops of Killaloe Converts to Anglicanism from Roman Catholicism Christian clergy from County Clare Christian clergy from County Tipperary