Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe
- See Diocese of Derry and Raphoe for the Anglican (Church of Ireland) counterpart
Diocese of Raphoe Dioecesis Rapotensis Deoise Ráth Bhoth | |
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![]() The Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba, Letterkenny, the episcopal seat of the bishops of Raphoe | |
Location | |
Country | Ireland |
Territory | Most of County Donegal |
Ecclesiastical province | Province of Armagh |
Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Armagh |
Statistics | |
Area | 1,556 sq mi (4,030 km2) |
Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members) | (as of 2014) 90,700 82,600 (91.1%) |
Information | |
Denomination | Catholic Church |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | 1111 |
Cathedral | Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba, Letterkenny |
Patron saint | St Eunan and St Columba |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Alan McGuckian, |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Eamon Martin |
Vicar General | Frs Michael McKeever, Francis McLoone |
Map | |
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Website | |
raphoediocese.ie |
The Diocese of Raphoe (/ræˈfoʊ/ ra-FOH; Irish: Deoise Ráth Bhoth) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland. It is one of eight suffragan dioceses in the inter-Irish primatial ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Armagh.[1]
On 9 June 2017, Alan McGuckian was appointed Bishop of Raphoe and was ordained to the episcopate on 5 August 2017.
History[]
- Established circa 700 as Abbacy nullius of Raphoe / Rapoten(sis) (Latin)
- Promoted in 1111 as Diocese of Raphoe / Rapoten(sis) (Latin).
Statistics and Geographic remit[]
The bishopric covers most of County Donegal apart from the Inishowen peninsula. The largest towns are Ballyshannon, Donegal, Letterkenny and Stranorlar. As per 2014 it pastorally served 82,600 Catholics (91.1% of 90,700 total) on 4,030 km² (1555 sq. mi.) in 33 parishes with 85 priests (83 diocesan, 2 religious), 48 lay religious (4 brothers, 44 sisters) and 5 seminarians.
The bishop's residence – Ard Adomnán – is in the town of Letterkenny. It is located beside the Parochial House, near the Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba which is dedicated to the joint patrons of the diocese – Saints Eunan (also known as Adomnán) and Columba (also known as Columcille). The former Cathedral, once Cathedral of St Eunan, also in Raphoe, is now a Protestant church.
Episcopal ordinaries[]
- Abbots Nullius of Raphoe
- not available ?
- Suffragan Bishops of Raphoe
- ... first incumbent(s) unavailable ?
- Gilla in Choimded Ua Caráin (Gilbert O’Caran) (1156?–1175), next Metropolitan Archbishop of Armagh (Northern Ireland) (1175 – death 1180)
- Máel Pátraic Ó Scannail (Patrick O’Scanlan), Dominican Order (O.P.) (1253.10 – 1261.11.05), next Metropolitan Archbishop of Armagh (Northern Ireland) (1261.11.05 – death 1270.03.16)
- Giovanni de Alneto, Friars Minor (O.F.M.) (1263.12.03 – 1265.04.28)
- Cairpre Ó Scuapa (1265 – death 1274)
- Fergal Ó Firghil (Florentius O’Ferrell) (1275 – death 1299)
- Énri Mac in Chrossáin (Henricus) (1306 – death 1319)
- Tomás Mac Carmaic Uí Domnaill (1319 – death 1337)
- Pádraig Mac Maonghaill (? – death 1367)
- Conchobhar Mac Carmaic Uí Dhomhnaill (Cornelius) (1367.12.23 – retired 1397.02.21), died 1399
- Seoán Mac Meanmain, Cistercian Order (O. Cist.) (1397.02.21 – ?)
- Eóin Mac Carmaic (Johannes) (1400 – death 1419)
- Lochlainn Ó Gallchobhair (Laurentius) (1420.02.28 – death 1438)
- Cornelius Mac Giolla Bhrighde (1440.07.20 – death 1442)
- Lochlainn Ó Gallchobhair (Laurentius) (1442.06.18 – death 1479)
- Johannes de Rogeriis (1479.11.12 – death 1482)
- Meanma Mac Carmaic (Menelaus Mac Carmacáin) (1482.11.04 – retired 1514.02.06), died 1515
- Cornelius O’Cahan (Conn Ó Cathláin) (1514.02.06 – retired 1534), died ?1550
- Edmund O’Gallagher (Éamonn Ó Gallchobhair) (1534.05.11 – death 1543.02.26)
- Art O’Gallagher (1547.12.05 – death 1561.08.13)
- Donald MacGongail (Donald McGonagle) (1562.01.28 – death 1589.09.29)
- Niall O’Boyle (1591.08.09 – death 1611.02.06)
- John O’Cullenan (1625.06.09 – death 1661.03.24)
- Apostolic Administrator Fergus Laurence Lea (1694.02.18 – death 1696), while Bishop of Derry (Northern Ireland) (1694.02.08 – 1696 not possessed)
- ...
- James O'Gallagher (1725–1737)
- Daniel O'Gallagher, Franciscan Order (O.F.M.) (1737–1749)
- Anthony O'Donnell, O.F.M. (1750–1755)
- Nathaniel O'Donnell (1755–1758)
- Philip O'Reilly (1759–1782)
- Anthony Coyle (1782–1801), previously Coadjutor Bishop: Anthony Coyle (1777.04.27 – 1782)
- Coadjutor Bishop: Fr. John McElvoy (1801.01.30 – 1801.09.20)
- Peter McLaughlin (1802–1819)
- Patrick McGettigan (1820–1861)
- Daniel McGettigan (1861–1870), previously Coadjutor Bishop: Daniel McGettigan (later Archbishop) (1856.02.29 – 1861.05.01)
- James McDevitt (1871–1879)
- Michael Logue (1879–1887)
- Patrick O'Donnell (1888–1922)
- William MacNeely (1923–1963)
- Anthony Columba McFeely (1965–1982)
- Séamus Hegarty (1982–1994)
- Philip Boyce, Discalced Carmelites (O.C.D.) (1995– 2017.06.09)
- Alan McGuckian, Jesuit Order (S.J.) (2017.06.09 – ...)
See also[]
- List of Catholic dioceses in Ireland
- Sexual abuse scandal in Raphoe diocese
- Anglican counterpart Diocese of Derry and Raphoe (Church of Ireland)
References[]
- ^ Archdiocese of Armagh. Retrieved on 16 January 2009.
External links[]
- Diocese of Raphoe (Official website)
- GCatholic.org, with Google map – data for all sections
- Diocese of Raphoe (Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference)
- Diocese of Raphoe (Catholic-Hierarchy website)
- Raphoe: Profile of the diocese (CatholicCity.com, from Catholic Encyclopedia)
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe
- 1111 establishments in Ireland
- Raphoe
- Religion in County Donegal
- Roman Catholic dioceses established in the 12th century
- Roman Catholic dioceses in Ireland
- Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Armagh