Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
A History of the Franciscan Order in Ireland (Author: Donagh Mooney)

Subsection 1

The Four Archdioceses of Ireland and their Suffragan Sees

The Archbishop of Armagh has his seat in Ulster and bears the title of Primate of all Ireland. The ecclesiastical province of which he is the head includes the whole of Ulster and Meath, with a considerable part of Connaught, and contains the following dioceses, some of which however, have been united: —

  1. Armagh. The last Archbishop, Edmond MacGauran, was martyred on the 3rd of July, 1593. His successor, Peter Lombard, yet lives.
  2. Dromore, in Ulster, now united to Armagh.
  3. Meath, embracing East and West Meath.
  4. Clonmacnoise, which the Protestants have united to Meath without any pontifical authority. The last bishop was Peter Wall, a Franciscan.
  5. Clogher, in Ulster.
  6. Down, in Ulster.
  7. Connor, in Ulster. These two have been united by provision of the Holy See. The last bishop was Conor

    p.327

    O’'Devany, a Franciscan, who gained the glorious crown of martyrdom, by order of Arthur Chichester, in Dublin on the 1st February, 1612, according to the old style then in use in that part of Ireland.
  8. Derry, in Ulster. The last bishop was Redmond O'Gallagher, who was martyred on the 8th of March, 1609. He was then far advanced in years, and was considered to have been the oldest bishop in Europe, counting from the time of consecration.
  9. Raphoe, in Ulster. The last bishop was Neil O'Boyle, who died on the 6th of February, 1611. His predecessor was Malachy MacCongail.
  10. Ardagh, in Connaught (sic), comprising the county Longford.
  11. Kilmore in Connaught (sic). The last bishop was Nicholas MacBrady, a Franciscan, of whome I will speak later on. He was a holy man, and died full of years in 1607.

ERRATA — In last month’'s issue, p. 291, line 17, for ‘vivid,’ read ‘ivied,’ and line 18, for ‘tell of,’ read ‘tell us.’