Diocese of Clonfert (Roman Catholic)

Diocese of Clonfert Dioecesis Clonfertensis
Loughrea Cathedral
Location
Country	Republic of Ireland
Territory	Parts of counties Galway, Offaly and Roscommon
Ecclesiastical province	Province of Tuam
Metropolitan	Archdiocese of Tuam
Statistics
Area	960 sq mi (2,500 km2)
Population - Catholics	36,000
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	Bishopric in 550; Diocese in 1111
Cathedral	St. Brendan’s Cathedral, Loughrea
Patron saint	St Brendan
Current leadership
Pope	Pope Francis
Bishop	John Kirby, Bishop of Clonfert
Metropolitan Archbishop	Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam
Map
Website
clonfertdiocese.ie

The Diocese of Clonfert (Irish: Deoise Chluain Fearta) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the western part of Ireland. It is in the Metropolitan Province of Tuam and is subject to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tuam. The current Bishop is the Most Reverend John Kirby who was appointed by the Holy See on 18 February 1988 and (ordained bishop) on 9 April 1988.

The diocese covers almost the whole of East Galway, with one parish (Lusmagh) in County Offaly while the parishes of Taughmaconnell, Creagh and the half-parish of Ballinasloe lie in County Roscommon. This was the ancient territory of the kingdom of Uí Maine (Hy-Many), as it existed when the diocese was formed. In fact, the bishop of the diocese was sometimes referred to as the Bishop of Hy-Many. The major towns in the diocese are Ballinasloe, Loughrea and Portumna.

The cathedra is currently located at Loughrea but was historically Clonfert Cathedral.

The bishopric was established in A.D. 550 and the diocese in 1111. The early Irish monastery and school of Clonfert, founded by Saint Brendan, was the dominant ecclesiastical centre in the area and an important centre of learning in the early Irish church. Cummian, an important theological writer was from there. It was also deeply involved in the eighth century spiritual reform movement of the Céli Dé.

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Wikipedia