Synod of Cashel

The Synod of Cashel of 1172, also known as the Second Synod of Cashel, was assembled at Cashel at the request of Henry II of England shortly after his arrival in Ireland in October 1171. The Synod sought to regulate some affairs of the Church in Ireland and to condemn some abuses, bringing the Church more into alignment with the Roman Rite. As such it can be seen as a continuation and part of the Irish church reform of the Twelfth Century, and the first synod of Cashel, the Synod of Rathbreasail and the Synod of Kells, slowly embracing the Gregorian Reforms. The extent to which the Synod set the direction for the relationship between the English and the Irish Church has been the subject of scholarly debate. Stephen J. McCormick described the Synod as one of the most important events of this period of Irish history.

The Synod is not mentioned in Irish sources, so historians have had to rely on other sources, in particular Giraldus Cambrensis' (Gerald of Wales) account in Expugnatio Hibernicae (Conquest of Ireland). In his account of the Synod he lists the "constitutions" of the synods, "verbatim, as they were published".

Upon his arrival in Ireland, Henry went to Lismore. This was the see of Gilla Críst Ua Connairche (Christianus), who was native papal legate to Ireland. Henry also visited Cashel and Dublin, and thus had the opportunity to meet the archbishops Donnchad Ua hUallacháin of Cashel and Lorcán Ua Tuathail of Dublin. According to Martin Holland, arrangements for a synod to meet at Cashel soon afterwards were put in place through these contacts. Giraldus lists these three bishops, as well as Cadla Ua Dubthaig, Archbishop of Tuam among the clergy of Ireland attending the synod, "with their suffragans and fellow-bishops, together with the abbots, archdeacons, priors, and deans, and many other Irish prelates".Gilla Meic Liac mac Diarmata (Gelasius), Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland did not attend. According to McCormick he refused to attend. Giraldus relates that his absence was due to "infirmities and advanced age", and that he afterwards came to Dublin to give his assent "to the royal will in all these matters".

...
Wikipedia