Ireland 

The Republic of Ireland has 4.1 million Catholics or 85 percent of the total population.  Northern Ireland has 754,000 Catholics or 41 percent of the total population.  There are four ecclesiastical provinces in the two Irelands.

There likely were Catholics in Ireland in 432 when Pope Celestine sent Bishop Patrick to Ireland, but the majority of Irish were pagan.  St. Patrick reversed this demographic during the next 60 years.  Legend has it that Patrick established 365 churches and consecrated a bishop for each church.  Whether true or not, early Irish bishops and priests were usually associated with a specific clan.  Over time, and under the guidance of the great Irish saints, such as Brendan, Columba, and Kevin, many of these priestly groups became monasteries.

Most of today’s Irish dioceses trace their heritage back to these monasteries, specifically to territorial abbeys or abbacy nullius (meaning abbot of no diocese).  These territorial abbeys comprised a defined territory which is not part of a diocese but surrounded an abbey or monastery whose abbot or superior functioned as a bishop for all Catholics and parishes in the territory. A territorial abbot is equivalent to a bishop in Catholic canon law.

From 800 to the 11^th Century, Ireland suffered from Viking raids and internal civil discord.  As a result, the monastic and diocesan system became disorganized.  This was brought under control by the Synod of Rath-Breasail in 1111 and the Synod of Kells in 1152, which reorganized the diocesan system.  These synods established the four ecclesiastic provinces that exist today and that correspond closely to Ireland’s historic four kingdoms.

The Church of Ireland was established in 1536 at the time of the Reformation.  Associated with the Anglican Church, the Church of Ireland was given all property belonging to the Catholic Church, including churches.  English persecution of Irish Catholics will not be discussed in depth, but was harsh and meant to encourage Catholics to convert to Anglicanism.  It failed at that.  Treatment varied depending on the English monarch, but among many other restrictions, Catholics were not allowed to openly practice their Faith.  Catholic bishops and many priests were driven out of the country, although the hierarchy was never suppressed—bishops may not have been resident in their dioceses, but their dioceses continued to exist.  By 1800, there were few Catholic churches and no Catholic cathedrals—the former Catholic cathedrals having been converted to Church of Ireland cathedrals.

Restrictions were reduced over time, starting in the 18^th Century and continuing through the 19^th Century.  Catholic emancipation was granted in 1829, but some restrictions remained until Irish independence in 1922.  Despite centuries of persecution or perhaps because of it, many Irish have abandoned the Faith their ancestors cherished so much.

Province of Armagh

The province consists of Northern Ireland and the northern counties of the Republic of Ireland.  It mostly consists of the civil province of Ulster.  The Diocese of Armagh was established in 445 by St. Patrick and became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Armagh in 1152.  The Archbishop of Armagh also has the title of Primate of All Ireland.

There are two St. Patrick’s Cathedrals in Armagh—one Catholic and one Church of Ireland.  The Church of Ireland Cathedral is located on the site where St. Patrick built his original cathedral in 445.  Many succeeding cathedrals have occupied this site over the centuries and the one occupying the site in 1539 was taken from the Catholic Church and given to the Church of Ireland.  The current Church of Ireland Cathedral was built between 1834 and 1837.

The Catholic St. Patrick’s Cathedral was built between 1840 and 1904.  The Gothic church has one central tower and two smaller towers in front.  The Cathedral interior has extensive mosaics.  The pipe organ was originally made by William Telford in 1875, but it has been extensively renovated.  The pipe organ today has four manuals and 58 stops.  See armaghparish.net.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has eight suffragan dioceses.

·         The Diocese of Clogher began as an abbacy nullius in 454 and became a Diocese in 1111.

·         The Diocese of Raphoe was established as an abbacy nullius in the 5^th Century—perhaps by St. Columba—and became a Diocese in 1111.

·         The Diocese of Ardagh was created as an abbacy nullius in the 5^th Century and became a Diocese in 1152.

·         The Diocese of Kilmore was created as an abbacy nullius in 5^th Century and became a Diocese in 1152.

·         The Diocese of Dromore was created as an abbacy nullius in 514 by St. Colman before becoming a Diocese in 1180.

·         The Diocese of Down and Connor was established as the Abbacy nullius of Down in the 6^th Century and became the Diocese of Down in 1111.  It became the Diocese of Down and Connor in 1439.

·         The Diocese of Derry was created as an abbacy nullius in the 6^th Century (founded by St. Columba) and became a Diocese in 1152.

·         The Diocese of Meath was created in 1212 as a merger of several ancient dioceses.

Province of Cashel and Emly

The province mostly consists of the civil province of Munster in the south of Ireland.  The Diocese of Emly was established in 400—according to Ptolemy, Emly was one of the three major towns in what is now Ireland in the 2nd Century.  The Diocese of Cashel was established in the 10^th Century and Emly was raised to a Metropolitan Archdiocese in around 900.  In 1152, Cashel was raised to a Metropolitan Archdiocese and Emly was demoted to a Diocese.  The dioceses merged in 1718 and attained the current name in 2015. 

The Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the kings of Munster until 1101 when the king gave it to the Catholic Church.  A cathedral was built there between 1235 and 1270 for the Archbishop.  This church was taken from the Catholic Church by the English in the 1530s and given to the Church of Ireland.  Oliver Cromwell’s troops heavily damaged the church in 1647 and a Church of Ireland archbishop removed the roof in 1749 causing even more damage.  Today’s Church of Ireland Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and St. Patrick’s Rock was built between 1750 and 1783.

The Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption is in Thurles and it was built between 1865 and 1872 and replaced a cathedral built in 1807-8.  There are parish churches in Cashel and Emly today.  The Cathedral of the Assumption is built in an Italianate Romanesque style.  Its most notable feature is the marble tabernacle designed by a student of Michelangelo and which was once the tabernacle for the Gesu Church in Rome.  The Cathedral also has a separate Baptistery building.  See thurlesparish.ie.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has six suffragan dioceses.

•         The Diocese of Limerick was established in the 7^th Century.  
•          The Diocese of Killaloe was established as an abbacy nullius in the 5^th Century and became a Diocese in 1111.
•          The Diocese of Kerry was established as an abbacy nullius in the 6^th Century and became a Diocese in 1111.  Its current name dates to 1952.
•          The Diocese of Waterford and Lismore was established as the Diocese of Waterford in 1096 and acquired its current name in 1363 with the suppression of the Diocese of Lismore.
•          The Diocese of Cloyne was established in 580 as an abbacy nullius.  It became the Diocese of Cloyne in 1111, but was suppressed in 1429.  The Diocese was restored in 1747 as Cloyne and Ross and renamed the Diocese of Cloyne in 1850.
•          The Diocese of Cork and Ross was established as an abbacy nullius in the 7^th Century and became the Diocese of Cork in 1747.  It acquired its current name in 1958.

Province of Tuam

The province mostly consists of the civil province of Connacht in west central Ireland.  The abbacy nullius of Tuam was created in 550 and became the Diocese of Tuam in 1111.  The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tuam was established in 1150.

The original Cathedral for the Archdiocese was dedicated to St. Mary.  The Church of Ireland’s 19^th Century St. Mary’s Cathedral incorporates portions of earlier 12^th and 14^th Century Catholic cathedrals.  The current Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin was built between 1827 and 1837.  The Cathedral of the Assumption is made of limestone in a Decorated Gothic style.  For additional information see tuamparish.com.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

The Province has five suffragan dioceses.

·         The Diocese of Elphin began as an abbacy nullius in 450 and became a Diocese in 1111.

·         The Diocese of Killala began as an abbacy nullius in the 6^th Century and became a Diocese in 1111.

·         The Diocese of Clonfert began as an abbacy nullius in 550 founded by St. Brennan and became a Diocese in 1111.

·         The Diocese of Achonry began as an abbacy nullius in 560 and became a Diocese in 1152.

·         The Diocese of Galway and Kilmacduagh began as a collegiate nullius in 1484 and became the Diocese of Galway in 1831.  It gained its current name in 1883 with the suppression of the Diocese of Kilmacduagh (which dated to the 7^th Century).

Province of Dublin

The province mostly consists of the civil province of Leinster in east central Ireland.  The Diocese of Dublin was established in 1028 and the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dublin was created in 1152.

Dublin is home to three cathedrals.  St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral is the current Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral.  Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral are former Catholic cathedrals that now belong to the Anglican Church of Ireland.

Christ Church Cathedral dates to the 11th Century and the current Cathedral was built between the late 12th Century and early 13th Century.  Christ Church was the original Cathedral for the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin.  St. Patrick’s was built between 1191 and 1270 and in 1300 an agreement was made that gave cathedral status to both Christ Church and St. Patrick’s.  In 1539, both Cathedrals (and all Catholic properties in Ireland) were given by King Henry VIII of England to the newly established Anglican Church of Ireland.  They continue to be Church of Ireland churches today, although the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin still claims Christ Church Cathedral as his official Cathedral—perhaps someday it will be in fact and not just in theory.

St. Mary’s history dates to a 12^th Century abbey church, which was confiscated by the English in 1539.  Catholics were able to open a “Mass house” dedicated to Mary in 1729, but it would take until 1825 to complete the present Pro-Cathedral.  St. Mary’s has a Greek-revival exterior and a Roman interior.  Additional information can be found at procathedral.ie.

The first picture is from panarmio and the others are from Wikipedia.

The Province has three suffragan dioceses.

·         The Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin began as an abbacy nullius in 519 and became the Diocese of Kildare in 1111.  The Diocese attained its current name in 1678.

·         The Diocese of Ossory was created as an abbacy nullius in around 549 and became a Diocese in 1111.

·         The Diocese of Ferns was established as an abbacy nullius in the 7^th Century and became a Diocese in 1111.

Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also archdioceses that are not part of a province that are directly under the jurisdiction of the Pope.