Bishop of Elphin

The Bishop of Elphin (; ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Elphin, County Roscommon, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.

History From the time Christianity first arrived in Ireland in the first half of the 5th century (in the form of Palladius's mission), the early church was centred around monastic settlements. Patrick founded such a settlement in an area known as Corcoghlan, now known as Elphin, in 434 or 435. Following the Synod of Rathbreasail in the year 1111, the Diocese of Elphin was formally established.

Following the Reformation of the 16th century and related turmoil, there were parallel apostolic successions.

In the Church of Ireland, the bishopric continued until 1841 when it combined with Kilmore and Ardagh to form the united bishopric of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the title continues as a separate bishopric. The bishop's seat (cathedra) is located at the Cathedral Church of the Immaculate Conception in Sligo, Ireland.Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Retrieved on 20 August 2009. The current bishop, the Most Reverend Kevin Doran was appointed to the post by Pope Francis on 14 May 2014.

Pre-Reformation bishops List of Pre-Reformation Bishops of ElphinFromUntilOrdinaryNotes ?1111 1136 Domnall mac Flannacáin Ua Dubthaig Possibly became bishop of Elphin and Clonmacnoise at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111. Also was Abbot of Roscommon. Died in office on 17 March 1136. unknown bef. 1152 Flannacán Ua Dubthaig Resigned before 1152 and died at Cong Abbey in 1168. He was remembered as a great scholar (ecnaid) and historian (senchaid). A genealogical section for the Síl Muiredaig in the Book of Ballymote (Minigud sencasa Síl Muiredaig) is attributed to him. bef. 1152 1174 Máel Ísu Ua Connachtáin Present at the Synod of Kells in 1152. Died in office. unknown 1180 Tommaltach mac Áeda Ua Conchobair Also known as Thomas. Translated to Armagh before February 1180. 1195 Floirint Ua Riacáin Uí Máelruanaid, O.Cist. Formerly Abbot of Boyle. Became bishop c. 1180. Died in office. 1206 1215 Ardgar Ua Conchobair Became bishop before 14 February 1206. Died in office. 1229 Dionysius Ó Mórda Known to be bishop around 1217 and 1221. Resigned in 1229 and died 15 December 1231. Alanus Archdeacon of Mayo. Became bishop c. 1230, but probably did not get possession of the see. 1231 1244 Donnchad mac Fíngein Ó Conchobhair Also known as Dionysius and Donatus. Consecrated in 1231. Died in office on 24 April 1244. 1245 1246 Eóin Ó Mugróin Also known as John O'Hugrain. Formerly Archdeacon of Elphin. Elected after 12 June 1244, appointed on 2 July 1245, and consecrated in the same year. Died in office in 1246. 1247 1259 Tomaltach mac Toirrdelbaig Ó Conchobhair Also known as Thomas. Formerly Dean of Annaghdown. Elected before 21 August 1246 and consecrated on 21 January 1247. Translated to Tuam 23 March 1259. 1260 1262 Máel Sechlainn Ó Conchobair Also known as Milo O'Connor. Formerly Archdeacon of Clonmacnoise. Elected before 30 January 1260 by the majority of the Chapter of Elphin, received possession of the temporalities on 8 November 1260, and consecrated c. November 1260. He was opposed by Tomas mac Fergail Mac Diarmata. Died in office on 9 January 1262. 1262 1265 Tomas mac Fergail Mac Diarmata, O.Cist. Also known as Thomas Mac Ferrall McDermott. Elected before 26 January 1260 by the Dean of Elphin and others of the Chapter, but was not able to take possession of the see. He successfully appealed to the pope, but did not take possession of the temporalities until after the death of Bishop Máel Sechlainn Ó Conchobair in 1262. Died in office in 1265. 1266 1284 Muiris mac Néill Ó Conchobair, O.P. Also known as Mauricius. Elected after 27 February 1266 and received possession of the temporalities after 23 April 1266. Died in office c. 5 December 1284. 1285 Amiaim Ó Tommaltaig (bishop-elect) Elected and confirmed in 1285, but was never consecrated. 1285 1296 Gilla Ísu mac in Liathána Ó Conchobair, O.Praem. Also known as Gelasius. Formerly Abbot of Loch Cé, near Boyle, County Roscommon. Elected on 10 August 1285 and received possession of the temporalities after 5 March 1285. Died in office before September 1296. 1297 1303 Máel Sechlainn mac Briain, O.Cist. Also known as Malachias. Formerly Abbot of Boyle. Elected before 2 November 1296 and received possession of the temporalities on 7 September 1297. Died in office before March 1303. 1296 1297 Marianus Ó Donnabair, O.P. Elected in September or October 1296. Died in office in 1297. 1303 1307 Donnchad Ó Flannacain, O.Cist. Also known as Donatus. Formerly Abbot of Boyle. Elected before 28 June 1303 and received possession of the temporalities after 28 June 1303. Died in office on 22 June 1307. 1307 1310 Cathal Ó Conchobair, O.Praem. Also known as Carolus. Formerly Abbot of Loch Cé, near Boyle, County Roscommon. Elected after 2 September 1307, consecrated c. October 1307, and received possession of the temporalities on 12 March 1309. Resigned in 1310 and died in 1343. 1310 1312 Máel Sechlainn Mac Áeda Also known as Malachias. Formerly a canon of Elphin. Appointed on 22 June 1310 and received possession of the temporalities on 7 December 1310. Translated to Tuam on 19 December 1312. 1313 1326 Lúrint Ó Lachtnáin Also known as Laurentius. Formerly a canon of Elphin. Appointed on 21 January 1313, consecrated after 19 February 1313, and received possession of the temporalities on 22 September 1314. Died in office in 1326. 1326 1354 Seoán Ó Fínnachta Elected and consecrated in 1326, and received possession of the temporalities after 31 December 1326. Died in office in 1354. 1357 Carolus Elected c. 1355. Deprived in 1357. 1357 1372 Gregorius Ó Mocháin Formerly Provost of Killala. Appointed on 27 February 1357 and received possession of the temporalities on 26 June 1357. Translated to Tuam in 1372. 1372 1404 Thomas Barrett Formerly Archdeacon of Annaghdown. Appointed on 16 June 1372 and received possession of the temporalities on 24 November 1372. Deprived by Pope Clement VIII on 17 January 1383, but without effect. Continued in office until his death in 1404. 1383 Seoán Ó Mocháin Possibly a priest of the Diocese of Achonry. Appointed sometime between 17 January and 19 February 1383 by Pope Clement VII, but apparently did not take effect. Later appointed Bishop of Derry on 16 September 1394. Gerald Caneton, O.S.A. Translated from Cloyne c. 1405, but did not take effect. 1407 1417 Seaán Ó Gráda Also known as John O'Grada. Appointed before 12 October 1407. Died in office in 1417. 1412 1414 Thomas Colby, O.Carm. Appointed by Antipope John XXIII on 18 March 1412, in opposition to Seaán Ó Gráda, but did not take effect. Translated to Waterford and Lismore in February 1414. 1418 unknown Robert Fosten, O.F.M. Also known as Robert Forster. Appointed on 18 February 1418. Acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Durham (1426). Died in office after 1430 1421 Edmund Barrett Also known as Éamonn 'mac an easbuig' Bairéad. Appointed in 1421 and died in the same year. unknown 1429 Johannes Deprived before 26 January 1429 and died before March 1434. 1429 1429 Laurentius Ó Beólláin Formerly a canon of Elphin. Appointed on 26 January 1429. Died in office before December 1429. 1429 1449 William Ó hEidheáin Appointed on 2 December 1429. Translated to Emly on 20 October 1449. 1449 1468 Conchobair Ó Maolalaidh, O.F.M. Also known as Cornelius O'Mullaghlin. Translated from Emly on 20 October 1449. Died in 1468. 1458/69 1494 Nicol Ó Flannagáin, O.P. Also known as Nicholas O'Flanagan. Appointed on 7 June 1458 and again 10 July 1469. Resigned in September 1494. 1487 ?1495 Hugo Arward Maybe also known as Aodh Mac an Bhaird. Appointed on 24 January 1487. Possibly died in 1495. 1492 unknown Riocard mac Briain Ó gCuanach, O.P. Appointed on 22 June 1492, but not known if took effect. Died after 1501. 1499 unknown Georgios Vranas Also known as Georgius de Brana, George Braua, or 'an-t-easbog Gréagach'. Translated from Dromore 15 April 1499. Resigned several years later, but the date not known. Died sometime between 18 August and 27 December 1529. bef. 1501 unknown Cornelius Ó Flannagain Appointed before 1501, but not known if took effect. 1508 1511 Christopher Fisher Appointed on 12 December 1508. Also Prebendary of Husthwaite, York (1507–11). Died in 1511. aft. 1511 ?1524 Thomas Walsh Prior of Bradenstoke (1483–1524). He succeeded Fisher as prebendary of Husthwaite, York, and was likewise named by Erasmus as Bishop of Elphin., The Province of Connaught, p. 124. Died in 1524. 1525 1536 John Maxey, O.Praem. Appointed on 7 April 1525. Acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of York (1525). Also was Abbot of Welbeck (1520–36), Prebendary of Ampleforth, York (1528–36), and Abbot of Titchfield (–36). Died in office on 15 August 1536. Sources:, The Episcopal Succession, volume 2, pp. 195–198., The Province of Connaught, pp. 118–124., Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 352–353., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, pp. 326–328.

Post-Reformation bishops

Church of Ireland succession