Ardagh (and Clonmacnois) (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Past and Present Ordinaries

Annadh O’Muireadhaigh † ( 1189 Appointed - 1216 Died)
Robert , O. Cist. † ( 1217 Appointed - 28 May 1224 Died)
Simon Margraith † ( 1224 Appointed - 1230 Died)
Joseph Magoday † ( 1230 Appointed - 1231 Died)
Giolla-Issa MacScelaigh O’Tormaigh † ( 1233 Appointed - 1237 Died)
Brendon Magoday † ( 1238 Appointed - 1255 Died)
Miles Dunstable † (20 May 1256 Appointed - 1288 Died)
Matthew O’Heotha † (28 Jan 1289 Appointed - 1322 Died)
Robert Wirsop, O.E.S.A. † (5 Apr 1323 Appointed - 20 Jun 1323 Appointed, Bishop of Connor)
John Magee † (19 Mar 1324 Appointed - 1340 Died)
Eoghan O’Farrell † ( 1343 Appointed - 1367 Died)
William MacCarmaic † ( 1367 Appointed - 1373 Died)
John Aubrey, O.P. † (29 Apr 1374 Appointed - 1394 Died)
Gilbert MacBrady † (20 Oct 1395 Appointed - )
Adam Lynns, O.P. † (8 Mar 1400 Appointed - Jun 1416 Died)
Cornelius (Conchobhar) O’Ferral (Ó Fearghail) † (16 Feb 1418 Appointed - 1423 Died)
Richard O’Ferral † (10 Jan 1425 Appointed - )
Cormac MacSamadran, O.E.S.A. † (6 Nov 1444 Appointed - )
Sean (Jean) O’Farrell † (26 Nov 1462 Confirmed - Aug 1479 Died)
Donatus O’Fergal † (12 Oct 1467 Appointed - 28 Jul 1469 Died)
John † (16 Nov 1472 Confirmed - 1480 Died)
William O’Ferral, O. Cist. † (4 Aug 1480 Appointed - 1516 Died)
Roger O’Moleyn † (14 Dec 1517 Appointed - 1540 Died)
Patrick MacMahon, O.F.M. † (24 Nov 1541 Appointed - 1575 Died)
Richard McBrady, O.F.M. Obs. † (23 Jan 1576 Appointed - 14 Mar 1580 Appointed, Bishop of Kilmore)
Edmund MacGauran (Magauran) † (11 Sep 1581 Appointed - 1 Jul 1587 Appointed, Archbishop of Armagh)
John Gaffney † (14 Jan 1622 Appointed - )
Patrick Plunkett, O. Cist. † (11 Mar 1647 Appointed - 8 Mar 1669 Confirmed, Bishop of Meath)
Gerard Farrell † (31 Jul 1669 Appointed - Jun 1683 Died)
Charles Tiernan (Mac Tighearnain) † (6 Jul 1696 Appointed - 1699 Died)
Bernard Donogher † (20 Aug 1699 Appointed - 1717 Died)
Thomas Flynn † (2 Oct 1717 Appointed - 29 Jan 1730 Died)
Peter Mulligan, O.S.A. † (1 Sep 1730 Confirmed - 23 Jul 1739 Died)
Thomas O’Beirne † (16 Sep 1739 Confirmed - Jan 1747 Died)
Thomas MacDermot Roe † (8 May 1747 Confirmed - 15 Feb 1751 Died)
Augustine Cheevers, O.S.A. † (17 Jul 1751 Confirmed - 7 Aug 1756 Confirmed, Bishop of Meath)
Antony Blake † (11 Aug 1756 Confirmed - 21 Apr 1758 Confirmed, Archbishop of Armagh)
James Brady † (21 Aug 1758 Confirmed - 11 Jan 1788 Died)
John Cruise † (10 Jun 1788 Appointed - 28 Jun 1812 Died)
James Magauran † (20 Mar 1815 Appointed - 25 Jun 1829 Died)
William O’Higgins (O’h-Aodhagain) † (2 Oct 1829 Appointed - 3 Jan 1853 Died)
John Kilduff † (29 Apr 1853 Appointed - 21 Jun 1867 Died)
Nial MacCabe, C.M. † (17 Dec 1867 Appointed - 24 Jul 1870 Died)
George Michael Conroy † (24 Feb 1871 Appointed - 4 Aug 1878 Died)
Bartholomew Woodlock † (4 Apr 1879 Appointed - 21 Jan 1895 Retired)
Joseph Hoare † (8 Feb 1895 Appointed - 14 Apr 1927 Died)
James Joseph MacNamee † (20 Jun 1927 Appointed - 24 Apr 1966 Died)
Cahal Brendan Daly † (26 May 1967 Appointed - 24 Aug 1982 Appointed, Bishop of Down and Connor)
Colm O’Reilly (24 Feb 1983 Appointed - 17 Jul 2013 Retired)
Francis Duffy (17 Jul 2013 Appointed - 10 Nov 2021 Appointed, Archbishop of Tuam)
Paul Connell (5 Apr 2023 Appointed - )

Date	Event	From	To
5th Century	Erected		Diocese of Ardagh (and Clonmacnois) (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 75,630 78,185 96.7% 114 6 120 630 27 364 41 ap1951

1959 73,544 75,987 96.8% 116 6 122 602 32 387 41 ap1960

1970 61,576 63,164 97.5% 116 7 123 500 26 382 41 ap1971

1980 68,170 69,664 97.9% 103 17 120 568 32 365 41 ap1981

1990 69,541 70,360 98.8% 95 22 117 594 31 345 41 ap1991

1999 69,700 70,450 98.9% 85 12 97 718 19 250 41 ap2000

2000 69,700 70,450 98.9% 82 11 93 749 18 246 41 ap2001

2001 69,700 70,450 98.9% 80 7 87 801 15 238 41 ap2002

2002 73,123 75,732 96.6% 75 6 81 902 13 235 41 ap2003

2003 73,220 76,027 96.3% 73 6 79 926 13 232 41 ap2004

2004 73,300 76,500 95.8% 73 6 79 927 14 233 41 ap2005

2006 76,920 79,142 97.2% 71 6 77 998 12 231 41 ap2007

2012 79,600 84,700 94.0% 65 7 72 1,105 11 166 41 ap2013

2015 76,626 89,100 86.0% 61 5 66 1,161 10 129 41 ap2016

2018 78,850 89,209 88.4% 59 8 67 1,176 17 107 41 ap2019

2020 75,000 87,500 85.7% 59 10 69 1,086 17 92 41 ap2021

2022 76,050 88,690 85.7% 57 11 68 1,118 17 93 41 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	75,630	78,185	96.7%	114	6	120	630	27	364	41	ap1951
1959	73,544	75,987	96.8%	116	6	122	602	32	387	41	ap1960
1970	61,576	63,164	97.5%	116	7	123	500	26	382	41	ap1971
1980	68,170	69,664	97.9%	103	17	120	568	32	365	41	ap1981
1990	69,541	70,360	98.8%	95	22	117	594	31	345	41	ap1991
1999	69,700	70,450	98.9%	85	12	97	718	19	250	41	ap2000
2000	69,700	70,450	98.9%	82	11	93	749	18	246	41	ap2001
2001	69,700	70,450	98.9%	80	7	87	801	15	238	41	ap2002
2002	73,123	75,732	96.6%	75	6	81	902	13	235	41	ap2003
2003	73,220	76,027	96.3%	73	6	79	926	13	232	41	ap2004
2004	73,300	76,500	95.8%	73	6	79	927	14	233	41	ap2005
2006	76,920	79,142	97.2%	71	6	77	998	12	231	41	ap2007
2012	79,600	84,700	94.0%	65	7	72	1,105	11	166	41	ap2013
2015	76,626	89,100	86.0%	61	5	66	1,161	10	129	41	ap2016
2018	78,850	89,209	88.4%	59	8	67	1,176	17	107	41	ap2019
2020	75,000	87,500	85.7%	59	10	69	1,086	17	92	41	ap2021
2022	76,050	88,690	85.7%	57	11	68	1,118	17	93	41	ap2023