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Roman Catholic Diocese of Raphoe

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See Diocese of Derry and Raphoe for the Anglican (Church of Ireland) counterpart
Diocese of Raphoe

Dioecesis Rapotensis

Deoise Ráth Bhoth
The Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba, Letterkenny, the episcopal seat of the bishops of Raphoe
Location
CountryIreland
TerritoryMost of County Donegal
Ecclesiastical provinceProvince of Armagh
MetropolitanArchdiocese of Armagh
Statistics
Area1,556 sq mi (4,030 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2014)
90,700
82,600 (91.1%)
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established1111
CathedralCathedral of St Eunan and St Columba, Letterkenny
Patron saintSt Eunan and St Columba
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopSede Vacante
Metropolitan ArchbishopEamon Martin
Apostolic AdministratorMonsignor Kevin Gillespie
Vicar GeneralFrs Michael McKeever, Francis McLoone
Bishops emeritusPhilip Boyce
Map
Website
raphoediocese.ie

The Diocese of Raphoe (/rəˈfoʊ/ rə-FOH; Latin: Dioecesis Rapotensis; Irish: Deoise Ráth Bhoth) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland. It is one of eight suffragan dioceses in the inter-Irish primatial ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Armagh.[1]

On 9 June 2017, Alan McGuckian was appointed Bishop of Raphoe and was ordained to the episcopate on 5 August 2017.

History

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  • Established circa 700 as Abbacy nullius of Raphoe / Rapoten(sis) (Latin)
  • Promoted in 1111 as Diocese of Raphoe / Rapoten(sis) (Latin).

Statistics and geographic remit

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The bishopric covers most of County Donegal apart from the Inishowen peninsula in the north of the county and Bundoran in the South. The largest towns are Ballyshannon, Donegal, Letterkenny and Stranorlar. As per 2014 it pastorally served 82,600 Catholics (91.1% of 90,700 total) on 4,030 km² (1555 sq. mi.) in 33 parishes with 85 priests (83 diocesan, 2 religious), 48 lay religious (4 brothers, 44 sisters) and 5 seminarians.

The bishop's residence – Ard Adomnán – is in the town of Letterkenny. It is located beside the Parochial House, near the Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba which is dedicated to the joint patrons of the diocese – Saints Eunan (also known as Adomnán) and Columba (also known as Columcille). The former Cathedral, once Cathedral of St Eunan, also in Raphoe, is now a Protestant church.

Episcopal ordinaries

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Main article: Bishop of Raphoe
Abbots Nullius of Raphoe
not available ?
Suffragan Bishops of Raphoe
  • ... first incumbent(s) unavailable ?
  • Gilla in Choimded Ua Caráin (Gilbert O’Caran) (1156?–1175), next Metropolitan Archbishop of Armagh (Northern Ireland) (1175 – death 1180)
  • Máel Pátraic Ó Scannail (Patrick O’Scanlan), OP (1253.10 – 1261.11.05), next Metropolitan Archbishop of Armagh (Northern Ireland) (1261.11.05 – death 1270.03.16)
  • Giovanni de Alneto, OFM (1263.12.03 – 1265.04.28)
  • Cairpre Ó Scuapa (1265 – death 1274)
  • Fergal Ó Firghil (Florentius O’Ferrell) (1275 – death 1299)
  • Énri Mac in Chrossáin (Henricus) (1306 – death 1319)
  • Tomás Mac Carmaic Uí Domnaill (1319 – death 1337)
  • Pádraig Mac Maonghaill (? – death 1367)
  • Conchobhar Mac Carmaic Uí Dhomhnaill (Cornelius) (1367.12.23 – retired 1397.02.21), died 1399
  • Seoán Mac Meanmain, OCist (1397.02.21 – ?)
  • Eóin Mac Carmaic (Johannes) (1400 – death 1419)
  • Lochlainn Ó Gallchobhair (Laurentius) (1420.02.28 – death 1438)
  • Cornelius Mac Giolla Bhrighde (1440.07.20 – death 1442)
  • Lochlainn Ó Gallchobhair (Laurentius) (1442.06.18 – death 1479)
  • Johannes de Rogeriis (1479.11.12 – death 1482)
  • Meanma Mac Carmaic (Menelaus Mac Carmacáin) (1482.11.04 – retired 1514.02.06), died 1515
  • Cornelius O’Cahan (Conn Ó Cathláin) (1514.02.06 – retired 1534), died ?1550
  • Edmund O’Gallagher (Éamonn Ó Gallchobhair) (1534.05.11 – death 1543.02.26)
  • Art O’Gallagher (1547.12.05 – death 1561.08.13)
  • Donald MacGongail (Donald McGonagle) (1562.01.28 – death 1589.09.29)
  • Niall O’Boyle (1591.08.09 – death 1611.02.06)
  • John O’Cullenan (1625.06.09 – death 1661.03.24)
    • Apostolic Administrator Fergus Laurence Lea (1694.02.18 – death 1696), while Bishop of Derry (Northern Ireland) (1694.02.08 – 1696 not possessed)
  • ...
  • James O'Gallagher (1725–1737)
  • Daniel O'Gallagher, OFM (1737–1749)
  • Anthony O'Donnell, OFM (1750–1755)
  • Nathaniel O'Donnell (1755–1758)
  • Philip O'Reilly (1759–1782)
  • Anthony Coyle (1782–1801), previously Coadjutor Bishop: Anthony Coyle (1777.04.27 – 1782)
  • Peter McLaughlin (1802–1819)
  • Patrick McGettigan (1820–1861)
  • Daniel McGettigan (1861–1870), previously Coadjutor Bishop: Daniel McGettigan (later Archbishop) (1856.02.29 – 1861.05.01)
  • James McDevitt (1871–1879)
  • Michael Logue (1879–1887)
  • Patrick O'Donnell (1888–1922)
  • William MacNeely (1923–1963)
  • Anthony Columba McFeely (1965–1982)
  • Séamus Hegarty (1982–1994)
  • Philip Boyce, OCD (1995– 2017.06.09)
  • Alan McGuckian, SJ (2017.06.09 – ...)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Archdiocese of Armagh. Retrieved on 16 January 2009.
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