The Bishop of Ardfert and Aghadoe (usually referred to as the Bishop of Ardfert) was an episcopal

Episcopal polity

Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...

 title which took its name after the village of Ardfert

Ardfert

Ardfert is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. Historically a religious centre, the economy of the locality is driven by agriculture and its position as a dormitory town, being only 8 km from Tralee.-Origin:...

 and townland of Aghadoe

Aghadoe

Aghadoe is a large townland overlooking the town and lakes of Killarney in Ireland. Officially it is also a parish, although the parish is larger than the area normally associated with the name. The area is famous for its views of the lakes and islands, including Innisfallen Island...

, both in County Kerry

County Kerry

Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

.

History

The diocese of Ráith Maighe Deiscirt was one of the twenty-four dioceses established at the Synod of Rathbreasail

Synod of Rathbreasail

The Synod of Ráth Breasail took place in Ireland in 1111. It marked the transition of the Irish church from a monastic to a diocesan and parish-based church...

 in 1111 and was co-extensive with the kingdom of Iarmuman

Iarmuman

Iarmhumhain was a Kingdom in the early Christian period of Ireland in west Munster. Its ruling dynasty was related to the main ruling dynasty of Munster known as the Eóganachta. Its ruling branch was called the Eóganacht Locha Léin or Ui Chairpri Lúachra. Their center was around Killarney, County...

; which consisted all of County Kerry

County Kerry

Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...

 and a small part of County Cork

County Cork

County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...

. The bishop's seat (Cathedra

Cathedra

A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...

) was originally located at Rathass near Tralee, but by 1117, it had been moved to Ardfert Cathedral

Ardfert Cathedral

Ardfert Cathedral is built on the site of a monastery founded in the 6th century by St. Brendan the Navigator. The cathedral is located in the village of Ardfert, County Kerry, Ireland. The site is now managed by the Office of Public Works...

. At the Synod of Kells in 1152, the diocese lost some territory when the diocese of Scattery Island

Scattery Island Cathedral and Monastery

-Cathedral and monastery:Scattery Island Cathedral and monastery is an early Christian place of pilgrimage, where St Senan, Bishop and confessor, founded a monastery, in the Shannon estuary, 5 km southwest of Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland...

 was established.

After the Reformation

English Reformation

The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....

, there were parallel apostolic succession

Apostolic Succession

Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...

s. In the Church of Ireland

Church of Ireland

The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...

, the title continued until 1661 when it united with Limerick

Bishop of Limerick

The Bishop of Limerick is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Limerick in the Province of Munster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it still continues as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of...

 to form the bishopric of Limerick, Ardfert and
Aghadoe. The Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 title continued until 1952 when it changed its name to the bishopric of Kerry

Roman Catholic Diocese of Kerry

The Diocese of Kerry is a Roman Catholic diocese in south-western Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Cashel and is subject to the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...

.

Pre-Reformation bishops

Pre-Reformation Bishops of Ardfert and Aghadoe
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
unknown	1117	Anmchad O h-Anmchada	Died in office
bef. 1152	1161	Máel Brénainn Ua Rónáin	Called Bishop of Kerry at the Synod of Kells in 1152; died 21 September 1161
unknown	1193	Domnall O Connairche	Called Bishop of Iar Mumhan (West Munster); died in office
1197	1207	David Ua Duibdithrib	Called Bishop of Iar Mumhan (West Munster); elected before 1197; confirmed in 1200 or 1201; died in office
unknown	c.1217	(name not known)	Died in office
1217	1224	John, O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...	Elected circa 1217; consecrated before 28 February 1218; acted as a suffragan bishop Suffragan bishop A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...  in the Diocese of Canterbury Diocese of Canterbury The Diocese of Canterbury is a Church of England diocese covering eastern Kent, founded by St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597. It is centred on Canterbury Cathedral, and is the oldest see of the Church of England.... ; deprived by the Papal legate Papal legate A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....  18 June 1224; died 14 October 1245
1218	1235	Gilbertus	Elected before 28 February 1218; confirmed after 16 July 1219; resigned after 24 April 1235
1236	1251	Brendán	Elected after 6 December 1236; confirmed 17 November 1237; resigned 1 August 1251; died before 20 April 1252
1253	1256	Christianus, O.P. Dominican Order The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...	Elected before 23 February 1253; consecrated after 17 August 1253; died before 20 August 1256
1257	1264	Philippus	Elected before 25 March 1257; consecrated 1257; died before 4 July 1264
1265	1286	Johannes	Elected before 3 March 1265; died before 6 June 1286
1286	1288	Nicolaus	Elected after 28 June 1286; died 14 March 1288
1288	1335	Nicol Ó Samradáin, O.Cist.	Elected after 26 April 1288; died 1335
1331		(Edmund of Caermarthen, O.P.)	Appointed and consecrated 24 September 1331, but did not get possession
1335	1347	Ailín Ó hEichtigihirn	Elected circa 1335; provided and consecrated 18 November 1336; died 2 December 1347
1348	1372	John de Valle	Elected before October 1348; provided 22 October 1348; died before October 1372
1372	c.1379	Cornelius Ó Tigernach, O.F.M. Franciscan Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....	Appointed 22 October 1372; died circa 1379
1380	c.1404	William Bull	Appointed in 1380; received temporalities Temporalities Temporalities are the secular properties and possessions of the Christian Church. It is most often used to describe those properties that were used to support a bishop or other religious person or establishment. Its opposite description would be the spiritualities.In the Middle Ages, the...  from the king Richard II of England Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...  14 February 1380; died circa 1404
1404	1405	Nicholas Ball	Appointed before October 1404, but did not take effect; translated to Emly Bishop of Emly The Bishop of Emly was an episcopal title which took its name after the village of Emly in County Tipperary, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1569 and by the Roman Catholic Church until 1718...  2 December 1405
1405		(Tomás Ó Ceallaigh, O.P.)	Appointed before 10 March 1405, but did not take effect; translated to Clonfert 11 March 1405
1405	1411	John Attilburgh, O.S.B.	Appointed 10 March 1405; confirmed by Antipope Alexander V Antipope Alexander V Alexander V was antipope during the Western Schism . He reigned from June 26, 1409, to his death in 1410 and is officially regarded by the Roman Catholic Church as an antipope....  25 October 1409 (in opposition to Nicholas FitzMaurice); died before January 1411; also known as John Artilburch
1408	1450	Nicholas FitzMaurice	Appointed before 17 September 1408; confirmed by Antipope Pope John XXIII 27 January 1411; died before April 1450
1450	1451	Maurice Slack	Appointed 30 January 1450; consecrated after 29 April 1450; died before January 1452
1452	1458	Mauricius Ó Conchobhair	Appointed 26 January 1452; consecrated after 11 February 1452; died before September 1458
1458/88	1488	John Stack	Appointed by Pope Pius II Pope Pius II Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family...  18 September 1458; consecrated circa 1461; confirmed by Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...  15 March 1488; died October 1488
1461	1475	John Pigge, O.P.	Appointed by Pope Pius II Pope Pius II Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family...  27 March 1461; resigned before 22 June 1473; translated to Beirut before 1475; also was rector of St Christopher, Threadneedle Street, London 1462-1483
1473/88	1495	Philip Stack	Appointed by Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV , born Francesco della Rovere, was Pope from 1471 to 1484. His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel; the group of artists that he brought together introduced the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpiece of the city's new artistic age,...  26 June 1473, but set aside; provided again by Pope Innocent VIII Pope Innocent VIII Pope Innocent VIII , born Giovanni Battista Cybo , was Pope from 1484 until his death.-Early years:Giovanni Battista Cybo was born at Genoa of Greek extraction...  27 October 1488; died before November 1495
1495	1536	John FitzGerald	Appointed 20 November 1495; died before May 1536
1536	1583	James FitzMaurice, O.Cist.	Appointed 15 May 1536; papal nominee and recognized by the crown; died 1583; also known as James FitzRichard, FitzRichard Pierce or FitzRichard Piers

Church of Ireland succession

Church of Ireland Bishops of Ardfert and Aghadoe
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
1588	c.1599	Nicholas Kenan	Nominated 26 June 1588; letters patent Letters patent Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...  22 October 1588; died circa 1599
1600	1621	John Crosbie	Nominated 2 October 1600; letters patent 15 December 1600; died September 1621
1621	1628	John Steere	Translated from Kilfenora Bishop of Kilfenora The Bishop of Kilfenora was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Kilfenora in County Clare, Ireland. In both the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church, the title is now united with other bishoprics.-History:... ; nominated 8 December 1621; letters patent 20 July 1622; died May 1628
1628	1638	William Steere	Nominated 21 July 1628; consecrated October 1628; died 21 January 1638
1641	1661	Thomas Fulwar	Nominated 27 June 1641; consecrated 1641; translated to Cashel Archbishop of Cashel The Archbishop of Cashel is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. The title is still in use in the Roman Catholic Church, but in the Church of Ireland it was downgraded to a bishopric in 1838....  1 February 1661
In 1661, the see became part of the united bishopric of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe

Roman Catholic succession

Roman Catholic Bishops of Ardfert and Agahdoe
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
1591	c.1600	Micheal FitzWalter	appointed Appointment of Catholic bishops The appointment of bishops in the Catholic Church is a complicated process. Outgoing bishops, neighbouring bishops, the faithful, the apostolic nuncio, various members of the Roman Curia, and the pope all have a role in the selection...  9 August 1591; died circa 1600
apptd. 1601		Micheal Egan	Appointed vicar apostolic Apostolic vicariate An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...  to administer the see by papal brief Papal brief The Papal Brief is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a Papal Bull.-History:The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugenius IV , was clearly prompted for the same desire for greater simplicity...  1 December 1601
c.1611	c.1650	Richard O'Connell	Appointed as vicar apostolic circa 1611 and as bishop 16 September 1641; consecrated 10 June 1643; died circa 1650; also recorded as Rickard O'Connell
apptd. 1657		Moriarty O'Brien	Appointed vicar apostolic to administer the see by papal brief 17 April 1657
apptd. 1700		Aeneas O'Leyne	Appointed vicar apostolic to administer the see by papal brief 12 March 1700
1720	1739	Denis Moriarty	Appointed 7 March 1720; died February 1739
1739	1743	Eugene O'Sullivan	Appointed 24 April 1739; died 1743
1743	1753	William O'Meara	Appointed in November 1743; translated to Killaloe 23 February 1753
1753	1774	Nicholas Madgett	Translated from Killaloe 23 February 1753; died in August 1774
1775	1786	Francis Moylan	Appointed 8 May 1775; translated to Cork Bishop of Cork The Bishop of Cork was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the city of Cork in southern Ireland. The title is now united with other bishoprics...  3 June 1787
1787	1797	Gerard Teehan	Appointed 19 June 1787; died 4 (or 5) July 1797
1798	1824	Charles Sughrue	Appointed 6 February 1798; consecrated 11 June 1798; died 29 September 1824
1824	1856	Cornelius Egan	Appointed coadjutor bishop Coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...  4 April and consecrated 25 July 1824; succeeded 29 September 1824; died 22 July 1856
1856	1877	David Moriarty David Moriarty David Moriarty was an Irish Roman Catholic bishop and pulpit orator.-Biography:Moriarty was born in Ardfert, in County Kerry, in 1812. He received his early education in a classical school of his native Diocese of Kerry and Aghadoe, and later was sent to Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France...	Appointed coadjutor bishop 18 February and consecrated 25 April 1854; succeeded 22 July 1856; died 1 October 1877
1878	1881	Daniel McCarthy	Appointed 7 June and consecrated 25 August 1878; died 23 July 1881
1881	1889	Andrew Higgins	Appointed 18 December 1881; consecrated 5 February 1882; died 1 May 1889
1889	1904	John Coffey	Appointed 27 August and consecrated 10 November 1889; died 14 April 1904
1904	1917	John Mangan	Appointed 8 July and consecrated 18 September 1904; died 1 July 1917
1917	1927	Charles O'Sullivan	Appointed 10 November 1917; consecrated 27 January 1918; died 29 January 1927
1927	1952	Michael O'Brien	Appointed 9 May and consecrated 24 July 1927; died 4 October 1952
On 20 December 1952, the diocese and bishopric changed its name to Kerry Roman Catholic Diocese of Kerry The Diocese of Kerry is a Roman Catholic diocese in south-western Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Cashel and is subject to the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly... .

External links

• GENUKI - Ardfert
• GENUKI - Aghadoe