Diocese of Achonry

Walsh c. xxx, p. 305

The great Saint Finian of Clonard placed Nathy in th chnrch of Achad commonly called Achonry Nathy was his scholar The foundation of the see seems to have taken place about the year 560 if it be admitted that Nathi was a bishop He is constantly called Cruimthir Nathi ie the Priest Nathi The birth of Nathi can be assigned to the year 520 having lived or survived until the time of St Fechin's ordination which took place in 605 he must have reached the age of ninety years When St Finian arrived at Achad where dwelt a man of God Nathi a priest it follows that he had received holy orders before his acquaintance with Finian St Finian having performed a miracle the dynast of the district gave him the place on which it occurred and it is since called Achadchonaire Here a school was established in which St Fechin of Fore received his ecclesiastical and literary education under Nathy Our saint is always mentioned with great respect and his festival is observed in the diocese of Achonry on the 9th of August The bishops of this see are frequently called after the barony of Lyney in the annals of Ireland The catalogue of its prelates is incomplete until the year 1170 Melruan O Ruadan is the next bishop of Achonry met with He died in 1170 having presided upwards of eighteen years Was at the synod of Kells in 1152 and esteemed a man of wisdom and of considerable reputation in the country Gelasy O Ruadan died in 1214 Clement O Sinadaig died in 1219 having sat five years Carus or Cormftc O Tarpa a Cistercian and abbot of Mellifont bishop of Luigney died in the said abbey on the 15th of January 1220 and was buried there Gelasy O Clery who succeeded is called bishop of Luigney in the of Connaught and his death is placed AD 1230

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Thomas O Ruadan succeeded died in 1237 and was buried in his own cathedral Aengus O Cluman succeeded in 1238 and voluntarily resigned in the year 1250 Having embraced a monastic life he died in the abbey of Boyle AD 1263 worn out with age and infirmities Thomas O Miachan succeeded in June 1251 and died about the year 1265 The see was at this time worth no more than twenty marks in rent Denis O Miachan archdeacon of Achonry was elected in 1266 He sat nineteen years died in November 1285 and was buried in his own church Benedict elect of Achonry was restored to the temporals on the 27th of September 1286 Henry MacOreghty a Cistercian monk succeededj and died AD 1297 Benedict O Bragan bishop of Luigney died about the close of the year 1311 David de Kilkenny was chosen his successor in 1312 Murchard O Hara abbot of Boyle bishop of Achonry died AD 1344 David bishop of Achonry died in 1348 Nicholas O Hedram a Cistercian monk of the abbey of Easroe or de Samario Ballyshannon succeeded by provision of Pope Clement VI He sat twenty five years and died in 1373 William Andrew a Dominican friar and a native of England doctor of divinity succeeded by provision of Pope Gregory XL in August 1374 ruled the see six years and was translated to Meath and having sat there five years he died on the eve of St Michael Archangel AD 1385 He was a prelate of great wisdom and learning and like Socrates he could never consent to publish any of his writings though much was expected from him Thomas MacDonough bishop of Achonry died in 1398 In 1409 Brian O Hara bishop of Achonry died Lawrence Peter Jacopini a Dominican friar was bishop of Achonry in 1414 and died in 1442 It seems that Lawrence resigned as Richard Belmer bachelor of Theology a Dominican also was bishop in 1424 by provision of Pope Martin V In 1435 the Red bishop O Hara of Achonry died Thady bishop of Achonry died AD 1448 Cornelius a Cistercian and abbot of Boyle succeeded AD 1449 James Blakedon a Dominican bishop of Achonry in 1453 was translated to the see of Bangor

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Cornelius next succeeded and died in 1472 Robert Wellys a ininorite succeeded by provision of Pope Sixtns IV in July 1473 Bernard bishop of Achonry died in 1488 John de Buclamant a Spaniard preceptor of the convent of St Catharine at Toledo of the order of the Blessed Virgin for the redemption of captives succeeded by provision of Pope Innocent YiiI in September 1489 Richard next successor Presided a short time as he died in 1492 Thomas Fort master of arts and an Augustin canon was elected in 1492 but the time of his death is unknown Cormac was bishop of Achonry in 1523 Eugene O Flanagan a Dominican friar and bachelor of divinity was by Pope Julius H appointed to the see of Achonry in December 1508 Eugene O Hart a Dominican of Sligo abbey was promoted to the see of Achonry in 1562 was one of the fathers of the council of Trent He lived 100 years and died in 1603 Dominick O Daly master of theology and a predicant of the convent of Athenry he completed his studies at St Clement's and partly at the Minerva in Rome Having returned to his native country he diligently performed the duties of missionary apostolic He attended the chapter of his order held at Rome in 1721 and was at last provided by Pope Benedict XTTT to the see of Achonry AD 1725 and was consecrated at Brussels by Cardinal Joseph Spinelli afterwards prefect of the Propaganda He died piously AD 1735 and was buried at Athenry Philip Phillips was translated to Tuam from 1759 to 1780 Boetius Egan translated to Tuam 1791 died in 1798 Thomas O Connor was living in 1800 John Lynagh John O Flynne died AD 1817 Patrick MaaNicholas was some time professor of the college of Maynooth and a man of extraordinary talent consecrated in May 1818 died in a good old age in February 1852 In March following the election of a successor took place in the cathedral at Ballaghader reen his grace of Tuam presiding Dean Durkan of Achonry and PP of Colooney wag chosen by a large majority of votes The other candidates obtained only four between them Dean Durkan was consecrated on the 30th of November following and now happily presides