The Diocese of Clogher (, ; , Sullivan, R. (2023:393). Geography Generalized. Outlook Verlag.) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Ireland. It was formed in 1111 at the Synod of Rathbreasail as the see for the Kingdom of Uí Chremthainn. It is part of the Province of Armagh.
The original cathedral was in the village of Clogher in County Tyrone, site of a monastery founded in 454 by St. Macartan, who was appointed bishop by St. Patrick in the 5th century. Following the Reformation, Henry VIII confiscated Clogher Cathedral for his Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic diocese was without a permanent see until 1851 when a decision was made to move to the larger town of Monaghan, 32 kilometres south east of Clogher village. The foundation stone of a St Macartan's Cathedral was laid in Monaghan in June 1861.Peter Galloway, The Cathedrals of Ireland, Belfast, 1992 The cathedral was dedicated in August 1892.
Today the diocese has a congregation of over 100,000 parishioners spread across 37 parishes. The current bishop is the Most Reverend Lawrence Duffy, who was appointed by the Holy See on 8 December 2018 and ordained bishop on 10 February 2019.
Geography The Diocese straddles the Irish border, consisting of County Monaghan, much of County Fermanagh and parts of Counties Tyrone and Donegal. The largest towns are Bundoran, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney, Clones, Enniskillen, Lisnaskea and Monaghan.St Macartan – 1500 years of faith (Diocese of Clogher)
Domnach Airgid
The shrine of the diocese, known as the Domnach Airgid originally housed a copy of the Gospels and the Cross of the Clogher Diocese. According to tradition, these were originally given to St. Macartan by St. Patrick, although the manuscript as it exists today dates from the eighth century.Repair of the Domhnach Airgid, Heritage Council Grants Programme Today these relics of ecclesiastical art held are at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.Diringer, David. The Book Before Printing: Ancient, Medieval and Oriental. Dover Publications Inc., 1986. p. 464.
Principal Saints of the Diocese St Macartan of Clogher St Tiarnach of Clones St Molaise of Devenish St Davóg of Lough Derg St Davnet of Sliabh Beagh St Maoldoid of Muckno St Fanchea of Rossory
Parishes of the Diocese Number Name Location 1 Pettigo Donegal 2 Culmaine Fermanagh 3 Dromore Tyrone 4 Magh Ene Donegal 5 Inis Muighe Samh Fermanagh 6 Botha Fermanagh 7 Devenish Fermanagh 8 Kilskeery Fermanagh/Tyrone 9 Donacavey Tyrone 10 Eskra Tyrone 11 Clogher Tyrone 12 Aghavea-Aughintaine Fermanagh/Tyrone 13 Pobal Fermanagh 14 Enniskillen Fermanagh 15 Cleenish Fermanagh 16 Aghalurcher Fermanagh 17 Galloon Fermanagh 18 Clones Fermanagh/Monaghan 19 Roslea Fermanagh/Monaghan 20 Tydavnet Monaghan 21 Errigal Truagh Monaghan 22 Donagh Monaghan 23 Tyholland Monaghan 24 Monaghan & Rackwallace Monaghan 25 Kilmore & Drumsnat Monaghan 26 Currin, Killeevan & Aghabog Monaghan 27 Ematris Monaghan 28 Tullycorbet Monaghan 29 Clontibret Monaghan 30 Aughnamullan West Monaghan 31 Aughnamullan East Monaghan 32 Muckno Monaghan 33 Donaghmoyne Monaghan 34 Inniskeen Monaghan/Louth 35 Machaire Rois Monaghan 36 Killanny Monaghan/Louth 37 Magheracloone Monaghan
Sexual abuse In 2011 London-based law firm Jeff Anderson-Ann Olivarius Law (now AO Advocates) said they were to take action in Minnesota against a retired priest from the Clogher diocese who was moved to the US in the 1980s.BBC News – Abuse inquiry panel moving to Armagh. bbc.co.uk (12 January 2011). Retrieved on 23 July 2013. Also in 2011 a Nevada clerical abuse survivor sued the diocese, claiming that Father Francis Markey, who had been suspended three times by the diocese of Clogher between the years 1964 and 1974 due to allegations of sexually abusing children. According to the lawsuit he was sent for treatment each time and then reinstated into the priesthood, before eventually being moved to Nevada.Nevada clerical abuse survivor sues diocese who knew Irish priest’s past | Irish News. IrishCentral. Retrieved on 23 July 2013.Irish priest accused of rape fights extradition, wants bail | Irish News. IrishCentral. Retrieved on 23 July 2013. In that same year the Sunday Business Post newspaper reported that the Bishop, Joseph Duffy, had admitted both to failing to pass abuse claims to police in 1989, and to being party to victims and families being made to sign oaths of non-disclosure.Clerical Whispers: Bishop of Clogher did not report abuse to Gardai. Clericalwhispers.blogspot.co.uk (21 March 2010). Retrieved on 23 July 2013. Duffy was summoned to the Vatican in 2010 for a meeting with Benedict XVI to discuss what prior knowledge he had about allegations of sexual abuse of children against clergy members within Clogher diocese. A separate case in the 1970s and 1980s involved Bishop Duffy's uncle, Canon Peter Joe Duffy, who abused at least three victims. The abuse came to light in 2013 and the diocese paid compensation.Fowler, Julian. (11 April 2013) BBC News – Parish priest involved in Donagh abuse case. Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 23 July 2013. Other priests of the diocese involved in abuse of children include Fr. Eugene Lewis (jailed for four years on eleven counts of indecent assault);BBC News – Abusing priest Fr Eugene Lewis jailed for four years. bbc.co.uk (2 September 2010). Retrieved on 23 July 2013. Fr. John McCabe (20 months imprisonment on abuse charges)Fr. John McCabe. Catholicabusesurvivorsni.com (1 September 2012). Retrieved on 23 July 2013. and Fr Jeremiah McGrath, described by the Belfast Telegraph as "the very antithesis of what a priest should be. A lying, manipulative facilitator for a vicious paedophile": jailed for five years in 2007 for indecently assaulting a 12-year-old girl and facilitating another person to rape her whilst working in North West England after spending time in the diocese of Clogher.Category:Diocese of Clogher – Eurêka. Eurekaencyclopedia.com. Retrieved on 23 July 2013.Disgraced priest is released from prison / Impartial Reporter / News / Roundup. Impartialreporter.com. Retrieved on 23 July 2013.McKimm, Mike. (14 June 2007) UK | Northern Ireland | Priest who adored rapist friend. BBC News. Retrieved on 23 July 2013.
In 2013 a report from the Church's own investigatory body reported a total of 45 allegations against 13 priests in the diocese between 1975 and 2012, and identified unsatisfactory responses to complaints, failure to address risky behaviour and the missing of preventative opportunities. Retired bishop Joseph Duffy accepted the criticism.Ex-bishop accepts mistakes after watchdog criticises poor judgement in dealing with paedophile priests. BelfastTelegraph.co.uk (24 April 2013). Retrieved on 23 July 2013. However, the Report did acknowledge that current procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse in the diocese had improved significantly and it praised Bishop MacDaid's approach to the issue.
In 2025 the Bishop of Clogher Lawrence Duffy issued a formal apology . Statement from Bishop Larry Duffy, Bishop of Clogher. to victims of sexual abuse perpetrated at St Michael's College, Enniskillen by paedophile Canon Patrick McEntee who was convicted of sexual abuse at Dungannon Crown Court on the 11th June 2025 and jailed for seven years.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w5118z9xp 'Predatory paedophile' priest jailed for offences against schoolboys. BBC News. 12 September 2025. However contrary to the Bishop's statement in which he stated "that this news will also come as a shock to the parishioners of Dromore, Co Tyrone, and to the community of St Michael's College, Enniskillen" McEntee's behaviour and predilections were always common knowledge at the school.[https://fermanaghherald.com/2025/06/former-students-speak-out-on-disturbing-experiences/ Former students speak out on ‘disturbing’ experiences. Fermanagh Herald. 19 June 2025.
Clerical Shortage As with many Irish Catholic Dioceses, Clogher has suffered from a severe clerical shortage in the 21st-century. In December 2023 Bishop Duffy announced that the diocese would start training 40 laymen and laywomen to preside over funerals given the few number of priests. In 2022 the diocese had 72 priests and deacons but it is estimated that by 2040 that number could be as low as 10.
Ordinaries
The following is a list of the ten most recent appointments. Edward Kernan (1824–1844) Charles McNally (1844–1864) James Donnelly (1864–1893) Richard Owens (1894–1909) Patrick McKenna (1909–1942) Eugene O'Callaghan (1943–1969) Patrick Mulligan (1969–1979) Joseph Duffy (1979–2010) Liam MacDaid (2010–2016) Lawrence Duffy (2018– )
See also Roman Catholicism in Ireland List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Northern Ireland Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland
References
Bibliography
External links Official website for the diocese Information of Monaghan County Catholic-Hierarchy.org – Diocese Profile