The Bishop of Ferns () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.
History The diocese of Ferns or Loch Garman was one of the twenty-four dioceses established at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111. Subsequently, the centre of the diocese was located at Ferns due to the influence of Diarmaid mac Murchadha. It comprised roughly the ancient territory of the Uí Cheinnselaig with the bishop's seat (cathedra) located at Ferns Cathedral. During the later medieval period the church at New Ross enjoyed quasi-cathedral status.
Following the Reformation, there are parallel apostolic successions. In the Church of Ireland, Ferns was united with Leighlin in 1597 to form the bishopric of Ferns and Leighlin.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the bishopric of Ferns continues as a separate title. The current Incumbent is the Most Reverend Gerard Nash, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns, who was appointed by the Holy See on 11 June 2021 and was ordained bishop on 5 September 2021.
Pre-Reformation bishops List of pre-Reformation Bishops of FernsFromUntilIncumbentNotesunknown1117Ceallach Ua ColmáinDied in officeunknown1125Máel Eoin Ua DúnacaínMay have been bishop of Ferns or Leighlin, but was called bishop of Uí Chennselaig in the Annals of the Four Masters; died in office at Leighlinfl. 1161–621182Joseph Ua h-ÁedaKnown to be bishop around 1160 and 1161; died in officec.11861223Ailbe Ua Maíl Mhuaidh, O.Cist.Formerly Abbot of Baltinglass; elected bishop circa 1186; acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of Winchester in 1201 and 1214; died 1 January 1223; also known as Albinus, Albin O'Mooley and Alpin O'Moelmhuaidh12231253John of St JohnFormerly Treasurer of Limerick; elected before 6 July 1223 and consecrated before 2 April 1224; died before October 1253. He was Lord High Treasurer of Ireland for many years12541258Geoffrey of St JohnFormerly Treasurer of Limerick; elected before March 1254; received possession of the temporalities after 16 March 1254; died before May 1258; he was possibly brother of the previous bishop12581282Hugh of LamportFormerly Treasurer of Ferns Cathedral; elected before 11 July 1258; received possession of the temporalities 27 September 1258; died 15 May 128212821304Richard of NorthamptonFormerly a Canon of Killaloe and Dean of Ferns; elected 28 July 1282; received possession of the temporalities 13 October 1282; consecrated in 1283; died 13 January 1304 and buried in Ferns Cathedral1304Simon of EveshamElected after 12 March 1304; consecrated 22 June 1304; died 1 September 130413051311Robert WalrandElected after 14 February 1305; consecrated after 13 April 1305; died 17 November 131113121346Adam of NorthamptonElected before 14 March 1312; received possession of the temporalities 14 March 1312; consecrated 18 June 1312; died 29 October 13461347Hugh of SaltuFormerly a Canon of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin; elected before 10 March and consecrated 8 April 1347, but was deprived of the see later in the same year; also known as Hugh of Leixlip13471348Geoffrey Grandfield, O.E.S.A.Appointed 5 March and consecrated at Avignon in June 1347; received possession of the temporalities 15 November 1347; died of the plague 22 October 1348; also known as Geoffrey Grosseld1349John EsmondElected and consecrated in 1349, but did not get possession of the see due to a prior papal reservation; deprived in the same year; later successively appointed Bishop of Emly on 28 February 135613501362William Carnells, O.P.Appointed 19 April and consecrated 1350; received possession of the temporalities 15 October 1350; also was Lord High Treasurer of Ireland; died in July 136213631400Thomas DeneFormerly Archdeacon of Ferns; appointed bishop before 15 April and consecrated 18 June 1363; received possession of the temporalities 27 August 1363; died 27 August 140014001415Patrick Barrett, O.S.A.Formerly a Canon of Kells Priory; appointed 10 December 1400 and consecrated in the same month; received possession of the temporalities 11 April 1401; also was Lord Chancellor of Ireland; died 10 November 141514181457Robert WhitteyFormerly Precentor of Ferns Cathedral; appointed 16 February 1418; excused from further attendance at the Irish Parliament or the Privy Council in 1450, on account of his great age and infirmity; resigned 5 October 1457; died 14581451Tadhg O'Beirn, O.S.A.Appointed 8 October 1451, but did not take effect14571479John Purcell IAppointed 4 October 1457; died before October 147914791503Laurence NevilleFormerly a Canon of Ferns; appointed 26 October 1479 and received possession of the temporalities 20 May 1480; died 150315051509Edmund ComerfordFormerly Dean of Kilkenny; consecrated at Ferns Cathedral in 1505; died 15 April 150915101519Nicholas ComynAppointed bishop before 20 January 1510 and consecrated at St Paul's Cathedral, London on that date; translated to Waterford and Lismore in 151915191539John Purcell IIAppointed 13 April and consecrated at Rome 6 May 1519; died 20 July 1539
Post-Reformation bishops Church of Ireland succession List of Church of Ireland Bishops of FernsFryde, ibid., p. 393.Cotton, ibid., pp. 334–335.FromUntilIncumbentNotes15391566Alexander Devereux Last Abbot of Dunbrody; elected bishop by the dean and chapter in 1539 and confirmed by King Henry VIII; consecrated at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin 14 December 1539; died in Fethard-on-Sea before 19 August 156615661578John DevereuxDean of Ferns; nominated 10 October and appointed by letters patent 19 October 1566; died in 1578 and was buried at St Mary's Church in Wexford1579(James Proctor)Appointed by letters patent 11 April 1579, but died before consecration15791582See vacant15821597Hugh AllenTranslated from Down and Connor; appointed by letters patent 24 May 1582; became Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin when the two dioceses where united in 1597.In 1597, the Church of Ireland see became part of the united bishopric of Ferns and Leighlin
Roman Catholic succession List of Roman Catholic Bishops of FernsFryde, ibid., pp. 428–429."Diocese of Ferns" Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 12 September 2016."Diocese of Ferns" GCatholic.org. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved 5 September 2016.FromUntilIncumbentNotes15391541See vacant1541Bernard Ó Dónaill, O.F.MAppointed 30 March 1541; translated to Elphin 3 June 154115411542Gabriel de S. Serio, O.S.B.Translated from Elphin 3 June 1541; died 5 May 1542unknown1566Alexander Devereux Appointed by King Henry VIII in 1539, but was not deprived in the reign of Queen Mary I; died in Fethard-on-Sea before 19 August 156615661582See vacant15821587Peter PowerAppointed 27 April 1582; died 158715871607See vacant1607unknownDaniel DrihinAppointed vicar apostolic by papal brief 17 November 160716241636John Roche (bishop)Appointed 29 April 1624; died 9 April 163616361645See vacant16451678Nicholas FrenchAppointed 6 February and consecrated 23 November 1645; also appointed auxiliary bishop of Santiago de Compostela 1652–1666, Paris 1666–1668, and Ghent 1668–1678; died 23 August 167816781683/84See vacant1683/841687Luke WaddingAppointed coadjutor bishop of Ferns on 12 May 1671, but did not accept the post until late 1672; consecrated bishop of Ferns, probably in June 1683; died 168716871697See vacant16971709Michael RossiterAppointed 1 July 1697; possibly died 170917091728John VerdonAppointed 14 September 1709; died circa 172817291744Ambrose Ó Ceallacháin, O.F.M.Appointed 26 September 1729; died 8 August 174417451786𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗻Appointed 25 January 1745; died 19 October 178617861814James CaulfieldAppointed coadjutor bishop 26 February and consecrated 7 July 1782; succeeded 19 October 1786; died 14 January 181418141819Patrick RyanAppointed coadjutor bishop 2 October 1804 and consecrated 2 February 1805; succeeded 14 January 1814; died 9 March 181918191849James KeatingeAppointed coadjutor bishop 6 December 1818; succeeded 9 March and consecrated 21 March 1819; died 7 September 184918491856Myles MurphyAppointed 19 November 1849 and consecrated 10 March 1850; died 13 August 185618571875Thomas FurlongAppointed 9 January and consecrated 22 March 1857; died 12 November 187518761884Michael WarrenAppointed 13 or 14 March and consecrated 7 May 1876; resigned 22 April 1884; died 22 April 188518841917James BrowneAppointed 6 or 8 July and consecrated 14 September 1884; died 21 June 191719171938William CoddAppointed 7 December 1917 and consecrated 25 February 1918; died 12 March 193819381963James StauntonAppointed 10 December 1938 and consecrated 5 February 1939; died 26 or 27 June 196319641983Donal HerlihyAppointed 30 October and consecrated 15 November 1964; died 2 April 198319842002Brendan Oliver Comiskey, SS.CC.Formerly auxiliary bishop of Dublin 1979–1984; appointed bishop of Ferns 4 or 11 April 1984; resigned 6 April 200220062021 Denis BrennanAppointed 1 March and consecrated 23 April 2006; retired 11 June 2021.Bishop Denis Brennan. Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 7 September 2009. 2021presentGerard NashAppointed 11 June and consecrated 5 September 2021.
Notes Alexander Devereux was bishop of both successions.
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