The Bishop of Ossory () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland belonging to the Anglican Communion it has been united with other bishoprics.
History
The diocese of Ossory was one of the twenty-four dioceses established at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 and coincided with the ancient Kingdom of Ossory (Osraige); this is unusual, as Christian dioceses are almost always named for cities, not for regions. The episcopal see has always been in Kilkenny, the capital of Ossory at the time of the Synod of Rathbreasail. The erroneous belief that the cathedral was originally further north at Aghaboe is traced by John Bradley to a 16th-century misinterpretation of a 13th-century property transfer, combined with the fact that the abbey at the site which became St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny, was a daughter house of Aghaboe Abbey.
Following the Reformation, there were parallel apostolic successions. In the Church of Ireland, the see of Ossory combined with Ferns and Leighlin to form the united bishopric of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin in 1835.
In the Catholic Church, the title continues as a separate bishopric. The bishop's seat (cathedra) is located at St. Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny. The current Ordinary is the Most Reverend Niall Coll, who was appointed by the Holy See on 28 October 2022 and ordained bishop on 29 December 2022.
Pre-diocesan succession
The following list of bishops is inscribed in St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny and was listed on the Catholic diocese's website. Bishops in the early Irish church ruled over a kingdom, in this case, Osraige or Ossory, but were also often associated with a particular monastery and may have been in some matters subordinate to its abbot.
St. Ciarán of Saigir (Kieran) (Feast date: 5 March) According to his vitae, St. Ciarán was ordained to the episcopate by Pope Celestine I. St. Carthage (Feast date: 5 March) St. Medran (Feast date: 8 June) St. Sedna (Feast date: 10 March) St. Muccine (Feast date: 4 March) St. Modomnoc (Feast date: 13 February) St. Aengus Lamoidan (Feast date: 16 February) St. Lachtin (Feast date: 19 March) St. Colman Ua Eirc (Feast date: 22 April) St. Cuillen (Feast date: 22 April) St. Bochonna (Feast date: 13 January) St. Finnech Duirn (Feast date: 2 February) St. Eochan (Feast date: 18 April) St. Killene Mac Lubne (d. 696) Laidhgnen Mac Doinlanach (d. 739) Tnuthgall (d. 771) Mocoach (d. 788) Cucathrach (d. 793) Cothach (d. 812) Fereoach (d. 814) Conchobhar (d. 815) Conmhach Ua Loichene (d. 826) Inchalach (d. 832) Anluan (d. 846) Cormac Mac Eladhach (d. 867) Ceran Departed (d. 868) Sloidhedhach (d. 885) Cormac (d. 907) Fearchal (d. 919) Fochartach (d. 941) Colman (d. 948) Confoelad (d. 951) Donchadh (d. 971) Fochartach (d. 1004) Donchad Ua Celieachair (d. 1048) Comhoran (d. 1066) Ceallack Reamhar (d. 1079) Ceallack Ua Caonhoran (d. 1108)
Pre-Reformation bishops Pre-Reformation Bishops of Ossory FromUntilOrdinaryNotesbef.11521178Domnall Ua FogartaigBecame bishop before March 1152; died 1178bef.11801202Felix Ua Duib Sláin, Cistercians (O.Cist.)Became bishop before 1180; died 24 January 1202c.12021218Hugo de Rous, Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.)Became bishop c. 1202; died before December 1218; also recorded as Hugo Rufus12181231Peter Mauveisin, O.S.A.Elected before 8 December 1218; consecrated after 31 August 1220; died before March 123112311232William of KilkennyElected after 16 March 1231; resigned before May 123212321243Walter de BrackleyElected before 13 June 1232; consecrated before 15 July 1233; died before 12 October 124312441250Geoffrey de TurvilleElected after 5 February 1244; consecrated before 28 October 1245; died before 18 October 125012511260Hugh de MalpiltonElected before 17 April 1251; consecrated after 20 August 1251; died before 4 June 126012601287Geoffrey St LegerElected before 29 June 1260; died 10 January 128712871289Roger of WexfordElected before 22 June 1287; consecrated 3 November 1287; died 28 June 128912891302Michael d'ExeterElected 28 September 1289; died 12 July 130213021317William FitzJohnElected 10 September 1302; consecrated after 6 January 1303; translated to Metropolitan see Cashel 26 March 131713171361Richard de Ledrede, Friars Minor (O.F.M.)Appointed 24 April 1317; consecrated c. May 1317; died c. 136113611364John de Tatenhale, Dominican Order (O.P.)Appointed 8 November 1361; consecrated before 14 December 1361; died after March 13641366unknownWilliamBecame bishop before February 1366unknown1370John of Oxford, Order of Saint Augustine (O.E.S.A.)died c. 1370/-13701386Alexander de Balscot or le PetitElected c. 1370 and appointed 9 February 1371; translated to Meath c. 10 March 138613861395Richard Northalis, Carmelites (O.Carm.)Elected 1386, appointed before 17 February 1387 and consecrated 4 December 1387; translated to Metropolitan see of Dublin 25 October 139513951398Thomas Peverel, O.Carm.Appointed 25 October 1395; translated to Llandaff 2 July 1398, later Bishop of Worcester (England) (1407.07.04 – 1419.03)13981400John Waltham, O.S.A. (first time)Appointed 1 February 1398; translated to Dromore 14 May 140013991400John GriffinTranslated from Leighlin 2 July 1399; died c. March 14001400JohnAppointed before 14 May 1400; died after 8 June 140014001402Roger Appleby, O.S.A.Appointed 26 September 1400; resigned October 1402; later Bishop of Dromore (Northern Ireland) (1402.10.11 – 1407), finally Bishop of Waterford and Lismore (Ireland) (1407 – death 1409)14021405John Waltham, O.S.A. (again)Translated from Dromore 9 or 11 October 1402; died 5 November 140514051407See vacant14071417Thomas SnellTranslated from Waterford and Lismore (Bishop since 1400.05.26) 11 March 1407; died 16 October 141714171421Patrick FoxeTranslated from Cork (uncanonical Bishop since 1409.10.14) on 15 December 1417; died 20 April 142114211426Dionysius Ó DeadhaidhAppointed 4 July 1421; died before 12 December 142614271460Thomas BarryAppointed 19 February 1427; died 3 March 146014601478David HackettAppointed 4 July 1460; died 24 October 147814791487Seán Ó hÉidigheáinAppointed 15 January and consecrated 21 February 1479; died 6 January 148714871527Oliver Cantwell, O.P.Appointed 26 March 1487; died 9 January 1527 Source(s):
Bishops during the Reformation Bishops of Ossory during the Reformation FromUntilOrdinaryNotes15281550Milo Baron, O.S.A.Appointed 8 June 1528; also held in commendam the priory of Inistioge until the dissolution of religious houses, when surrendered it to King Henry VIII; swore the Oath of Supremacy at Clonmel early in 1539.; died sometime between 1 July and 27 September 1550; also known Milo Fitzgerald15521553John BaleNominated by King Edward VI 22 October 1552; consecrated 2 February 1553; compelled to flee under Queen Mary I in September 1553; died November 156315531565John Tonory, O.S.A.Nominated in December 1553 by Queen Mary I and consecrated January 1554. Allegiance to the papacy was restored on 29 November 1554, but after the accession of Queen Elizabeth I his position is uncertain. He died in 1565. Source(s):
Post-Reformation Roman Catholic succession Roman Catholic Bishops of Ossory FromUntilOrdinaryNotes15651582See vacant15821602Thomas StrongAppointed 28 March and consecrated 5 April 1582; appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela in Spain 20 January 1597; died 20 January 160216031609William Brenan, Friars Minor (O.F.M.)Appointed vicar apostolic by papal brief 13 November 1603; died in Flanders c. 160916091620See vacantDuring this period there were no bishops or vicars apostolic. Laurence Reneghan was vicar general of Ossory 1609–1613; followed by Luke Archer, O.Cist., who was also vicar apostolic of Leighlin and titular abbot of Holy Cross16201650David RotheAppointed 1 October 1618 and consecrated 1620; died 20 April 165016571668Terence FitzpatrickAppointed vicar apostolic by papal 17 April 1657; died c. 166816691695James PhelanAppointed 11 January and consecrated 1 August 1669; died January 169516961712William DatonAppointed 20 February 1696; died 26 January 1712; also recorded as William Dalton17131731Malachy DulanyAppointed 20 September 1713 and consecrated 17 February 1714; died May 173117311736Patrick SheeAppointed 28 July 1731; died June. 173617361748Colman O'Shaughnessy, O.P.Appointed 5 October 1736; died 2 September 174817481758James Bernard DunneAppointed 17 December 1748; died 30 April 175817591776Thomas Burke, O.P.Appointed 9 January and consecrated 22 April 1759; died 25 September 1776; also recorded as Thomas de Burgo17761786John Thomas Troy, O.P.Appointed 16 December 1776 and consecrated 8 June 1777; translated to Metropolitan see of Dublin 3 December 1786 (till death 1823.05.11)17871789John DunneAppointed 13 July and consecrated 16 September 1787; died 15 March 178917891812James LaniganAppointed 10 July and consecrated 21 September 1789; died 11 February 181218121814See vacant18141827Kyran MarumAppointed 4 October 1814 and consecrated 5 March 1815; died 22 December 182718271829See vacant(1829)(Miles Murphy)Appointed 8 June 1828 and by papal brief 5 March 1829, however, the appointment was not accepted18291845William KinsellaAppointed 15 May and consecrated 26 July 1829; died 12 December 184518461872Edward WalshAppointed 24 April and consecrated 26 July 1846; died 11 August 187218721884Patrick Francis MoranAppointed coadjutor bishop 28 December 1871 (and Titular Bishop of Olba) and consecrated 5 March 1872; succeeded 11 August 1872; translated to Metropolitan see Sydney, Australia 14 March 1884 (till death 1911.08.16), created Cardinal-Priest of S. Susanna on 1885.07.30 18841928Abraham Brownrigg, Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (S.S.S.)Appointed 28 October and consecrated 14 December 1884; died 1 October 192819281964Patrick CollierAppointed coadjutor bishop 18 May (and Titular Bishop of Himeria) and consecrated 5 August 1928; succeeded 1 October 1928; died 10 January 196419641981Peter BirchAppointed coadjutor bishop 24 July (and Titular Bishop of Dibon) and consecrated 23 September 1962; succeeded 10 January 1964; died 7 March 198119812007Laurence ForristalPreviously Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin 1979–1981 (Titular Bishop of Rotdon); appointed Bishop of Ossory 30 June 1981; retired 14 September 2007; died 10 October 201820072016Séamus Freeman, Pallottines (S.A.C.)Appointed 14 September and consecrated 2 December 2007; retired 29 July 2016; died 20 August 202220162018See vacant20182020Dermot Farrell Appointed 3 January and consecrated 11 March 2018; translated to Dublin 29 December 202020222026Niall Coll Appointed 28 October and consecrated 29 December 2022; translated to Raphoe 25 January 2026.2026presentGerard Nash Appointed 29 July and began ministry 13 September 2026.Source(s):Diocese of Ossory. Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
Church of Ireland succession