The Bishop of Ardfert and Aghadoe (usually simply referred to as the Bishop of Ardfert) was an episcopal title which took its name after the village of Ardfert and townland of Aghadoe, both in County Kerry, Ireland.

History The diocese of Ráith Maighe Deiscirt was one of the twenty-four dioceses established at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 and was co-extensive with the kingdom of Iarmuman; which consisted all of County Kerry and a small part of County Cork. The bishop's seat (Cathedra) was originally located at Rathass near Tralee, but by 1117, it had been moved to Ardfert Cathedral. At the Synod of Kells in 1152, the diocese lost some territory when the diocese of Scattery Island was established.

After the Reformation, there were parallel apostolic successions. In the Church of Ireland, the title continued until 1661 when it united with Limerick to form the bishopric of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe. The Roman Catholic Church title continued until 1952 when it changed its name to the bishopric of Kerry.

Pre-Reformation bishops Pre-Reformation Bishops of Ardfert and AghadoeFromUntilIncumbentNotesunknown1117Anmchad O h-AnmchadaDied in officebef. 11521161Máel Brénainn Ua RónáinCalled Bishop of Kerry at the Synod of Kells in 1152; died 21 September 1161unknown1193Domnall O ConnaircheCalled Bishop of Iar Mumhan (West Munster); died in office11971207David Ua DuibdithribCalled Bishop of Iar Mumhan (West Munster); elected before 1197; confirmed in 1200 or 1201; died in officeunknownc.1217(name not known)Died in office12171224John, O.S.B.Elected circa 1217; consecrated before 28 February 1218; acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Canterbury; deprived by the Papal legate 18 June 1224; died 14 October 124512181235GilbertusElected before 28 February 1218; confirmed after 16 July 1219; resigned after 24 April 123512361251BrendánElected after 6 December 1236; confirmed 17 November 1237; resigned 1 August 1251; died before 20 April 125212531256Christianus, O.P.Elected before 23 February 1253; consecrated after 17 August 1253; died before 20 August 125612571264PhilippusElected before 25 March 1257; consecrated 1257; died before 4 July 126412651286JohnElected before 3 March 1265; died before 6 June 128612861288NicolausElected after 28 June 1286; died 14 March 128812881335Nicol Ó Samradáin, O.Cist.Elected after 26 April 1288; died 13351331(Edmund of Caermarthen, O.P.)Appointed and consecrated 24 September 1331, but did not get possession13351347Ailín Ó hEichtigihirnElected circa 1335; provided and consecrated 18 November 1336; died 2 December 134713481372John de ValleElected before October 1348; provided 22 October 1348; died before October 13721372c.1379Cornelius Ó Tigernach, O.F.M.Appointed 22 October 1372; died circa 13791380c.1404William BullAppointed in 1380; received temporalities from the king 14 February 1380; died circa 140414041405Nicholas BallAppointed before October 1404, but did not take effect; translated to Emly 2 December 14051405(Tomás Ó Ceallaigh, O.P.)Appointed before 10 March 1405, but did not take effect; translated to Clonfert 11 March 140514051411John Attilburgh, O.S.B.Appointed 10 March 1405; confirmed by Antipope Alexander V 25 October 1409 (in opposition to Nicholas FitzMaurice); died before January 1411; also known as John Artilburch14081450Nicholas FitzMauriceAppointed before 17 September 1408; confirmed by Antipope Pope John XXIII 27 January 1411; died before April 145014501451Maurice SlackAppointed 30 January 1450; consecrated after 29 April 1450; died before January 145214521458Mauricius Ó ConchobhairAppointed 26 January 1452; consecrated after 11 February 1452; died before September 14581458/881488John StackAppointed by Pope Pius II 18 September 1458; consecrated circa 1461; confirmed by Pope Sixtus IV 15 March 1488; died October 148814611475John Pigge, O.P.Appointed by Pope Pius II 27 March 1461; resigned before 22 June 1473; translated to Beirut before 1475; also was rector of St Christopher, Threadneedle Street, London 1462–14831473/881495Philip StackAppointed by Pope Sixtus IV 26 June 1473, but set aside; provided again by Pope Innocent VIII 27 October 1488; died before November 149514951536John FitzGeraldAppointed 20 November 1495; died before May 153615361583James FitzMaurice, O.Cist.Appointed 15 May 1536; papal nominee and recognised by the crown; in a letter of 12 October 1561, the papal legate Fr David Wolfe SJ described all the bishops in Munster as 'adherents of the Queen'; died 1583; also known as James FitzRichard, FitzRichard Pierce or FitzRichard Piers Source(s):

Post-Reformation bishops

Church of Ireland succession Church of Ireland Bishops of Ardfert and AghadoeFromUntilIncumbentNotes1588c.1599Nicholas KenanNominated 26 June 1588; letters patent 22 October 1588; died circa 159916001621John CrosbieNominated 2 October 1600; letters patent 15 December 1600; died September 162116211628John SteereTranslated from Kilfenora; nominated 8 December 1621; letters patent 20 July 1622; died May 162816281638William SteereNominated 21 July 1628; consecrated October 1628; died 21 January 163816411661Thomas FulwarNominated 27 June 1641; consecrated 1641; translated to Cashel 1 February 1661In 1661, the see became part of the united bishopric of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe Source(s):Fryde, ibid., p. 379.

Roman Catholic succession Roman Catholic Bishops of Ardfert and AgahdoeFromUntilIncumbentNotes1591c.1600Michael Fitzwalterappointed 9 August 1591; died circa 1600appointed 1601Michael EganAppointed vicar apostolic to administer the see by papal brief 1 December 1601c.1611c.1650Richard O'ConnellAppointed as vicar apostolic circa 1611 and as bishop 16 September 1641; consecrated 10 June 1643; died circa 1650; also recorded as Rickard O'Connellappointed 1657Moriarty O'BrienAppointed vicar apostolic to administer the see by papal brief 17 April 1657appointed 1700Aeneas O'LeyneAppointed vicar apostolic to administer the see by papal brief 12 March 170017201739Denis MoriartyAppointed 7 March 1720; died February 173917391743Eugene O'SullivanAppointed 24 April 1739; died 174317431753William O'MearaAppointed in November 1743; translated to Killaloe 23 February 175317531774Nicholas MadgettTranslated from Killaloe 23 February 1753; died in August 177417751786Francis MoylanAppointed 8 May 1775; translated to Cork 3 June 178717871797Gerard TeehanAppointed 19 June 1787; died 4 (or 5) July 179717981824Charles SughrueAppointed 6 February 1798; consecrated 11 June 1798; died 29 September 182418241856Cornelius EganAppointed coadjutor bishop 4 April and consecrated 25 July 1824; succeeded 29 September 1824; died 22 July 185618561877David MoriartyAppointed coadjutor bishop 18 February and consecrated 25 April 1854; succeeded 22 July 1856; died 1 October 187718781881Daniel McCarthyAppointed 7 June and consecrated 25 August 1878; died 23 July 188118811889Andrew HigginsAppointed 18 December 1881; consecrated 5 February 1882; died 1 May 188918891904John CoffeyAppointed 27 August and consecrated 10 November 1889; died 14 April 190419041917John ManganAppointed 8 July and consecrated 18 September 1904; died 1 July 191719171927Charles O'SullivanAppointed 10 November 1917; consecrated 27 January 1918; died 29 January 192719271952Michael O'BrienAppointed 9 May and consecrated 24 July 1927; died 4 October 1952On 20 December 1952, the diocese and bishopric changed its name to Kerry. Source(s):Fryde, ibid., pp. 430–431.

References

External links GENUKI – Ardfert GENUKI – Aghadoe