The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Waterford and town of Lismore in Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1838, and is still used by the Roman Catholic Church.
History The bishopric is a union of the episcopal sees of Waterford and Lismore which were united by Pope Urban V in 1363. Following the Reformation, there were parallel successions.
In the Church of Ireland the see continued until 1833 when it became part of the archbishopric of Cashel. In 1838, the Anglican province of Cashel lost its metropolitan status and became the bishopric of Cashel and Waterford. It was further united with the Sees of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin to become the united bishopric of Cashel and Ossory in 1977.
In the Roman Catholic Church the title remains as separate bishopric. The present incumbent is Alphonsus Cullinan, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Waterford and Lismore, who was appointed by the Holy See on 2 February 2015 and ordained bishop on 12 April 2015.
Pre-Reformation bishops Pre-Reformation Bishops of Waterford and Lismore FromUntilIncumbentNotes13631394Thomas le ReveAppointed Bishop of Lismore in 1358. Became Bishop of Waterford and Lismore on 16 June 1363 when Pope Urban V united the two dioceses, and received possession of the temporalities on 7 October 1363. Died in office before September 139413941396Robert ReadAppointed on 9 September 1394. Translated to Carlisle on 26 January 1396, thence to Chichester on 5 October 1396.13961397Thomas SparkfordPreviously a priest of the Diocese of Exeter in England. Appointed bishop on 27 January 1396. Died in office before July 1397.13971400John DepingAppointed on 11 July 1397. Died in office on 4 February 1400.14001407Thomas SnellFormerly Arcdeacon of Glendalough. Appointed on 26 May 1400 and received the temporalities on 16 November 1400. Translated to Ossory on 11 March 1407.14071409Roger of ApplebyTranslated from Dromore before October 1407. Died in office before August 1409.14091414John Geese (1st term)Appointed on 23 August 1409. Deprived by Antipope John XXIII in February 1414.14141422Thomas ColbyFormerly Bishop-designate of Elphin. Appointed by Antipope John XXIII in February 1414. Died in office on before December 1422.14221425John Geese (2nd term)Appointed again on 4 December 1422. Acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of London 1424. Died in office on 22 December 1425.14261446Richard CantwellFormerly Archdeacon of Lismore. Appointed on 27 February 1426. Died in office on 7 May 1446.1446c.1472Robert PoerFormerly Dean and Archdeacon of Lismore. Appointed on 2 September 1446 and consecrated on 23 August 1447. Died in office circa 1472.1473unknownRichard Martin (bishop-designate)Appointed on 9 March 1473, but was not consecrated. Later appointed Bishop of St David's in 1482.14751483John Bulcomb (de Cutwart)Appointed on 17 March 1475. Resigned before 17 October 1483.1480unknownNicol Ó hAonghusaFormerly Abbot of Fermoy. Appointed on 20 May 1480. Death date unknown.14831519Thomas PurcellAppointed on 17 October 1483 and consecrated after 6 October 1483. Resigned on 13 April 1519. Source(s):, The Province of Munster, pp. 119–123., Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 376–377., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, pp. 304–305.
Bishops during the Reformation Bishops of Waterford and Lismore during the ReformationFromUntilIncumbentNotes15191550Nicholas ComynTranslated from Ferns. Appointed by the Holy See on 13 April 1519 and swore the Oath of Supremacy at Clonmel early in 1539. Deprived or resigned on 21 July 1550 and died on 12 July 1551.15501551John MagrathAppointed by the Holy See on 21 July 1550, but was not recognized by the Crown. Died circa 1551.15511578Patrick WalshDean of Waterford (1547–1566). Nominated bishop by King Edward VI on 9 June 1551 and consecrated by royal mandate on 23 October 1551. In the reign Queen Mary I, recognised bishop by the Holy See in around 1555/1556. At the accession of Queen Elizabeth I in 1558, he supported royal supremacy. Died in office in 1578. Source(s):, The Province of Munster, pp. 122–123., Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 337, 407, and 444., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, pp. 305, 368–369, and 422.
Post-Reformation bishops
Church of Ireland succession Church of Ireland Bishops of Waterford and Lismore FromUntilIncumbentNotes15791582Marmaduke MiddletonNominated on 11 April 1579 and appointed by letters patent on 31 May 1579. Translated to St David's on 30 November 1582.15821589The see was granted in commendam to Miler Magrath, Archbishop of Cashel.15891592Thomas WetherheadAlso recorded as Thomas Walley. Nominated on 21 March 1589 and appointed by letters patent on 20 July 1589. Died in office before 15 March 1592.15921608The see was granted again in commendam to Miler Magrath, Archbishop of Cashel.16081619John LancasterNominated on 5 January 1608 and appointed by letters patent on 26 February 1608. Died in office in 1619.16191635Michael BoyleNominated on 7 August 1619. Died in office on 29 December 1635.16361640John AthertonNominated on 5 April 1636 and appointed by letters patent on 4 May 1636. Executed on 5 December 1640.16411646Archibald AdairTranslated from Killala and Achonry. Nominated on 7 June 1641 and appointed by letters patent on 13 July 1641. Forced to flee the country during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. Deprived when the Episcopate was abolished in 1676 and died in Bristol circa 1647.16461660 See vacant16601665George BakerNominated on 6 August 1660 and consecrated on 27 January 1661. Died in office on 13 November 1665.16661689Hugh GoreHugh Gore (1613-1691). Welsh Biography Online. Retrieved 6 August 2009.Nominated on 8 February 1666 and consecrated on 25 March 1666. Retired 1689, died 1691.16911707Nathaniel FoyNominated on 16 April 1691 and consecrated on 9 August 1691. Died in office on 31 December 1707.17081740Thomas MillesNominated on 17 January 1708 and consecrated on 18 April 1708. Died in office on 13 May 1740.17401745Charles EsteTranslated from Ossory. Nominated on 10 July 1740 and appointed by letters patent on 4 October 1740. Died in office on 29 November 1745.17461779Richard ChenevixTranslated from Killaloe. Nominated on 23 December 1745 and appointed by letters patent on 15 January 1746. Died in office on 11 September 1779.17791795William NewcomeTranslated from Ossory. Nominated on 22 October 1779 and appointed by letters patent on 5 November 1779. Translated to Armagh on 27 January 1795.17951802Richard MarlayTranslated from Clonfert and Kilmacduagh. Nominated on 11 March 1795 and appointed by letters patent on 21 March 1795. Died in office on 1 July 1802.18021810Power Le Poer TrenchNominated on 18 August 1802 and consecrated on 21 November 1802. Translated to Elphin on 30 April 1810.18101813Joseph StockJoseph Stock (1740-1813). Dictionary of Ulster Biography. Retrieved 6 August 2009.Translated from Killala and Achonry. Nominated on 12 April 1810 and appointed by letters patent on 1 May 1810. Died in office on 14 August 1813.18131832Richard BourkeNominated on 25 August 1813 and consecrated on 10 October 1813. Died in office on 15 November 1832.18331838The see part of the Church of Ireland archbishopric of Cashel18381977The see part of the Church of Ireland bishopric of Cashel and WaterfordSince 1977The see part of the Church of Ireland bishopric of Cashel and Ossory Source(s):, The Province of Munster, pp. 123–135., Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 407–408., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, pp. 422–423.
Roman Catholic succession