The Bishop of Raphoe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Raphoe in County Donegal, Ireland. In the Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.
History In the earliest period of the diocese, the episcopal see was often referred to as Tír Conaill (the surrounding region). It was also sometimes written as Ráith Both, the Middle Irish spelling of the location. In 1266, Bishop Germanus of Derry forcibly transferred the Inishowen peninsula from the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Raphoe to the Diocese of Derry.
After the Reformation, there were parallel episcopal successions. In the Church of Ireland, the title continued until 1834 when it united with Derry and formed the united bishopric of Derry and Raphoe.
In the Catholic Church, the title continues as a separate bishopric. The current incumbent is Alan McGuckian, who was appointed by the Holy See on 9 June 2017 and ordained bishop on 6 August 2017.
List of bishops Pre-Reformation Pre-Reformation Bishops of Raphoe From Until Ordinary Notes dates unknown Eóin Ua Gairedáin dates unknown Domnall Ua Garbáin Also recorded as Domnall Ua Garbáin. dates unknown Feidlimid Ua Sida Also recorded as Feidlimid Ua Sida. bef. 1156 Gilla in Choimded Ua Caráin Also known as Gilbert O'Caran, or Gillebertus. Became bishop of Raphoe before 1156. Translated to Armagh circa 1175. unknown 1198 (Name not known) Resigned before 18 March 1198. bef. 1204 1252 Máel Ísu Ua Doirig Became bishop before 1204. Resigned before 7 March 1252. 1253 1261 Máel Patraic Ua Scannail, OP Also known as Patrick Ó Scannail, or Patricius. Elected circa November 1253 and consecrated on 30 November 1253. Translated to Armagh on 5 November 1261. 1263 1265 Giovanni de Alneto, OFM Also known as Johannes. Appointed on 3 December 1263. Resigned on 28 April 1265. 1265 1274 Cairpre Ó Scuapa, OP Appointed after 28 April 1265. Acted as a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Canterbury (1273). Died in office on 9 May 1274. 1299 Fergal Ó Firghil Also known as Fergal O'Ferrell, or Florentius. Became bishop circa 1275. Died in office in 1299. bef. 1306 1306 (Tomás Ó Naán, bishop-elect) Archdeacon of Raphoe. Elected bishop before 1306, but was never consecrated. Died in 1306. 1306 1319 Énri Mac in Chrossáin Also known as Henricus. Became bishop circa 1306. Died in office in 1319. 1319 1337 Tomás Mac Carmaic Uí Domnaill, OCist Formerly abbot of Assaroe Abbey. Elected bishop in 1319. Died in office in 1337. unknown 1367 Pádraig Mac Maonghaill Died in office before October 1367. Appointed Archbishop of Armagh in error in 1363, but the appointment never took effect. 1367 1397 Conchobhar Mac Carmaic Uí Dhomhnaill, OCist Also known as Cornelius. Formerly abbot of Assaroe Abbey and a canon of Raphoe Cathedral. Appointed on 23 December 1367. Resigned on 21 February 1397 and died in 1399. 1397 unknown Seoán Mac Meanmain, OCist Formerly a monk at Assaroe Abbey. Appointed on 21 February 1397. 1400 1419 Eóin Mac Carmaic Also known as Johannes. Appointed before 8 December 1400. Died in office in 1419. 1420 1438 Lochlainn Ó Gallchobhair (I.) Also known as Laurentius. Formerly Dean of Raphoe. Elected bishop before 27 February and appointed on 28 February 1420. Died in office in 1438. 1440 1442 Cornelius Mac Giolla Bhrighde Formerly Dean of Raphoe. Appointed on 20 July 1440 and consecrated after 30 July 1440. Died in office before June 1442. 1443 1479 Lochlainn Ó Gallchobhair (II.) Also known as Laurentius. Formerly a canon and official of Raphoe Cathedral. Appointed on 18 June 1442 and consecrated after 23 July 1443. Died in office before November 1479. 1479 1482 Johannes de Rogeriis Possibly also known as Seaín Mac Ruaidhri. Formerly a priest of the Roman Church. Appointed on 12 November 1479. Died in office before November 1482. 1482 1514 Meanma Mac Carmaic Also known as Menelaus Mac Carmacáin. Formerly Dean of Raphoe. Appointed on 4 November 1482. Resigned on 6 February 1514 and died on 9 May 1515. Source(s):, The Province of Ulster, pp. 347–349., Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 370–371., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, pp. 278–280.
Reformation Bishops of Raphoe during the Reformation From Until Ordinary Notes 1514 aft. 1550 Conn Ó Catháin Also known as Conn Ó Cathláin. Appointed by the papacy on 6 February 1514. Accepted royal supremacy in 1534. Died after 1550. 1534 1543 Éamonn Ó Gallchobhair Also known as Edmund O'Gallagher. Appointed by the papacy on 11 May 1534, in opposition to O'Cahan, but was unable to take possession of the See. Died on 26 February 1543. 1547/54 1561 Art Ó Gallchobhair Appointed by the papacy in 1547, in opposition to Ó Catháin, but did not take possession of the see until papal supremacy was re-established in Ireland by Queen Mary I in 1554. After the accession of Queen Elizabeth I in 1558, his position was uncertain. Died on 13 August 1561. Source(s):, The Province of Ulster, p. 350., Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 371, 405, 441., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, pp. 287–288, 352, 409.
Post-Reformation
Church of Ireland succession Church of Ireland Bishops of Raphoe From Until Ordinary Notes 1561 1603 See vacant1603 (Denis Campbell) Dean of Limerick (1588–1603). Nominated as Bishop of Raphoe, Derry and Clogher in 1603, but died before consecration in July in the same year. 1603 1605 See vacant 1605 1609 George Montgomery Nominated on 15 February and appointed by letters patent on 13 June 1605. Also was bishop of Derry (1605–1609), Clogher (1605–1621), and Meath (1609–1621). Died on 15 January 1621. 1611 1633 Andrew Knox Translated from The Isles. Nominated on 7 May 1610 and appointed by letters patent on 26 June 1611. Died in office on 17 March 1633. 1633 1661 John Leslie Translated from The Isles. Nominated on 8 April 1633 and appointed by letters patent on 1 June 1633. Translated to Clogher on 17 June 1661. 1661 1671 Robert Leslie Translated from Dromore. Nominated on 29 April and appointed by letters patent on 20 June 1661. Translated to Clogher on 26 October 1671. 1671 1681 Ezekiel Hopkins Nominated on 6 September 1671 and consecrated on 29 October 1671. Translated to Derry on 11 November 1681. 1682 1693 William Smyth Translated from Killala and Achonry. Nominated on 16 January and appointed by letters patent on 17 February 1682. Translated to Kilmore and Ardagh on 5 April 1693. 1693 1701 Alexander Cairncross Formerly Archbishop of Glasgow (1684–1687). Nominated on 22 March 1693 and appointed by letters patent on 16 May 1693. Died in office on 14 May 1701. 1701 Robert Huntington Nominated on 7 June 1701 and consecrated on 20 July 1701. Died in office on 2 September 1701. 1702 1712 John Pooley Translated from Cloyne. Nominated on 14 May 1702 and appointed by letters patent on 12 September 1702. Died in office on 16 October 1712. 1713 1714 Thomas Lindsay Translated from Killaloe. Nominated on 23 April 1713 and appointed by letters patent on 6 June 1713. Translated to Armagh on 4 January 1714. 1714 1716 Edward Synge Formerly Chancellor of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Nominated on 7 October 1714 and consecrated on 7 November 1714. Translated to Tuam on 8 June 1716. 1716 1743 Nicholas Forster Translated from Killaloe. Nominated on 22 May 1716 and appointed by letters patent on 8 June 1716. Died in office on 5 June 1743. 1744 1747 William Barnard Formerly Dean of Rochester (1743–1744). Nominated on 20 April 1744 and consecrated on 19 August 1744. Translated to Derry on 19 March 1747. 1747 1752 Philip Twysden Nominated on 28 February 1746 and consecrated on 29 March 1747. Died in office on 2 November 1752, allegedly shot while committing a robbery of a stagecoach near London. His only surviving child was from his second marriage and posthumous, Frances Twysden (1753–1821). 1753 1763 Robert Downes Translated from Down and Connor. Nominated on 28 December 1752 and appointed by letters patent on 16 January 1753. Died in office on 30 June 1763. 1763 1780 John Oswald Translated from Dromore. Nominated on 18 July 1763 and appointed by letters patent on 25 August 1763. Died in office on 4 March 1780. 1780 1807 James Hawkins Translated from Dromore. Nominated on 20 March 1780 and appointed by letters patent on 1 April 1780. Died in office on 23 June 1807. 1807 1819 Lord John Beresford Translated from Cork and Ross. Nominated on 23 July 1807 and appointed by letters patent on 10 August 1807. Translated to Clogher on 25 September 1819. 1819 1822 William Magee Formerly Dean of Cork. Appointed by letters patent on 22 September 1819 and consecrated on 24 October 1819. Translated to Dublin on 24 June 1822. 1822 1834 William Bissett Nominated on 17 June 1822 and consecrated on 21 July 1822. Died in office on 5 September 1834. Since 1834, the Church of Ireland see has been part of the united bishopric of Derry and Raphoe Source(s):, The Province of Ulster, pp. 350–359., Handbook of British Chronology, p. 405., A New History of Ireland, volume IX, pp. 409–411.
Catholic succession