The Bishop of Dromore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the original monastery of Dromore in County Down, Northern Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church the title still continues as a separate bishopric, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.

History The monastery of Dromore is believed to have been founded by St Colman, first bishop or abbot of Dromore, sometime between 497 and 513. The first building was a small wattle and daub church on the northern bank of the River Lagan. Only a couple of the names of the monastic-bishops survive. Mael-Brigid Mac Cathasaigh, bishop and abbot of Dromore, died in 972, and in the Annals of Ulster record the death of Riagán, bishop of Druim Mór, in 1101.

The diocese of Dromore was established through the reorganisation of the Irish Church in the late 12th century, possibly at the synod held in Dublin in 1192 by the papal legate, Múirges Ua hÉnna, Archbishop of Cashel. The diocese coincided with the territory of the Uí Echach Cobo, which later became the baronies of Upper and Lower Iveagh, and the lordship of Newry, County Down.

Following the Reformation, there were parallel apostolic successions. In the Church of Ireland, the bishopric continued until it became part of the united bishopric of Down, Connor and Dromore in 1842. In 1945, Connor was separated leaving the current bishopric of Down and Dromore.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the bishopric of Dromore continues as a separate title. The most recent Incumbent was the Most Reverend John McAreavey, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore, who was appointed by the Holy See on 4 June 1999 and was ordained bishop on 19 September 1999. He resigned on 1 March 2018, effective 26 March 2018.

List of bishops

Pre-Reformation bishops Pre-Reformation Bishops of Dromore From Until Incumbent Notes bef. 1197 unknown Ua Ruanada Named as the bishop of Uveghe (Iveagh) in a grant by Echmílid, Bishop of Down. 1227 unknown Geraldus OCist Formerly a monk of Mellifont Abbey; elected bishop bef. 15 April 1227 and confirmed by King Henry III 25 April 1227; death date unknown. 1245 unknown Andreas Andrew; formerly Archdeacon of Dromore; elected bef. 1 October 1245 and obtained the royal assent on that date; consecrated in late 1245; death date unknown. 1284 1309 Tigernach (I) Elected 1284; died in office. 1290 unknown Gervasius Also known as Gervase.Atkinson, 'Dromore - An Ulster Diocese', p. 18 Appointed bishop in 1290; death date unknown. unknown 1309 Tigernach (II) Formerly a monk; died in office. 1309 unknown Florentius Mac Donnacáin Florence McDonegan; formerly a Canon of Dromore; elected by the dean and chapter in 1309; confirmed by the king. 1351 unknown (Name not known) Enech or Enoch; appointed by papal mandate. 1366 unknown Milo Appointed by the Archbishop of Armagh's mandate 20 October 1366. 1369 unknown Christophorus Also known as Christopher. Appointed by the Archbishop of Armagh's mandate 28 August 1369. 1382 Cornelius No date of appointment; died bef. November 1382. 1382 unknown John OFM John O'Lannub or O Lannubh.; provided by Pope Urban VI; appointed sometime between 14 June and 15 July 1382; received temporalities 10 November 1382; death date unknown. 1398 1406 Thomas Orwell OFM Also known as Horewell. Translated from Killala bef. November 1398; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Ely and Norwich 1389–1406; died aft. 1406. 1400 1402 John Waltham OSA Also known as Volcan. Translated from Ossory 14 May 1400; translated back to Ossory 11 October 1402. 1402 1407 Roger Appleby OFM Also known as De Appleby. Translated from Ossory 11 October 1402; absentee bishop 1402–07; translated to Waterford and Lismore bef. October 1407. 1407 1410 Richard Payl OP Also known as Paylus or Messing. Appointed 30 December 1407; consecrated bef. 11 November 1408; translated to Sodor and Man 30 May 1410. 1410 1418 John Chourles OSB Also known as Curlw or Thouras. Appointed 16 July 1410 and consecrated bef. 4 January 1411; resigned in 1418; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Canterbury 1420–33, London 1419–26, and Rochester 1423; died 12 June 1433 and buried at St Mary Somerset, London, where he had been rector of the church. aft. 1410 1429 Marcus He was given authority by Nicholas Fleming, Archbishop of Armagh, as 'a bishop sojourning in the diocese of Dromore', to correct certain offenders; he does not appear to have been the actual bishop of the see; died bef. 31 January 1429. bef. 1414 unknown Seaán Ó Ruanadha Known to be bishop around 1414, but nothing further known. 1419 unknown Nicholas Warte OFM Also known as Wartre.Atkinson, 'Dromore - An Ulster Diocese', p. 19 Provided by Pope Martin V 17 March 1419; appears to have resigned and retired to England (date unknown); acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of York 1420–1445, and was Rector of St Mary's Church, Castlegate, York; died aft. 1445. 1429 1453 Thomas Rackelf OSAFrom 1431 to 1453, Dromore was nominally governed by absentee bishops, of whom at least two were simultaneously using the title of bishop of Dromore whilst acting as suffragans in various English dioceses. Also known as Radcliffe. Appointed 31 January 1429; consecrated 21 December 1433; acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of Durham 1441–1446; died 1453. unknown 1431 William No date of appointment; died bef. June 1431. 1431 unknown David Chirbury OCarm Appointed 22 June 1431, but appears to have vacated the see soon afterwards; acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of St David's in 1437; died aft. 1451. 1434? 1440 Thomas Scrope OCarm Thomas Bradley; possibly appointed in 1434; resigned bef. 1440; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Norwich 1450–1477 and Canterbury 1469; died 15 January 1492. 1450 1454/55 Thomas Radcliff Consecrated 1 February 1450; resigned 1454 or 1455; acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of Durham until 1487. 1454/55 unknown Donatus Ó h-Anluain Also known as Donat Ohendua or O'Hand.Atkinson, 'Dromore - An Ulster Diocese', pp. 18–9 Appointed 1454 or 1455; consecrated aft. 17 April 1456; death date unknown. 1457 1463 Richard Messing OCarm Also known as Myssin. Appointed 29 July 1457; acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of York 1458–1462; died aft. June 1463. 1463 unknown William Egremond OESA Appointment 15 June 1463; acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of York 1463–1501; died aft. 1501. unknown 1476 Aonghus Aeneas; appointment date is unknown; died bef. August 1476. 1476 1480 Robert Kirk OCist Appointed 28 August 1476; died bef. April 1480. 1480 1483 Yvo Guillen Also known as Yvo Guillen Brito . Formerly a Canon of St Malo; appointed 14 April 1480; died bef. April 1483. 1483 1499 Georgios Vranas Georgius de Brana, George Braua, Geo. Braun or 'an-t-easbog Gréagach'; a Greek by birth; formerly Procurator of Indulgences and Vicar-General of the Hospital of the Holy Ghost; appointed bishop 18 April and consecrated 3 May 1483; acted as a suffragan bishop in the dioceses of Worcester and London 1497; translated to Elphin 15 April 1499. 1499 1511 See vacant 1511 1526 Tadhg Ó Raghallaigh OESA Also known as Thaddeaus or Thady O'Reilly; appointed 30 April 1511; acted as a suffragan bishop in the diocese of London 1511; also was appointed Bishop of Ross on 23 December 1519; died bef. June 1526. Source(s):

Post-Reformation Church of Ireland bishops