The Archbishop of Tuam ( ; ) is an archbishop which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Catholic Church.
History At the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111, Tuam was named as the seat of a diocese corresponding roughly with the diocese of Elphin, whilst Cong was chosen as the seat of a diocese corresponding with the later archdiocese of Tuam in west Connacht. There is no record of any bishops of Cong, and no bishop was given the title "bishop of Tuam" in the Irish annals before 1152. However the annals recorded some "archbishops/bishops of Connacht" such as Cathasach Ua Conaill (died 1117), Domhnall Ua Dubhthaigh (1117–1136), Muireadhach Ua Dubhthaigh (1136–1150) – the latter was succeeded by Áed Ua hOissín. At the Synod of Kells in 1152, the archdiocese of Tuam was established with six suffragan dioceses.
During the Reformation, the bishopric of Annaghdown was annexed to Tuam in c. 1555. After the Reformation, there were parallel apostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the other of the Catholic Church.
In the Church of Ireland
In 1569, the Church of Ireland bishopric of Mayo was annexed to the archbishopric. Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, a number of other bishoprics were also united to the archbishopric. The bishopric of Kilfenora was united to Tuam from 1661 to 1742, Ardagh from 1742 to 1839, and Killala and Achonry from 1834.
On the death of Archbishop Le Poer Trench in 1839, the Ecclesiastical Province of Tuam lost its metropolitan status and became the united bishopric of Tuam, Killala and Achonry in the Province of Armagh.
In the Catholic Church
After an unsettled period in the mid to late sixteenth century, the Catholic archbishopric has had a consistent succession of archbishops. In 1631, the Catholic bishopric of Mayo was formally joined to Tuam by papal decree.History . Archdiocese of Tuam. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
The current archbishop is the Most Reverend Francis Duffy who was announced as the new archbishop of Tuam by the Holy See on 10 November 2021 and subsequently installed on 9 January 2022. The archbishop's residence is the Archbishop's House, Tuam, County Galway, Ireland.
Pre-Reformation archbishops Pre-Reformation Archbishops of Tuam FromUntilIncumbentNotes11521161Áed Ua h-OissínBecame the first Archbishop of Tuam at the Synod of Kells in 1152, where he received the pallium from Cardinal Giovanni Paparoni, the Papal Legate; died in office; also known as Hugh O'Hession, or Edanusbef.11671201Cadla Ua DubthaigBecame archbishop before 1167; died in office at Cong Abbey in 1201; also known as Cathal O'Duffy, Cadhla O'Dublai, or Catholicus12021235Felix Ua Ruanada, O.S.A.Became archbishop in 1202; resigned as archbishop on 23 March 1235 and retired to St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin; died 1238; also known as Felix O'Ruadain; his nephew was Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, High King of Ireland12361249Máel Muire Ó LachtáinFormerly Dean of Tuam; elected archbishop before 6 April 1236 and consecrated in the same year; died in office before 25 December 1249; also known as Marianus, or Mael-Murry O'Laghnan12501256Flann Mac FlainnFormerly Chancellor of Tuam; elected archbishop before 27 May 1250; received possession of the temporalities on 25 July 1250; consecrated on 25 December 1250; died in office before 29 June 1256; also known as Florentius, Florence MacFlynn, Florence Floin, or Fiacha O'Flyn12571258Walter de SaleronFormerly Dean of St Paul's, London (1254–1257); elected archbishop on 29 May and consecrated on 6 September 1257; received possession of the temporalities on 6 November 1257; died in office before 22 April 1258; also known as Walter de London12581279Tommaltach Ó ConchobairElected archbishop of Tuam after 17 July 1258, but not translated from Elphin until 23 March 1259; received possession of the temporalities on 20 July 1259; died in office 16 June 1279; also known as Thomas O'Conor1283(Nicol Mac Flainn)Elected before 20 October 1283, but never consecrated1280(Malachias Hibernicus)Elected on 22 April 1280, never officially installed12861288Stephen de FulbournTranslated from Waterford; appointed on 12 July and received possession of the temporalities on 15 September 1286; died in office on 3 July 1288; also known as Stephen of Fulburn12881312William de BerminghamElected c. late 1288, appointed on 2 May 1289 and received possession of the temporalities on 29 September 1289; died in office in January 131213121348Máel Sechlain Mac ÁedaElected archbishop of Tuam c. March 1312, but not translated from Elphin until 19 December 1312; received possession of the temporalities on 1 April 1313; died in office on 10 August 1348; also known as Malachias or Malachi MacHugh13481365Tomás MacCearbhaillFormerly Archdeacon of Cashel; appointed archbishop on 26 November 1348 and received possession of the temporalities on 6 October 1349; translated to Cashel before 8 March 1365; also known as Thomas MacCarwill or O'Carrol13641371Eóin Ó GrádaFormerly Archdeacon of Cashel; appointed archbishop after 20 November 1364 and received possession of the temporalities on 19 July 1365; died in office on 19 September 1371; also known as John O'Grada or O'Grady13721383Gregorius Ó Mocháin ITranslated from Elphin on 7 May 1372 and received possession of the temporalities on 24 November 1372; died in office in 1383; also known as Gregory O'Moghan or O'Mahon13841386Gregorius Ó Mocháin IIAppointed c. 1384 by Avignon Pope Clement VII; deprived on 5 May 1386 by Pope Urban VI; died in 1392; also known as Gregory O'Moghan or O'Mahon13861393Uilliam Ó CormacáinAppointed on 5 May 1386 by Pope Urban VI; translated to Clonfert on 27 January 1393; also known as William O'Cormacain13931407Muircheartach mac Pilib Ó CeallaighElected archbishop of Tuam in the summer of 1392, but not translated from Clonfert until 26 January 1393; died in office on 29 September 1407; also known as Maurice O'Kelly14081410John Babingle, O.P.Appointed before 25 October 1408 by Pope Gregory XII, and 2 September 1409 by Antipope Alexander V; confirmed on 25 May 1410 by Antipope John XXIII; appointed later to Achonry in 14101411(Cornelius, O.F.M.)Appointed on 7 October 1411, but did not take effect14111430See vacant14301437Sean Mac FeoraisAppointed on 7 June and consecrated after 5 December 1430; died in office in 1437; also known as John Winfield14381441Tomás mac Muircheartaigh Ó Ceallaigh, O.P.Translated Clonfert in 1438, but did not get possession of the see; also known as Thomas O'Kelly14411450John MacSeonin Burke, O.S.A.Appointed on 9 October 1441 and consecrated c. November or December 1441; died in office before December 1450; also known as John Burke14501485Donatus Ó Muireadhaigh, O.S.A.Appointed on 2 December and consecrated after that date; died in office on 17 January 1485; also known as Donatus O'Murray1483(Walter Blake fitz John)Appointed on 8 August 1483, but did not take effect; later appointed to Clonmacnoise on 26 March 148714851501Uilliam SeóigheAppointed on 16 May 1485 and consecrated in 1487; died in office on 20 or 28 December 1501; also known as William Joyce1503Philip Pinson, O.F.M.Appointed on 2 December 1503, however, died of the plague at Rome on 5 December 150315031506See vacant15061513Muiris Ó Fithcheallaigh, O.F.M.Appointed on 26 June 1506; attended the Fifth Council of the Lateran in 1512; died in office at Galway on 25 May 1513; buried in the Franciscan Convent of Galway; also known as Maurice O'Fihely or Maurice de Portu15141536Tomás Ó MaolalaidhTranslated from Clonmacnoise on 19 June 1514; died in office on 28 April 1536; buried at Galway, in the same tomb with his immediate predecessor; also known as Thomas O'MullallySources:, Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 374–375 ., The Province of Connaught, pp. 4–12., Maps, Genealogies, Lists, pp. 318–320.
Archbishops during the Reformation Archbishops of Tuam during the Reformation FromUntilIncumbentNotes15371572Christopher BodkinAppointed Church of Ireland archbishop by King Henry VIII on 15 February 1537; also was Bishop of Kilmacduagh 1533–1572; absolved from schism by Cardinal Pole and appointed apostolic administrator of Tuam and Kilmacduagh on 7 October 1555. He took the Oath of Supremacy, recognizing Queen Elizabeth I as Supreme Governor of the Church, in 1560.Fiants Ire. Eliz., nos. 198, 199; ] Papal legate Fr David Wolfe SJ described as an "adherent of the Queen" and "in good repute with all, even with his enemies" and commended that "Mass is sung and said, and he himself is daily in the choir".Moran, History of the Catholic Archbishops of Dublin since the Reformation, page 86 died in office in 1572.15381555Arthur O'FrielAppointed Catholic archbishop by the Holy See on 7 October 1538 in opposition to Bodkin, but was unable to get possession of the see; not known if he was ever consecrated; resigned when Bodkin was absolved in 1555; died c. 1573Sources:, Handbook of British Chronology, pp. 406 and 443., The Province of Connaught, pp. 12–18., Maps, Genealogies, Lists, pp. 379 and 431.
Post-Reformation archbishops
Church of Ireland succession