Later Developments

For several hundred years after the Reformation, a Catholic cathedral was out of the question in either Killaloe or Kilfenora. When a new parish church was being built in Ennis in the 1830s the man behind the project, Dean Terence O'Shaughnessy P.P., felt that one day it might be used as the cathedral church of the diocese. The new church was opened in 1843, while the tower and spire were added in 1874. When Thomas McRedmond was appointed coadjutor bishop of Killaloe in December 1889 he decided to live in Ennis, the first bishop to do so for well over one hundred years. Bishop McRedmond remained there after he succeeded as bishop of the diocese in 1891 and since then all his successors as bishops of Killaloe have also lived in Ennis. As a result the parish church of Ennis has been used as a cathedral for nearly a century. As it was not specifically built for this purpose it is called a pro-cathedral.

Kilfenora diocese maintained its independence until 1750 when it was united with another small diocese, Kilmacduagh in south Galway. As Kilfenora was in Cashel province and Kilmacduagh was in Tuam province the dioceses did not lose their separate identities and an unusual arrangement was made. The first bishop of the united dioceses was to be Bishop of Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora. His successor was to be Bishop of Kilfenora and Apostolic Administrator of Kilmacduagh and the succession was to continue with similar alternations. This arrangement lasted until 1883 when the Holy See decided to unite Kilfenora and Kilmacduagh with Galway. The new bishop was to be Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apolostic Administrator of Kilfenora. The title 'Apostolic Administrator' is a recognition of the fact that Kilfenora belongs to a different province (Cashel) from Galway & Kilmacduagh (Tuam) and so nominally maintains a separate identity. Because the Bishop of Galway is technically administering Kilfenora on behalf of the Pope, it has been described as the Pope's diocese.

By Ignatius Murphy

Clare County Library wishes to thank Clare Local Studies Project for preparation of text for this publication.