Diocese of Ferns, Ireland

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Ferns / Fernen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Dublin

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Aidan (January 30)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

598: Established as Abbacy nullius of Ferns / Fernen(sis) (Latin)
1111: Promoted as Diocese of Ferns / Fernen(sis) (Latin)
1152: Became suffragan of Dublin

Contact Info

Address: Bishop’s House, Summerhill, Wexford, Ireland

Phone: (053)91.22.177

Tweets

Present Prelates

Bishop (2021.06.11 – ...):

Bishop Gerard Nash (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Ferns (Roman Rite)

Bishop Gerard Nash (65)
(2021.06.11 – ...)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland)

I sÍth agus Muintearas Íosa

Born:	1959.02.27 (Tulla, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1991.06.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2021.09.05

Priest of Killaloe (Ireland) (1991.06.15 – 2021.06.11)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (2021.06.11 – ...)

Bishop Denis Brennan (78)
(2006.03.01 – 2021.06.11)

Bishop emeritus of Ferns (Ireland)

Rejoice and be glad

Born:	1945.06.20 (Springmount, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1970.05.31
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.04.23

Priest of Ferns (Ireland) (1970.05.31 – 2006.03.01)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (2006.03.01 – 2021.06.11)

Bishop Brendan Oliver Comiskey, SS.CC. (88)
(1984.04.04 – 2002.04.06)

Bishop emeritus of Ferns (Ireland)

Born:	1935.08.13 (Tasson, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1961.06.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1980.01.20

Titular Bishop of Thibilis (1979.12.03 – 1984.04.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin (Ireland) (1979.12.03 – 1984.04.04)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1984.04.04 – 2002.04.06)

Bishop Donald J. Herlihy
(1964.10.30 – 1983.04.02)

Born:	1908.11.29 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1931.04.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.11.15
Died:	1983.04.02 († 74)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1964.10.30 – 1983.04.02)

Bishop James Staunton
(1938.12.10 – 1963.06.27)

Born:	1889.02.20 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1913.06.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1939.02.05
Died:	1963.06.27 († 74)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1938.12.10 – 1963.06.27)

Bishop William Codd
(1917.12.07 – 1938.03.12)

Born:	1864.07.06 (Ireland)
Died:	1938.03.12 († 73)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1917.12.07 – 1938.03.12)

Bishop James Browne
(1884.07.06 – 1917.06.21)

Born:	1842.08.28
Died:	1917.06.21 († 74)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1884.07.06 – 1917.06.21)

Bishop Michael Warren
(1876.03.14 – 1884.04.22)

Born:	1826 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1853
Consecrated Bishop:	1876.05.07
Died:	1885.04.22 († 58)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1876.03.14 – 1884.04.22)

Bishop Thomas Furlong
(1857.01.09 – 1875.11.12)

Born:	1803 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1826.05.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1857.03.22
Died:	1875.11.12 († 71)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1857.01.09 – 1875.11.12)

Bishop James Keating
(1819.03.09 – 1849.09.07)

Born:	1783 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1808
Consecrated Bishop:	1819.03.21
Died:	1849.09.07 († 65)

Titular Bishop of Antinœ (1819.01.12 – 1819.03.09)

Coadjutor Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1819.01.12 – 1819.03.09)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1819.03.09 – 1849.09.07)

Bishop Patrick Ryan
(1814.01.14 – 1819.03.09)

Born:	(Ireland)
Consecrated Bishop:	1805.02.02
Died:	1819.03.09

Titular Bishop of Germanicia (1804.10.02 – 1814.01.14)

Coadjutor Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1804.10.02 – 1814.01.14)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1814.01.14 – 1819.03.09)

Bishop James Caulfield
(1786.10.19 – 1814.01.14)

Born:	(Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1757.08.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1782.07.07
Died:	1814.01.14

Titular Bishop of Birtha (1782.02.26 – 1786.10.19)

Coadjutor Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1782.02.26 – 1786.10.19)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1786.10.19 – 1814.01.14)

Bishop Nicholas Sweetman
(1745.01.25 – 1786.10.21)

Born:	1696 (Ireland)
Died:	1786.10.21 († 89)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1745.01.25 – 1786.10.21)

Bishop Ambrose O’Callaghan, O.F.M.
(1729.09.26 – 1744.08.08)

Died:

1744.08.08

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1729.09.26 – 1744.08.08)

Bishop John Verdon
(1709.09.14 – 1728)

Died:

1728

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1709.09.14 – 1728)

Bishop Michael Rossiter
(1697.07.01 – 1709)

Died:

1709

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1697.07.01 – 1709)

Bishop Luke Wadding
(1678.08.23 – 1691)

Consecrated Bishop:	1684
Died:	1691

Titular Bishop of Zenopolis (1671.08.26 – 1678.08.23)

Coadjutor Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1671.08.26 – 1678.08.23)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1678.08.23 – 1691)

Bishop Nicolas Franch
(1645.02.06 – 1678.08.23)

Born:	1604 (Ireland)
Consecrated Bishop:	1645.12.03
Died:	1678.08.23 († 73)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1645.02.06 – 1678.08.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) (1652 – 1666)

Auxiliary Bishop of Paris (France) (1666 – 1668)

Auxiliary Bishop of Gent (Belgium) (1668 – 1678.08.23)

Bishop John Roche
(1624.04.29 – 1636.04.09)

Died:

1636.04.09

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1624.04.29 – 1636.04.09)

Bishop Peter Power
(1582.04.27 – 1587)

Died:

1587

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1582.04.27 – 1587)

Bishop Alexander Devereux
(? – 1566)

Died:

1566

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (? – 1566)

Bishop Gabriel de S. Serio, O.S.B.
(1541.06.03 – 1542.05.05)

Died:

1542.05.05

Bishop of Elphin (Ireland) (1539.08.27 – 1541.06.03)

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1541.06.03 – 1542.05.05)

Bishop Bernard O’Donnell, O.F.M.
(1541.03.30 – 1541.06.03)

Died:

1542

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1541.03.30 – 1541.06.03)

Bishop of Elphin (Ireland) (1541.06.03 – 1542)

Bishop John Purcell
(1519.04.13 – 1539.07.20)

Consecrated Bishop:	1519.05.06
Died:	1539.07.20

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1519.04.13 – 1539.07.20)

Bishop Nicholas Comyn
(1510 – 1519.04.13)

Consecrated Bishop:	1510.01.20
Died:	1557.07.12

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1510 – 1519.04.13)

Bishop of Waterford and Lismore (Ireland) (1519.04.13 – 1550.07.21)

Bishop Edmund Comerford
(1505 – 1509.04.15)

Consecrated Bishop:	1505
Died:	1509.04.15

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1505 – 1509.04.15)

Bishop Laurence Neville
(1479.10.26 – 1503)

Died:

1503

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1479.10.26 – 1503)

Bishop John Purcell
(1457.10.04 – 1479)

Died:

1479

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1457.10.04 – 1479)

Bishop Robert Whittey
(1418.02.16 – 1457.10.05)

Died:

1458

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1418.02.16 – 1457.10.05)

Bishop Patrick Barrett, O.E.S.A.
(1400.12.10 – 1415.11.10)

Consecrated Bishop:	1400.12
Died:	1415.11.10

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1400.12.10 – 1415.11.10)

Bishop Thomas Dene
(1363 – 1400.08.27)

Consecrated Bishop:	1363.06.18
Died:	1400.08.27

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1363 – 1400.08.27)

Bishop William Carnells, O.P.
(1350.04.19 – 1362)

Consecrated Bishop:	1350
Died:	1362

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1350.04.19 – 1362)

Bishop John Esmond
(1349 – 1349)

Consecrated Bishop:

1349

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1349 – 1349)

Bishop of Emly (Ireland) (1356.02.28 – 1362)

Bishop Geoffrey Grandfield, O.E.S.A.
(1347.03.05 – 1348.10.22)

Consecrated Bishop:	1347.06
Died:	1348.10.22

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1347.03.05 – 1348.10.22)

Bishop Hugh of Saltu
(1347 – 1347)

Consecrated Bishop:

1347.04.08

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1347 – 1347)

Bishop Adam of Northampton
(1312 – 1346.10.29)

Consecrated Bishop:	1312.06.18
Died:	1346.10.29

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1312 – 1346.10.29)

Bishop Robert Walrand
(1305 – 1311.11.17)

Died:

1311.11.17

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1305 – 1311.11.17)

Bishop Simon of Evesham
(1304 – 1304.09.01)

Consecrated Bishop:	1304.06.22
Died:	1304.09.01

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1304 – 1304.09.01)

Bishop Richard of Northampton
(1282.07.28 – 1304.01.03)

Consecrated Bishop:	1283
Died:	1304.01.03

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1282.07.28 – 1304.01.03)

Bishop High of Lamport
(1258 – 1282.05.15)

Died:

1282.05.15

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1258 – 1282.05.15)

Bishop Geoffrey of St. John
(1254 – 1258)

Died:

1258

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1254 – 1258)

Bishop John of St. John
(1223 – 1253)

Died:

1253

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1223 – 1253)

Bishop Ailbe Ua Máel Muaid, O. Cist.
(1186 – 1223)

Died:

1223

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1186 – 1223)

Bishop Joseph Ua h-Áeda
(1161 – 1182)

Died:

1182

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (1161 – 1182)

Bishop Máel Eoin Ua Dúnacaín
(? – 1125)

Died:

1125

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (? – 1125)

Bishop Ceallach Ua Colmáin
(? – 1117)

Died:

1117

Bishop of Ferns (Ireland) (? – 1117)

Abbots nullius of Ferns (Roman Rite)

Saint Bishop Máedóc of Ferns (Aidan)
(598 – 632.01.31)

Born:	558 (County Cavan, Ireland)
Died:	632.01.31 (Ferns, Ireland † 73)
Canonised:	1902.06.19 (equipollently)

Bishop-Abbot nullius of Ferns (Ireland) (598 – 632.01.31)

Bishop.

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop-elect James Keating (1819.01.12 – 1819.03.09)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Patrick Ryan (1804.10.02 – 1814.01.14)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop James Caulfield (1782.02.26 – 1786.10.19)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop John Stafford (1772.12.14 – ?)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop-elect Luke Wadding (1671.08.26 – 1678.08.23)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St Aidan’s Cathedral, Enniscorthy, Wexford, Leinster
Former Cathedral (now Protestant church): Cathedral of St Aidan, Ferns, Wexford, Leinster
Shrines in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Churches by City (97)

Waterford and Lismore (↙), Ossory (↖), Kildare and Leighlin (↖), Dublin (↑)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 3,000 km²

Population: 119,546 Catholics (92.0% of 129,987 total)

Pastoral Centres: 49 parishes

Personnel: 98 priests (93 diocesan, 5 religious), 1 deacon, 96 religious (9 brothers, 87 sisters), 1 seminarian