When the Church in England broke communion with the
Catholic Church, the
Church of England was established by the state as the
established church. Later, by decree of the
Irish Parliament, a similar new body became the
state church in the
Kingdom of Ireland. It assumed possession of most Church property (and so retained a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population remained faithful to the Catholic Church, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church. They were obliged to find alternative premises and to conduct their services in secret. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the
Church of Ireland or, especially in
Ulster, to
Presbyterianism. In 1833, the two provinces of
Dublin and Cashel were merged. Over the centuries, numerous dioceses were merged, in view of declining membership. The same is true for this diocese where it can be seen that each of the entities listed in the title would have been a diocese in its own right. It is for this reason that the united diocese has six
cathedrals.
Previous entities The bishoprics of
Ferns and
Leighlin were united in 1597. Over 238 years, there were twenty-nine bishops of that united diocese. Under the
Church Temporalities (Ireland) Act 1833 (
3 & 4 Will. 4. c. 37), the united
bishopric of Ferns and Leighlin merged with the
bishopric of Ossory to form the
United Dioceses of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin on 12 July 1835. Over the next 142 years, there were twelve bishops of that united diocese. Under the same Act, the
Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly merged with the
United Dioceses of Waterford and Lismore from 14 August 1833. The resultant union was styled the "United Dioceses of Cashel and Waterford". In 1977, the
see of "Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin" merged with the neighbouring see of the
United Dioceses of Cashel and Waterford. The resultant union was styled the "United Dioceses of Cashel and Ossory"; it is this entity which continues in existence today. At a specially convened Synod of the United Diocese of Cashel and Ossory and the Diocese of Ferns held on Saturday 25 May 2013, it was decided that the Diocese of Ferns, which had operated as an autonomous entity with its own Diocesan Council and Synod, would be fully merged with the Diocese of Cashel and Ossory to constitute the United Diocese of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory. This change came into effect on the occasion of the Diocesan Synod held at Enniscorthy, County Wexford on Wednesday 23 October 2013. The
Ossory Clerical Society/Association was an evangelical organisation founded by Church of Ireland Clergy in Ossory in 1800. ==Cathedrals of the united diocese==