Clonard Abbey was founded by
Saint Finnian, first
Abbot of Clonard, in the early sixth century. There had been a number monastic bishops at the abbey, but it was not until the
Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 that the diocese of Clonard was established. Its boundaries were set at the
Synod of Kells in 1152, which covered roughly the western part of the
Kingdom of Meath with the
diocesan bishop's seat (
cathedra) located at Clonard Abbey. During the twelfth century the bishops of Clonard frequently used the title "
bishop of Meath" or "bishop of the men of Meath" meaning the original centre of the Kingdom of Meath in Westmeath. Clonard acquired most of Magh Breagh (what is now the county of Meath) by absorbing the
diocese of Duleek later in the twelfth century. After Bishop
Simon Rochfort transferred his seat from Clonard to
Trim in 1202, the title "bishop of Meath" became the normal style. The former seat of the
diocese of Breifne or the Uí Briuin at
Kells was absorbed into Meath in 1211, but that diocese remained extant among the Uí Briúin Bréifne, becoming the diocese of Kilmore. Following the
Reformation, there are two parallel
apostolic successions.
Church of Ireland diocese In the
Church of Ireland, the diocese of Meath united with Clonmacnoise in 1569, although only the single name of Meath to be continued. In 1976, the diocese of Meath was transferred from the
Province of Armagh to
Dublin. At the same time the diocese of Kildare was separated from
Dublin and Glendalough and the new
Diocese of Meath and Kildare was formed. The bishop has two seats:
Trim Cathedral and
Kildare Cathedral. The current Church of Ireland bishop is
Pat Storey, Bishop of Meath and Kildare, who was elected in 2013.
Roman Catholic diocese In the
Roman Catholic Church, Meath is still a separate diocese. The Roman Catholic bishop's seat is located at
Christ the King Cathedral, Mullingar. The current bishop is
Thomas Deenihan, Bishop of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath, who succeeded to the title on 18 June 2018. ==See also==