Armagh, Ireland, archdiocese of
Armagh, Ireland, archdiocese of
Primatial see of Ireland . Comprises Louth, most of Armagh and parts of Tyrone, Derry and Meath Saint Patrick built a stone church on Ard-Macha (Hill of Macha, a legendary queen), and made it his see in 445 ; he held a synod here in 448 , one of the still-extant canons of which states that cases of conscience, if too difficult to be disposed of by the Archbishop of Armagh , should be referred to the See of Rome. King Brian Boru captured the city, 1004 , but acknowledged its primacy; he was buried here. The 12th-century cathedral , on the site of the church built by Saint Patrick, has been in Protestant hands since the Reformation. The last historical mention of the Culdees is at Armagh in 1633 , when they were incorporated in the Catholic cathedral chapter by Primate Hugh O’Reilly; to this day, their estates belong to the “vicars choral” of the Protestant cathedral . Notable bishops and archbishops include
Saint Malachy O’Morgair , patron saint of the diocese (1134 -1137 )
Saint Gelasius (1138 to 1174 )
Robert Wauchope (1539 -1551 ), who introduced the Jesuits into Ireland and assisted at the Council of Trent
Peter Lombard (1601 -1625 )
Hugh O’Reilly (1628 -1653 ), who took part in the Confederation of Kilkenny, and became generalissimo of the Catholic forces
Saint Oliver Plunket (1669 -1681 ), martyr
Hugh MacMahon (1714-1737), who in the penal times, said Mass and administered Confirmation in the open air
Patrick Curtis (1819-1832), who advanced the cause of Catholic Emancipation
William Crolly (1835-1849), who began the new cathedral
Paul Cullen (1849 -1852 ), who became Archbishop of Dublin , Ireland , and was created cardinal
Michael Logue (1887-1924), first Cardinal -Primate of Armagh, who completed the cathedral , which was consecrated 24 July 1904
Suffragan dioceses include
Ardagh
Clogher
Derry
Down and Connor
Dromore
Kilmore
Meath
Raphoe
See also:
Catholic-Hierarchy.Org
Archdiocese of Armagh
patron saints index
New Catholic Dictionary