Diocese of Limerick

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Bishop(s) Donal Brendan Murray, Bishop

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Erected: 7th Century Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Cashel (-Emly) Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Ireland Square Kilometers: 2,100 (811 Square Miles) Description: Most of Limerick, parts of Clare and Kerry Official Web Site: http://www.limerickdiocese.org/ Mailing Address: 66 O'Connell Street, Limerick, Ireland Telephone: (061)31.58.56 Fax: 31.01.86

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Cornelius O’Dea † ( 1400 Appointed - 1426 Resigned)
• John O'Mollony † ( 1698 Appointed - 1702 Died)
• Cornelius O'Keeffe † (7 Mar 1720 Appointed - 4 May 1737 Died)
• Robert Lacy † (30 Aug 1737 Appointed - 4 Aug 1759 Died)
• Daniel (O')Kearney † (27 Nov 1759 Appointed - 24 Jan 1778 Died)
• Denis Conway † (25 Feb 1779 Appointed - 19 Jun 1796 Died)
• John Young † (19 Jun 1796 Succeeded - 22 Sep 1813 Died)
• Charles Tuohy † (4 Oct 1814 Appointed - 17 Mar 1828 Died)
• John Ryan † (17 Mar 1828 Succeeded - 4 Jun 1864 Died)
• George Butler † (4 Jun 1864 Succeeded - 3 Feb 1886 Died)
• Edward Thomas O'Dwyer † (18 May 1886 Appointed - 19 Aug 1917 Died)
• Denis Hallinan † (10 Jan 1918 Appointed - 2 Jul 1923 Died)
• David Keane † (29 Dec 1923 Appointed - 14 Mar 1945 Died)
• Patrick O'Neill † (15 Dec 1945 Appointed - 27 Mar 1958 Died)
• Henry Murphy † (1 Jul 1958 Appointed - 8 Oct 1973 Died)
• Jeremiah Newman † (17 May 1974 Appointed - 3 Apr 1995 Died)
• Donal Brendan Murray (10 Feb 1996 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
7th Century	Erected		Diocese of Limerick (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	114,000	117,560	97.0%	119	105	224	508		210	580	48	ap1951
1970	116,200	118,455	98.1%	131	129	260	446		224	646	52	ap1971
1980	136,808	139,108	98.3%	142	103	245	558		155	483	58	ap1981
1990	140,600	144,000	97.6%	140	97	237	593		147	474	59	ap1991
1999	160,000	165,000	97.0%	127	73	200	800		111	363	60	ap2000
2000	160,000	165,000	97.0%	121	75	196	816		110	355	60	ap2001
2001	160,000	167,000	95.8%	120	70	190	842		96	350	60	ap2002
2002	160,000	167,000	95.8%	121	70	191	837		95	348	60	ap2003
2003	160,000	167,000	95.8%	121	60	181	883		85	345	60	ap2004
2004	160,000	167,000	95.8%	122	56	178	898		81	343	60	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• John Fleming (Priest: 18 Jun 1972 to 19 Feb 2002)
• Donal Brendan Murray (Bishop: 10 Feb 1996)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• George Butler † (Coadjutor Bishop: 13 Jun 1861; Bishop: 4 Jun 1864 to 3 Feb 1886)
• Denis Conway † (Bishop: 25 Feb 1779 to 19 Jun 1796)
• James Francis Corbett † (Priest: 29 May 1858 to 1863)
• Denis Hallinan † (Priest: 1874; Bishop: 10 Jan 1918 to 2 Jul 1923)
• David Keane † (Bishop: 29 Dec 1923 to 14 Mar 1945)
• Daniel (O')Kearney † (Bishop: 27 Nov 1759 to 24 Jan 1778)
• Robert Lacy † (Bishop: 30 Aug 1737 to 4 Aug 1759)
• Henry Murphy † (Priest: 21 Jun 1936; Bishop: 1 Jul 1958 to 8 Oct 1973)
• Jeremiah Newman † (Priest: 18 Jun 1950; Bishop: 17 May 1974 to 3 Apr 1995)
• Cornelius O’Dea † (Bishop: 1400 to 1426)
• Edward Thomas O'Dwyer † (Priest: Jun 1867; Bishop: 18 May 1886 to 19 Aug 1917)
• Cornelius O'Keeffe † (Bishop: 7 Mar 1720 to 4 May 1737)
• John O'Mollony † (Bishop: 1698 to 1702)
• Patrick O'Neill † (Bishop: 15 Dec 1945 to 27 Mar 1958)
• John Ryan † (Coadjutor Bishop: 30 Sep 1825; Bishop: 17 Mar 1828 to 4 Jun 1864)
• Charles Tuohy † (Priest: 1780; Bishop: 4 Oct 1814 to 17 Mar 1828)
• John Young † (Priest: 23 Sep 1769; Coadjutor Bishop: 3 Jan 1793; Bishop: 19 Jun 1796 to 22 Sep 1813)