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Patrick Finegan

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The Most Reverend

Patrick Finegan
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kilmore
ChurchCatholic Church
DioceseDiocese of Kilmore
In office1910–1937; (died)
PredecessorAndrew Boylan
SuccessorPatrick Lyons (bishop of Kilmore)
Orders
Ordination18 Dec 1881
Consecration11 Sept 1910
by Patrick O'Donnell (cardinal)
Personal details
Born(1858-08-17)17 August 1858
DiedCavan
Styles of
Patrick Finegan
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleMy Lord
Religious styleBishop

Patrick Finegan (1858–1937) was an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of Kilmore from 1910 to 1937.[1]

Early life and education

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Born on 16 August 1858 in the townland of Corlurgan in County Cavan, in the parish of Urney and Annagelliff, the son of James Finegan and Mary O'Reilly of Corlurgan. He educated at Kilmore Academy and St. Patrick's College, Cavan which replaced it as the Diocesan School and seminary, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Kilmore on 18 December 1881.[2]

He ministered in the parishes of Annagh, Cavan, Knockninny and Templeport and was serving as parish priest of Ballinamore from 30 October 1908 until 13 August 1910 when he was appointed Bishop of Kilmore. An illuminated address congratulating him on his appointment and praying his "piety, scholarship and patriotism" was presented to him by the people of Ballinamore and was returned to the area a century later.[3]

Bishop of Kilmore

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He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Kilmore by Pope Pius X on 11 September 1910.[2][4][5] Finegan's episcopal consecration took place on 11 September 1910; the principal consecrator was Patrick O'Donnell, Bishop of Raphoe (later Archbishop of Armagh), and the principal co-consecrators were Joseph Hoare, Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise and Laurence Gaughran, Bishop of Meath.[2][4][5]

He invited the Norbertine order to his diocese in 1924 and they created the Priory at Kilnacrott, Co Cavan as well as an adjacent secondary school, St Norbert's College. [It was from this Abbey that the notorious sexual predator priest Fr Brendan Smyth would later settle and operate.][6]

Bishop Finegan died in office on 25 January 1937, aged 78.[2][4][5] He remained a priest for 55 years and a bishop for 26 years.[2]

Notes

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  1. ^ Canning, Bernard (1988). Bishops of Ireland 1870-1987. Ballyshannon: Donegal Democrat. p. 140. ISBN 1870963008.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Bishop Patrick Finegan". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Historical address to Bishop Finegan in Ballinamore Library".
  4. ^ a b c Fryde et al. 1986, Handbook of British Chronology, p. 437.
  5. ^ a b c Moody, Martin & Byrne 1984, A New History of Ireland, volume IX, p. 350.
  6. ^ "Norbertines' time in Ireland caused unspeakable damage".

References

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  • Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I., eds. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd, reprinted 2003 ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
  • Moody, T. W.; Martin, F. X.; Byrne, F. J., eds. (1984). Maps, Genealogies, Lists: A Companion to Irish History, Part II. A New History of Ireland. Vol. IX. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-821745-5.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Kilmore
1910–1937
Succeeded by