At the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111, Tuam was named as the seat of a diocese corresponding roughly with the diocese of Elphin, whilst Cong was chosen as the seat of a diocese corresponding with the later archdiocese of Tuam in west Connacht. There is no record of any bishops of Cong, and no bishop was given the title "bishop of Tuam" in the Irish annals before 1152. However the annals recorded some "archbishops/bishops of Connacht" such as Cathasach Ua Conaill (died 1117), Domhnall Ua Dubhthaigh (1117–1136), Muireadhach Ua Dubhthaigh (1136–1150) – the latter was succeeded by Áed Ua hOissín. At the Synod of Kells in 1152, the archdiocese of Tuam was established with six suffragan dioceses.[1]
In 1569, the Church of Ireland bishopric of Mayo was annexed to the archbishopric. Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, a number of other bishoprics were also united to the archbishopric. The bishopric of Kilfenora was united to Tuam from 1661 to 1742, Ardagh from 1742 to 1839, and Killala and Achonry from 1834.
After an unsettled period in the mid to late sixteenth century, the Catholic archbishopric has had a consistent succession of archbishops. In 1631, the Catholic bishopric of Mayo was formally joined to Tuam by papal decree.[2]
The current archbishop is the Most Reverend Francis Duffy who was announced as the new archbishop of Tuam by the Holy See on 10 November 2021 and subsequently installed on 9 January 2022. The archbishop's residence is the Archbishop's House, Tuam, County Galway, Ireland.
Became the first Archbishop of Tuam at the Synod of Kells in 1152, where he received the pallium from Cardinal Giovanni Paparoni, the Papal Legate; died in office; also known as Hugh O'Hession, or Edanus
Formerly Dean of Tuam; elected archbishop before 6 April 1236 and consecrated in the same year; died in office before 25 December 1249; also known as Marianus, or Mael-Murry O'Laghnan
Formerly Chancellor of Tuam; elected archbishop before 27 May 1250; received possession of the temporalities on 25 July 1250; consecrated on 25 December 1250; died in office before 29 June 1256; also known as Florentius, Florence MacFlynn, Florence Floin, or Fiacha O'Flyn
Formerly Dean of St Paul's, London (1254–1257); elected archbishop on 29 May and consecrated on 6 September 1257; received possession of the temporalities on 6 November 1257; died in office before 22 April 1258; also known as Walter de London
Elected archbishop of Tuam after 17 July 1258, but not translated from Elphin until 23 March 1259; received possession of the temporalities on 20 July 1259; died in office 16 June 1279; also known as Thomas O'Conor
Translated from Waterford; appointed on 12 July and received possession of the temporalities on 15 September 1286; died in office on 3 July 1288; also known as Stephen of Fulburn
Elected archbishop of Tuam c. March 1312, but not translated from Elphin until 19 December 1312; received possession of the temporalities on 1 April 1313; died in office on 10 August 1348; also known as Malachias or Malachi MacHugh
Formerly Archdeacon of Cashel; appointed archbishop on 26 November 1348 and received possession of the temporalities on 6 October 1349; translated to Cashel before 8 March 1365; also known as Thomas MacCarwill or O'Carrol
Formerly Archdeacon of Cashel; appointed archbishop after 20 November 1364 and received possession of the temporalities on 19 July 1365; died in office on 19 September 1371; also known as John O'Grada or O'Grady
Translated from Elphin on 7 May 1372 and received possession of the temporalities on 24 November 1372; died in office in 1383; also known as Gregory O'Moghan or O'Mahon
Elected archbishop of Tuam in the summer of 1392, but not translated from Clonfert until 26 January 1393; died in office on 29 September 1407; also known as Maurice O'Kelly
Appointed on 26 June 1506; attended the Fifth Council of the Lateran in 1512; died in office at Galway on 25 May 1513; buried in the Franciscan Convent of Galway; also known as Maurice O'Fihely or Maurice de Portu
Translated from Clonmacnoise on 19 June 1514; died in office on 28 April 1536; buried at Galway, in the same tomb with his immediate predecessor; also known as Thomas O'Mullally
Appointed Church of Ireland archbishop by King Henry VIII on 15 February 1537; also was Bishop of Kilmacduagh 1533–1572; absolved from schism by Cardinal Pole and appointed apostolic administrator of Tuam and Kilmacduagh on 7 October 1555. He took the Oath of Supremacy, recognizing Queen Elizabeth I as Supreme Governor of the Church, in 1560.[5] Papal legate Fr David Wolfe SJ described as an "adherent of the Queen" and "in good repute with all, even with his enemies" and commended that "Mass is sung and said, and he himself is daily in the choir".[6][7] died in office in 1572.
Appointed Catholic archbishop by the Holy See on 7 October 1538 in opposition to Bodkin, but was unable to get possession of the see; not known if he was ever consecrated; resigned when Bodkin was absolved in 1555; died c. 1573
Nominated on 24 May and appointed by letters patent on 17 May 1595; voluntarily resigned in 1609, and dying soon afterwards at Tuam; buried at St Mary's Cathedral, Tuam
Nominated on 28 June and consecrated on 2 August 1609; died in office on 11 July 1628; his was the translator of the New Testament and of the Book of Common Prayer; also recorded as William O'Donnell
Formerly of Dean of Christ Church, Dublin and Archdeacon of Meath; nominated on 6 February and consecrated in April 1629; died in office on 22 February 1638; also known as Ralph Barlow
Translated from Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe; nominated on 23 January and appointed by letters patent on 18 March 1679; died in office on 28 March 1716
Translated from Raphoe; nominated on 19 May and appointed by letters patent on 8 June 1716; died in office on 23 July 1741; his son Edward was bishop of Clonfert & Kilmacduagh (1730–32), Cloyne (1732–34), Ferns & Leighlin (1734–40), and Elphin (1740–62)
Translated from Ferns and Leighlin; appointed by letters patent on 8 August 1782; also became the 3rd Earl of Mayo in 1792; died in office on 20 August 1794
Translated from Ossory; appointed by letters patent on 10 October 1794; also was created the 1st Baron Decies in 1812; died in office on 8 September 1819
Appointed coadjutor archbishop of Tuam on 22 August, succeeded as archbishop on 31 October 1713, and consecrated on 4 April 1714; died in office before September 1723
Appointed an auxiliary bishop of Tuam on 16 December 1937 and consecrated on 2 January 1938; appointed archbishop of Tuam on 16 January 1940; retired on 31 January 1969; died on 20 June 1972
Translated from Clonfert on 22 August 1987; resigned as archbishop on 28 June 1994, but continued as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese until 5 March 1995
Appointed an auxiliary bishop of Tuam on 20 May 1992 and received episcopal ordination on 13 September 1992; appointed archbishop of Tuam on 17 January 1995 and installed on 5 March 1995; retired on 10 November 2021
Cotton, Henry (1850). The Province of Connaught. Fasti Ecclesiae Hiberniae: The Succession of the Prelates and Members of the Cathedral Bodies of Ireland. Vol. 4. Dublin: Hodges and Smith.
Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I., eds. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd, reprinted 2003 ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-56350-X.
Moody, T. W.; Martin, F. X.; Byrne, F. J., eds. (1984). Maps, Genealogies, Lists: A Companion to Irish History, Part II. New History of Ireland. Vol. XI. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-821745-5.
