Diocese Of Achonry

Mayo

ACHONRY the DIOCESE is one of the six constituting the ecclesiastical province of Tuam : it comprehends a large portion of the county of Sligo and part of that of Mayo, and extends about 35 miles in length and 27 in breadth, comprising by estimation a superficial area of 207,650 plantation acres, of which 113,950 are in Sligo, and 93,700 in Mayo.

From about the commencement of the 17th century it was held with the see of Killala, as one bishoprick, till 1833, when they were both annexed, under the provisions of the Church Temporalities' Act (3rd of Wm. IV.), to the archiepiscopal see of Tuam. The chapter consists of a dean, precentor, archdeacon, and the three prebendaries of Ballysodere, Killaraght, and Kilmovee : there are neither minor canons nor vicars choral. The cathedral, dedicated to St. Nathy, and called the cathedral church of St. Crumnathy, Achonry , is parochial : it is kept in good repair by an assessment on the parishioners, but in future the expenses will be defrayed by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners ; there is no economy fund.

The diocese comprehends 25 parishes, of which three are consolidated rectories and vicarages, two appropriate rectories, and the remainder are vicarages of which the rectories are impropriate: the number of benefices is thirteen, all of which, with the dignities and prebends, are in the patronage of the Archbishop of Tuam, except the deanery, which is in the gift of the Crown; there is one perpetual cure dependent on the deanery and in the patronage of the Dean; the number of churches is eleven, and of glebe-houses, six. The see lands comprise 11,784 acres, of which 8391 are profitable land; and the glebe lands of the benefices consist of Irish acres. The gross annual revenue of the diocese payable to the bishop is, on an average, £1481. 6s. 9 1/2d ; and the entire tithes amount to £7354. 0. 5. per annum, of which £4549.9shillings 11 1/2 pence is payable to the clergy, and the remainder to lay impropriators.

In the R. C. divisions this diocese includes also the parishes of Kilgarvan and Attymass (which in the Protestant church form part of the adjoining diocese of Killala), and, as originally founded, continues a distinct bishoprick, suffragan to that of Tuam, and comprising 19 parochial unions or parishes, containing 85 chapels, which are served by 19 parish priests and 18 curates or coadjutors.