The Celtic Church of the Isles, Part 8: A Century of Reform

Largely due to the disarray into which the Irish church had fallen due to the Viking Wars, along with its own internal problems of ecclesiastical warfare, and partially due to the influence of Norman England next-door, the leaders of the church on the island began a series of synods aimed at organizing the church on Continental lines.  This was more possible than had previously been the case since towns had grown up around the abbeys and other monastic institutions across the land. 

The Danish bishops in Dublin, Waterford, and Wexford were unaffected because they were under the Archbishop of Canterbury.

By the way, one of the peculiarities of the Irish church from a Continental point-of-view was that in their synods, abbots, bishops, monks, nuns, and laity all met as one, not in separate bodies as was the case on the Continent.

First Synod of Cashel, 1101 CE

In 1101, Murdach O’Brien, high king of Ireland and king of Munster, held the Synod of Fiadh-mic-Oenghusa (also known as the First Synod of Cashel).  It passed a number of decisions which are not recorded but are known to have been aimed at the reduction of the number of sees and the organization of regular territorial dioceses.  Its most significant act was High King Murdach granting the lands of Cashel to the Irish Church forever.

Synod of Rath Breasail, 1111 CE

In 1111, the Synod of Rath Breasail (also known as the Synod of Fiadh-mic-Oenghusa), likewise called by Murdach O’Brien, divided Ireland into two provinces, one headed by Armagh and the other by Cashel, each with twelve territorial dioceses.  In addition to the two primatial sees, five sees were allotted to Ulster, two sees to Meath, five sees to Connacht, five sees to Leinster, and five sees to Munster.  The synod also mandated that Irish monasteries adopt Continental rules and systems of governance, with many foundations folding.  Those remaining operational became Augustinian Canons and Canonesses Regular for the most part, while some adopted the Rule of St. Benedict.

Several tribal sees of lesser prestige found themselves ignored, such as those of the Luigne, the Ui Mhaille, the Delbhna Tir Da Locha, and the Partraige Carra, as well as the two important sees of Roscommon, in the lands of the Ui Briuin Ai (of which the Sil Murray had once been the chief sept) and of Annaghdown, in the lands of the Ui Briuin Seola (or Muintir Murchada).

Later in the year, the Synod of Usnagh, either agreed to at Rath Breasail or else held in protest against it, divided Meath between the bishops of Meath and of Clonmacnoise.

Synod of Kells, 1152 CE

Because of the tentative nature of the organization mandated by Rath Breasail, the Synod of Kells was held in 1152, this time under the presidency of a cardinal sent from Rome.  The current high king, Turlough O’Connor, also king of Connacht, supported the primacy of Armagh over all other sees in Ireland, which it won.  The three Danish sees were integrated with the Irish whole.

At Kells, the island was divided into four provinces: Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, and Munster, with the primatial sees at Armagh, Tuam, Dublin, and Cashel.  Among these four provinces were distributed thirty-six dioceses, including the four primatial sees.  Some sees recognized at Rath Breasail disappeared while others which had resisted dissolution made the list. 

One notable disappearance after Kells is that of Meath as both a see and a province, the latter in the political as well as ecclesiastical sense.  The four provinces established at Kells are the same as those of today. 

Another change by the Synod of Kells was that several smaller parishes in a vicinity were combined into one larger parish.  These new parishes are largely represented by the modern civil parishes, the boundaries of which, for the most part, have remained unchanged since that time.  The parish church became a rectory and its smaller, now dependent churches became vicarages, or in some cases curacies.

Second Synod of Cashel, 1172

Though the four new archbishops accepted palls from Rome at Kells, the church itself remained stubbornly independent and, to Continental eyes, disorganized.  Therefore, in 1155, Pope Adrian IV, an Englishman, issued a papal bull authorizing Henry II of England to invade Ireland and enforce conformity.  Henry showed no interest at the time. 

After Richard de Clare and his Cambro-Norman supporters invaded the island in 1169 to restore Diarmid MacMurrough to the throne of Leinster and set themselves up with wide territories there, however, Henry took note.  He responded with the infamous Anglo-Norman invasion of 1172, finally claiming the title “Lord of Ireland”. 

In line with the Papal Bull of 1155, one of his chief actions was to attempt to bring the Irish Church in line.  At the Synod of Cashel in 1172, attendees passed a number of regulations to bring Irish practice in line with that of the Church of England and subordinate the Church of Ireland to the former.

From this time, bishops superceded abbots, though the latter remained important, and holders of both offices were no longer hereditary within the derbhfine.  Though certain traditional clerical families always produced bishops and abbots, these were elected or appointed in the Continental manner.  The designation “coarb” now referred not to the abbot of the founding saint’s monastery but to the bishop of the diocese.

Reforms in Albainn

Since about 900, the realms of Fortrenn and Caledon united under one crown had been called by the single name of Alba.

In Albainn, where the same changes began under Malcolm III Canmore mac Duncan and his Saxon wife, St. Margaret of the Cerdicingas (the dynasty out of Wessex that formerly ruled England), the royal couple patronized Celtic eccelsiastical establishments as well as establishing ones more orthodox in Continental terms.

Their son, Alexander I mac Malcolm, established two new dioceses in Scotland that followed Continental lines.

The greatest reformer, however, was David I mac Malcolm, who began his church reforms before his accession as King of the Brets and Scots while just Prince of the Cumbrians by reestablishing the Diocese of Glasgow.  Besides sponsoring the establishment of numerous houses of Continental orders, David formed eight cathedrals out of chapters of Culdees, all of which became colleges of secular canons, except for that at St Andrews, which existed in rivalry with a priory of Augustinian Canons until 1297.