After the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church broke communion, by decree of the Irish Parliament, the Church of Ireland became the independent State Church of the Kingdom of Ireland. It assumed possession of most Church property (and so retained a great repository of religious architecture and other items, though some were later destroyed). The substantial majority of the population remained faithful to Roman Catholicism, despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the state church. The English-speaking minority mostly adhered to the Church of Ireland or to Presbyterianism. Since the formation of the Church of Ireland, it has experienced a continual process of merger of dioceses (see below), in view of declining membership. For this reason, the diocese had three cathedrals.
Predecessor dioceses
Prior to its own merger, the diocese was itself the result of a number of mergers of sees beginning in the seventeenth century:[1]
The diocese was divided into a number of parish groups.[5]
Adare Group: St Nicholas', Adare • Croom • St Andrew's, Kilfinane • St Peter & St Paul's, Kilmallock • St Beacon's, Kilpeacon • Knockaney.
Aughrim Group: St Catherine's, Ahascragh • Ardrahan • Holy Trinity, Aughrim • St Matthew's, Clontuskert • St John the Evangelist's, Creagh • Woodlawn, Kilconell.
Birr Group: St Brendan's, Birr • Dorrha • Lockeen • St Ruadhan's, Lorrha.
Clonfert (Cathedral) Group:St Brendan's Cathedral, Clonfert • St John the Baptist's, Donanaughta • Christ Church's, Lickmolassy • St Paul's, Rynagh.
