Athlone native to be formally installed as Bishop of Galway

Athlone native Michael Duignan will be formally installed as the new Bishop of Galway at a ceremony in Galway Cathedral this weekend.

Bishop Duignan has served as Bishop of Clonfert since 2019, and in February it was announced that he would remain in that role while also becoming the new Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora

His installation will take place during a ceremony at 3pm this Sunday, May 1.

The 51-year-old is a native of Bealnamulla and a past pupil of Cloonakilla NS and Athlone's St Aloysius College. Some of Bishop Michael's relatives will participate in Sunday's ceremony, and representatives of every parish in both of his dioceses are due to be in attendance.

The ceremony will be concelebrated by the Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, and the outgoing Bishop of Galway, Brendan Kelly.

The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, will also concelebrate, as will Archbishop Michael Crotty, the Papal Nuncio to Burkina Fasso and Niger (a classmate of Bishop Duignan in Rome); Bishops of the Western Province; and priests from Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora and Clonfert.

Cardinal Seán Brady will also be in attendance, as will Bishop emeritus Martin Drennan.

The eldest of six children, Bishop Duignan was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Elphin in July 1994.

Since then he has served in a variety of roles, including as chaplain to Sligo IT, secretary to the Diocese of Elphin, and head of religious education and chaplaincy programmes at Saint Angela’s College, Sligo.

He chaired the organising committee for the visit of Pope Francis to Knock Shrine in 2018, and also served for many years as chairperson of the board of management of the College of the Immaculate Conception in Summerhill, Sligo.

The Mass at which he will be installed as the Bishop of Galway is to be streamed live on the Galway Cathedral website.