CLOCHER, DIOCESE of. - In Eire (Ireland), suffragan of Armagh. The name derives from the Gaelic Clochar (= stone church). The see was founded by St. Patrizio, who around 454 appointed St. Macartan, his disciple and companion, as its first bishop. Worthy of mention among the pastors of this see is Heber MacMatron (1643-50), who, after the death of O'Neil, was appointed to succeed him as commander of the Irish army against Cromwell. He was captured and beheaded. The cause of his martyrdom has been introduced before the S. Congregazione dei Riti.
In the diocese, at Loch Derg, is situated the “Purgatory of St. Patrizio,” where every year, from 1 June to 15 Aug., thousands of pilgrims gather for three continuous days of fasting, prayer, and penance.
The National Museum of Dublino preserves two relics of ancient Christian art originating from this diocese. They are the Cross of C. and the Dominach Airgid, a silver shrine for the preservation of a copy of the Gospels said to have been given by St. Patrizio to St. Macartan.
The diocese has 40 parishes, 88 churches, 110 diocesan priests, 22 regular priests, one community of regular clergy, 4 of lay brothers, 11 houses of nuns, 9 seminaries, about 117,250 inhabitants, of whom 83,569 are Catholics (1948).