DUBLIN, ARCHDIOCESE OF. - In Ireland. The name comes from the Gaelic Duibblin, meaning black pool. The territory of the archdiocese was visited by St. Patrick, the apostle of Ireland, who established bishops in the district. The saint organized the Irish Church on an episcopal basis; but about a century after his death (461), this state of affairs was replaced by an organization based on monasticism, which he himself had introduced. This means that the abbot of the monastery became the spiritual moderator of the adjacent territory. In many cases he was a bishop; otherwise he had a bishop in his community who discharged the episcopal functions. This system persisted until the 12th century, when a synod of 1100 finally organized the Irish Church on a diocesan basis as in the rest of continental Europe. Since the episcopal see of D. was founded only in 1038, and on the other hand we have no record of monasteries in D. for the preceding period, one must conclude that those who are designated as bishops of D. before this period belonged to monastic communities of the surrounding territory. Among these early bishops are to be remembered St. Livinus and St. Rumold, first bishop of Malines. Both died as martyrs in Belgium; the first in 663 and the second in 775.
The city of D. was founded by the invading Danes in 852, and a Danish kingdom maintained itself there for the following three centuries. Around the middle of the 10th century these pagan raiders opened themselves to the influence of the Catholic faith through the monks of Northumbria, a Danish kingdom of England. In 1038, Donatus, an Irishman, became the first bishop of D. But since the Danes had received the Gospel from England, they considered Canterbury as their spiritual metropolis; therefore Donatus and his four immediate successors were consecrated by the archbishop of that see.
This dependence ceased when in 1331 D. was erected as a metropolitan see by an Irish synod presided over by a papal legate.
In 1169 the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place, which soon placed D. among its conquests. The archbishop during this period was St. Lorcan or Tuathail (anglicized Laurence or Teolo), distinguished for his pastoral zeal, patriotism and charity. He died at Eu in Normandy in 1180, while on his way to the aid of his people, and was canonized by Honorius III in 1226.
In 1185 it was established that the diocese of Glendalech, founded by St. Goengen (or Kevin) in the 6th century, would be united to D. after the death of its bishop in office, which occurred in 1214.
After St. Lorcan, the archbishops of D. were for a period of four centuries all of English origin, appointed by the monarch of that region. Many of these archbishops refused to recognize the primatial rights of Armagh, obtaining papal bulls in favor of their position. On the other hand the archbishops of Armagh (v.) had on their side rights existing for several centuries which in turn were also sanctioned by the Holy See. An attempt was made in Rome in 1353 to settle the controversy and it was decided that the archbishop of Armagh would be called Primas totius Hiberniae while that of D. simply Primas Hiberniae, in imitation of the prelates of Canterbury and York in England. But the dispute did not end and still in the 18th century the archbishop of Armagh reserved to himself the appeal over D.
Worthy of mention among the archbishops of the period of the Reformation is Peter Talbot, who died in prison in 1680. His cause for beatification is in progress.
Precious liturgical manuscripts are preserved in Trinity College, among them the "Book of Armagh" of the year 807; others in the Royal Irish Academy, among which the Stowe Missal (v. CELTI, IV: LITURGIA).
The archdiocese, in 3184 sq. km., comprises 90 parishes, 170 churches, 1 auxiliary bishop, 446 diocesan priests and 578 regulars, 3 seminaries; 40 communities of lay religious, 139 convents of sisters. Out of a total population of 709,729 inhabitants, 639,542 are Catholics (1949). The cathedral is dedicated to Mary Most Holy.
Bibliography5 works
Dionisio Mac Daid