Cashel Diocese

The diocese of Cashel comprehends the greater part of the county of Tipperary and small portions of the counties of Kilkenny and Limerick; it is 35 British miles in length and 29 in breadth, comprehending an estimated superficies of 278,000 acres, of which 600 are in Kilkenny, 850 in Limerick, and the remainder in the county of Tipperary. There are belonging to the archiepiscopal see, or united dioceses of Cashel and Emly, 20,046 ½ statute acres; and the gross amount of its yearly revenue, including the prebends of Glankyne and Isertlaurence, on an average of three years, ending December, 1831, was by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners returned at £7354. 2. The chapter consists of a dean, precentor, chancellor, treasurer, and archdeacon, and the five prebendaries of Glankeen, Killaldriffe or Killaldry, Fennor, Newchapel, and Kilbragh; the prebend of Glankeen belongs to the archbishop in right of his see.

The vicars choral are a separate corporate body, anciently consisting of eight, but now of five only; they are endowed with various lands and tithes, the former comprising 644 statute acres, and both let on lease at £690. 10. 7 ¼. per annum. The economy estate of the cathedral consists of the rectorial tithes of the parish of St. Patrick's Rock, and the interest of £1000 in the new three and a half per cent. stock, together with a small sum in the old 3 ½ per cents., amounting to £399. 9. per annum. The diocese comprises 49 benefices, of which 22 are unions, and 27 single parishes or portions of parishes; three are in the gift of the Crown, three in lay patronage, and the remainder in the patronage of the archbishop. The total number of parishes or districts is 103, of which 92 are rectories and vicarages, and the remainder perpetual or impropriate curacies, or parishes without provision for the cure of souls. There are 31 churches, and two other buildings in which divine service is performed; and 27 glebe-houses.

In the R. C. divisions the archbishop of Cashel is primate and metropolitan of Munster; his dioceses are Cashel and Emly, to which the six bishopricks of Cloyne and Ross, Cork, Kerry, Killaloe, Limerick, and Waterford and Lismore, are suffragan. The diocese of Kilfenora, which is united to Kilmacduagh, in the province of Connaught, is alternately suffragan to the archbishopricks of Cashel and Tuam. The united R. C. dioceses of Cashel and Emly comprise 47 parochial unions or districts, containing 88 chapels served by 46 parish priests and 63 coadjutors or curates. The parochial benefices of Thurles and Moykarky are held by the archbishop: the cathedral, situated in the town of Thurles, is a very fine structure. There are one Presbyterian and four other dissenting places of worship.