Tullamore native appointed bishop

Tullamore native Fr Fintan Monahan has been appointed the new Bishop of Killaloe.

The appointment was announced at the weekend at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Ennis, the headquarters of the diocese, which covers parts of south Offaly including Birr. 

Born in Tullamore, the new Bishop-elect is the son of Tom and Peg Monahan and he has one brother, Seán, and one sister, Caitríona, who is married to Dominic.

Receiving his primary education in Tullamore, the new Bishop of Killaloe later moved with his family to Carraroe in Galway, where his father was principal at Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin, An Cheathrú Rua.

In 1996, the Monahans moved to Castlegar in Galway city, the homeplace of Peg Monahan. 

A fluent Irish speaker, Fintan Monahan later began studying for the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Tuam in Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth in 1984. In 1987 he completed a B.Sc. in NUI Maynooth, a B.D. in the Pontifical University in 1990, an S.T.L. in Biblical Theology in 1992 and a H.Dip. in Education in NUI Galway in 1993. 

He was ordained in Séipéal Mhic Dara, An Cheathrú Rua in1991 by Archbishop Joseph Cassidy. While studying for the H.Dip. in Education in Galway he was curate in An Tulach, Baile na hAbhann, Conamara from 1992-1993. 

From 1993-2006 he taught science, Irish and religion at the diocesan college, Saint Jarlath’s College in Tuam, along with coaching basketball and hurling.

In 2006, Archbishop Michael Neary appointed him chaplain to Saint Jarlath’s College and diocesan secretary. During that time he also worked in the area of communications, vocations promotion and served as editor of the Tuam Diocesan Magazine, New Dawn. In recent years he joined the Communications Council of the Irish Episcopal Conference