The Episcopal see was a union of the bishoprics of Ferns and Leighlin which were united in 1597. Over two hundred and thirty-eight years, there were twenty-nine bishops of the united diocese. Under the Church Temporalities (Ireland) Act 1833, Ferns and Leighlin were combined with Ossory to form the united bishopric of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin on 12 July 1835.[1][1][3]
| Bishops of Ferns and Leighlin[2][3] | | From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|
| 1597 | 1599 | Hugh Allen | Appointed Bishop of Ferns in 1582; he became bishop of Ferns and Leighlin when the two dioceses were united in 1597; died at Fethard-on-Sea in 1599 |
| 1600 | Robert Grave | Formerly Dean of Cork; nominated 30 April and appointed by letters patent 17 July 1600; he was consecrated at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin in August 1600; on returning to his diocese by sea, he and all his family were drowned in Dublin Bay on 1 October 1600 |
| 1601 | 1604 | Nicholas Stafford | Formerly Chancellor of Ferns; nominated 16 January and consecrated 18 March 1601; died 15 November 1604 and buried at St Mary's Church, Wexford |
| 1605 | 1634 | Thomas Ram | Formerly Dean of Ferns; nominated 6 February and consecrated 2 May 1605; died in Dublin on 24 November 1634 and was buried in his own private chapel at Gorey, County Wexford |
| 1635 | 1648 | George Andrews | Formerly Dean of Limerick; nominated 11 January and appointed by letters patent 8 May 1635; consecrated at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin 14 May 1635; he was forced to flee to England because of the Irish Rebellion of 1641; died in October 1648 and buried at St Clement's Church, Eastcheap, London |
| 1648 | 1661 | See vacant |
| 1661 | 1666 | Robert Price | He was Dean of Connor 1640–1660, where he suffered grievously in the Irish Rebellion of 1641; nominated bishop 6 August 1660 and appointed by letters patent 25 January 1661; consecrated 27 January and enthroned 5 April 1661; died in Dublin 26 March 1666 and buried in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin |
| 1667 | 1683 | Richard Boyle | Formerly Dean of Limerick; nominated 2 May and consecrated 10 June 1666; died in Old Leighlin circa January 1683 and buried in Leighlin Cathedral |
| 1683 | 1691 | Narcissus Marsh | Formerly Provost of Trinity College, Dublin; nominated 9 February and consecrated 6 May 1683; translated to Cashel 26 February 1691 |
| 1691 | 1722 | Bartholomew Vigors | Formerly Rector of Wexford and Dean of Armagh; nominated 25 December 1690 and consecrated 8 March 1691; died 3 January 1722 and buried St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin |
| 1722 | 1727 | Josiah Hort | Formerly Dean of Ardagh; nominated 17 January and consecrated 25 February 1722; translated to Kilmore and Ardagh 27 July 1727 |
| 1727 | 1730 | John Hoadly | Formerly Archdeacon of Salisbury; nominated 22 June and consecrated 3 September 1727; translated to Dublin 13 January 1730; his brother was Benjamin Hoadly who was bishop of Bangor, Hereford, Salisbury, and finally Winchester |
| 1730 | 1734 | Arthur Price | Translated from Clonfert and Kilmacduagh; nominated and appointed by letters patent 26 May 1730; translated to Meath 2 February 1734 |
| 1734 | 1740 | Edward Synge | Translated from Cloyne; nominated 18 January and appointed by letters patent 8 February 1734; translated to Elphin 15 May 1740 |
| 1740 | 1743 | George Stone | Formerly Dean of Derry; nominated 12 May and consecrated 3 August 1740; translated to Kildare 19 May 1743 |
| 1743 | 1744 | William Cottrell | Formerly Dean of Raphoe; nominated 15 February and consecrated 19 June 1743; died in England on 21 June 1744 |
| 1744 | 1752 | Robert Downes | Formerly Dean of Derry; nominated 14 July and consecrated 19 August 1744; translated to Down and Connor 13 October 1752; his father was Henry Downes, Bishop of Derry |
| 1752 | 1758 | John Garnet | Nominated 12 August and consecrated 12 November 1752; translated to Clogher 4 April 1758 |
| 1758 | Hon. William Carmichael | Translated from Clonfert and Kilmacduagh; nominated 17 March and appointed by letters patent 5 April 1758; translated to Meath 8 June 1758; his father was the second Earl of Hyndford |
| 1758 | 1759 | Thomas Salmon | Nominated 30 May and consecrated 11 June 1758; died in Tiverton, Devon on 19 March 1759 |
| 1759 | 1761 | Richard Robinson | Translated from Killala and Achonry; nominated 27 March and appointed by letters patent 19 April 1759; translated to Kildare 13 April 1761 |
| 1761 | 1765 | Charles Jackson | Nominated 20 March and consecrated 19 April 1761; translated to Kildare 25 February 1765 |
| 1765 | 1772 | Edward Young | Translated from Dromore; nominated 8 February and appointed by letters patent 4 March 1765; died of Pleurisy in Dublin on 29 August 1772 |
| 1772 | 1782 | Hon. Joseph Deane Bourke | Formerly Dean of Dromore; nominated 7 September and consecrated 11 October 1772; translated to Tuam 8 August 1782, and later also became the 3rd Earl of Mayo in 1792 |
| 1782 | 1787 | Walter Cope | Translated from Clonfert and Kilmacduagh; nominated 26 July and appointed by letters patent 9 August 1782; died in Dromally, County Armagh on 31 July 1787 |
| 1787 | 1789 | William Preston | Translated from Killala and Achonry; nominated 10 September and appointed by letters patent 9 November 1787; died in Dublin 19 April 1789 and buried in Ferns Cathedral |
| 1789 | 1809 | Euseby Cleaver | Translated from Cork and Ross; nominated 5 June and appointed by letters patent 13 June 1789; during the Rebellion of 1798 the bishop's palace, library and other property were destroyed; translated Dublin 25 August 1809 |
| 1809 | 1820 | Hon. Percy Jocelyn | Formerly Treasurer of Cork and Archdeacon of Ross; nominated 31 July and consecrated 13 September 1809; translated Clogher 3 April 1820; his father was the second Earl of Roden |
| 1820 | 1822 | Lord Robert Ponsonby Tottenham Loftus | Translated from Killaloe and Kilfenora; nominated 3 April and appointed by letters patent 5 May 1820; translated to Clogher 21 December 1822; his father was the first Marquess of Ely |
| 1822 | 1835 | Thomas Elrington | Translated from Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe; nominated 26 November and appointed by letters patent 21 December 1822; died in Liverpool 12 July 1835 and buried in Trinity College Chapel, Dublin |
| In 1835, the see became part of the united bishopric of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin |
1. ^Fryde, ibid., p. 404.
2. ^1 {{cite book |author1=Fryde, E. B. |author2=Greenway, D. E. |author3=Porter, S. |author4=Roy, I. |title=Handbook of British Chronology |edition=3rd |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |year=1986 |isbn=0-521-56350-X |pages=393–394}}
3. ^1 {{cite book |last=Cotton |first=Henry |title=The Succession of the Prelates and Members of the Cathedral Bodies of Ireland |series= Fasti ecclesiae Hiberniae |volume=Vol. 2, The Province of Leinster |year=1848 |publisher=Hodges and Smith |location=Dublin |page= |pages=335–347}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin}}