When his mother pushed him on his childhood swing as she quietly sung of the sun going down on Galway Bay, little did that boy ever think that – at 51 years of age – he would be announced as the new Bishop of that self-same Galway, on a day that marked the start of a new chapter for the Catholic Church in the west.

Because Bishop Michael Duignan doesn’t just succeed Bishop Brendan Kelly to the Galway Bishopric; he is the first Bishop who will oversee his new and his current Diocese of Clonfert.

His appointment – while widely expected since Pope Francis announced his decision to unite the two Dioceses under one Bishop – was confirmed on Friday morning at a special concelebrated Mass in Galway Cathedral, where the new and retiring Bishops were joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo.

The new Bishop, who was born on the Roscommon side of Athlone, has served as Bishop of Clonfert since he succeeded Dr John Kirby two and a half years ago.

Speaking to the congregation at Galway Cathedral, he recalled those childhood days.

“As children, we used to beg our mother to push us high up into the air and over and back for as long as she had the time and the patience.  Often as she pushed, she sang and at times, we sang along with her,” he revealed.

“She nearly always started to the quick tempo of ‘Her eyes they shone like diamonds, I thought her the queen of the land, And her hair hung over her shoulders, Tied up with a black velvet band’.

“We knew when she was coming towards the end.  The pace would slow down and she would sing: ‘If you ever go across the sea to Ireland. Then maybe at the closing of your day. You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh. And see the sun go down on Galway Bay’.

“Back then, I would never have imagined that one day I would be standing here, within a stone’s throw from the Claddagh and that famous bay that runs from Co Galway through to Co Clare, having been appointed by Pope Francis as the next Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora,” he said.

He spoke of more recent Galway connections too, with his academic life bringing him to the environs of NUIG.

“I have always enjoyed the vibrancy and creativity of the people of this area and their deep rich appreciation for the best of our Gaelic traditions in the arts, music, sport and learning,” he said.

“I am also conscious of your genuine love for the Irish language.  Like most people, I studied Irish at school.  I then studied abroad for many years and had few opportunities to use the Irish I had learned.

“At this stage, my Irish has grown rusty.  It is not as fluent as I would like it to be.  I have a great interest in the language and I now have a motive that I have not had before to rekindle that interest and improve my Irish.

“It is my hope that I can do this in particular with the help of the people of our Gaeltacht parishes.  I hope you will be patient teachers and I look forward to visiting you soon,” he added.

His appointment had been widely anticipated since the Pope’s decision to bring both Dioceses under the one Bishop – coming at a time that Bishop Brendan Kelly was obliged to tender his resignation, having reached the age of 75.

But the new Bishop said he had never harboured any assumptions.

“More than once, the question emerged as to who would be the new bishop for the two dioceses and how would he be able to manage all the moving parts.  Although others may have made presumptions about whom it would be – I never did,” he said.

“Last week when Archbishop Okolo asked me on behalf of Pope Francis to become the Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and the Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora along with being the Bishop of Clonfert – it was like being asked again to be a bishop for the first time,” he said.

He paid tribute to the work of Bishop Kelly, on what also the anniversary of his installation as Bishop of Galway four years earlier to the day.

“I do not think we should let a day like today go by without recording the debt of gratitude the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora and indeed the Diocese of Achonry owe to you for your many years of faithful service as a priest and bishop,” he said.

“I would also like to acknowledge your contribution at a national level as part of the Episcopal Conference and in particular your work in the area of Catholic Education.  Retirement will not fully come for a while yet, but when it does finally come, Bishop Brendan, you deserve it.  I hope you will forgive me if I interrupt now and again for a bit of advice,” he added.

Bishop Kelly in turn reflected on his time as Bishop of the diocese for which je was ordained almost 51 years ago.

“The call to return here as Bishop from the diocese of Achonry was a surprise to say the least. Today I am full of gratitude to God for these short years as bishop of a people and place that I love and would always call home,” he said.

He also praised the work and commitment of his successor, who he has known for many years.

“Having worked with you since my days in Achonry and particularly these last few years since your appointment to Clonfert, I can assure the people of this diocese of your capacity for diligent and careful work, your generosity and willingness to listen, and above all, your deep trust in God and your commitment to serving Him first,” he said.

Later on Friday, Bishop Duignan took time to visit the Poor Clare Convent on Nuns’ Island to seek their prayers for himself and his two Diocese – followed by a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Clonfert on World Day of the Sick to remember all those who are ill.

Bishop Michael, who was born on July 15 1970, is the eldest of six children and attended Cloonakilla National School, Bealnamulla and Saint Aloysius College, Athlone. He studied for the Priesthood at St Patrick’s Missionary Society in Kiltegan, Co Wicklow and at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome.  He was ordained to the Priesthood for the Diocese of Elphin in 1994.

He was installed as Bishop of Clonfert, in succession to Dr John Kirby, at Saint Brendan’s Cathedral in Loughrea on October 13 2019.

His hugely expanded role sees him take responsibility for the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora, which includes portions of Galway, Mayo and Clare, and the Diocese of Clonfert, which includes portions of Galway, Offaly and Roscommon.

It means that in future both dioceses are pastorally governed by a sole bishop.  The diocesan structures and institutions of each of the respective dioceses are left unaltered.

Each diocese maintains its identity and handles its own cultural heritage as it deems fit. Each keeps its own personnel or can share with other dioceses; priests will not normally be asked to minister beyond their own diocese unless by a special request or mandate.

Each diocese will handle its financial administration independently and will make its own pastoral decisions as before.