Michael Duignan, Bishop
Bishop Michael Duignan was born on 15 July 1970 in Bealnamulla, Athlone, Co Roscommon. He is the eldest of six children. He received his primary education at Cloonakilla National School and his secondary education at St Aloysius College, Athlone. He began his seminary formation for the Diocese of Elphin with a spiritual year at St Patrick’s Missionary Society in Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, and continued his studies at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome. At the Pontifical Gregorian University, he obtained a Baccalaureate in Philosophy in 1990 and a Baccalaureate in Theology in 1993. As a postgraduate student, he completed a Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology in 1995.
He was ordained deacon in 1993 in the Basilica of Santa Prassede, Rome, by Bishop Dominic Conway of Elphin, and ordained priest on 17 July 1994 in the Church of SS Peter and Paul, Athlone, by the same bishop.
After completing his Licentiate, he served as curate in the Cathedral Parish of St Mary’s, Sligo, and later as chaplain to the Institute of Technology, Sligo. He then returned to Rome to pursue doctoral studies in contemporary Trinitarian theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University under Fr Gerald O’Collins SJ. On returning to Ireland, he ministered as curate in the parish of Ahamlish and Innismurray, Cliffoney, Co Sligo, and began teaching theology, philosophy, and religious education at St Angela’s College, Sligo, a college of the National University of Ireland, Galway.
In 2005 he was appointed full-time lecturer in religious education and chaplain at St Angela’s College, and in the same year became Assistant Diocesan Secretary for the Diocese of Elphin. He later served as Director of Religious Education, Theology, and Chaplaincy programmes at the college.
He chaired the Board of Management of the College of the Immaculate Conception, Summerhill, Sligo, the largest post-primary school for boys in Connacht. In 2014 Bishop Kevin Doran appointed him Chancellor and Diocesan Secretary of the Diocese of Elphin, Episcopal Vicar for Education and Formation, and in 2018 Diocesan Finance Officer. As Episcopal Vicar for Education, he oversaw the development of Coláiste Chiaráin, Summerhill, Athlone, and St Comán’s Wood Primary School, Roscommon Town.
In 2009 Bishop Christopher Jones appointed him Diocesan Director of the Permanent Diaconate. He guided the restoration of that ministry in Elphin and supervised the formation of candidates. In 2015 he introduced a programme for the training of Diocesan Catechists, with the first cohort due to graduate in 2020. That same year, the Irish Episcopal Conference appointed him National Co-ordinator of Formation for the Permanent Diaconate, and later National Director. He also serves as Secretary to the National Training Authority of the Permanent Diaconate in Ireland.
On 16 July 2019, Pope Francis appointed Michael Duignan as Bishop of Clonfert. He was ordained Bishop and took possession of the Cathedral of St Brendan on 13 October 2019.
On 11 February 2022, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Duignan as Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh, while he continued as Bishop of Clonfert. This appointment united the two dioceses in persona episcopi—under one bishop. He was installed in Galway Cathedral on 1 May 2022.