Laurence Forristal

Laurence Forristal (5 June 1931 – 10 October 2018) was an Irish Roman Catholic prelate, who served as the Bishop of Ossory from 1981 to 2007.

Styles of Laurence Forristal
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	My Lord
Religious style	Bishop

Early life and education

Born to William Forristal and Kathleen Forristal (née Phelan) in Thomastown, County Kilkenny in 1931,[1] Forristal was educated locally at Mercy Convent primary school and the Boys' National School in Thomastown, and at Mount St Joseph College, Roscrea.[2] He studied for the priesthood at Clonliffe College, Dublin, and studied philosophy at University College, Dublin. He pursued further studies at the Propaganda Fide College in Rome and was ordained there as a priest for the Diocese of Ossory on 21 December 1955.[1][2]

Episcopal career

He was appointed an Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin and Titular Bishop of Rotdon on 3 December 1979 and received episcopal ordination on 20 January 1980.[1] The following year, he was appointed the Diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Ossory on 30 June 1981.[1]

In 1994 he decided to close Ireland's oldest seminary, St Kieran's College as a result of falling numbers.

Bishop Forristal retired on 14 September 2007 and assumed the title Bishop Emeritus of Ossory.[1]

His death was announced by his successor as Bishop of Ossory Dermot Farrell on 10 October 2018. He is buried in St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny.

References

1. "Bishop Laurence Forristal". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
2. Cleere, Ray (19 January 2005). "A Shepherd for 25 Years". Kilkenny People. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.