Martin Drennan

The Right Reverend Martin Drennan BA, STL, LSS
Bishop Emeritus of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus of Kilfenora
Diocese	Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora
Installed	2005
Term ended	2016
Predecessor	James McLoughlin
Successor	Brendan Kelly
Other post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin and Titular Bishop of Aquae Regiae 1997–2005
Orders
Ordination	16 July 1968 (Priest)
Consecration	21 September 1997 (Bishop)
Personal details
Born	Martin Drennan (1944-01-02)2 January 1944 Piltown, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Died	26 November 2022(2022-11-26) (aged 78)
Nationality	Irish
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church

Martin Drennan (2 January 1944 – 26 November 2022) was an Irish Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Kilfenora. Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 29 July 2016.

Drennan died on 26 November 2022, at the age of 78.

Early life and ordination

Drennan was born in Piltown, County Kilkenny on 2 January 1944.

Drennan studied at Maynooth seminary, earning BA(NUI) and the Biblical Institute, Rome, and was ordained to the priesthood on 16 July 1968 for the Diocese of Ossory. Following this was two years of parish work at St Mary’s Cathedral, Kilkenny and Ballycallan parishes. He taught Scripture in St Kieran's College, Kilkenny (1973–80) before returning to study in Rome and concurrently serving as Spiritual Director at the Pontifical Irish College, Rome (1980–85). He returned to Maynooth to lecture in Sacred Scripture.

When he returned to Ireland he was appointed to the Faculty of Theology in Maynooth College (1985–97) rising to the position of Professor of Old Testament. He also taught Hebrew.

On 28 May 1997, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin and Titular Bishop of Aquae Regiae.

Bishop

Drennan received episcopal ordination on 21 September 1997. The principal consecrator was Cardinal Desmond Connell; his co-consecrators were Archbishop Luciano Storero, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, and Laurence Forristal, the Bishop of Ossory.

In May 2005 he was appointed to the Diocese of Galway in succession to Dr. James McLoughlin. He officially resigned as bishop on 29 July 2016, citing poor health.

Abuse scandal

Main article: Sexual abuse scandal in Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora diocese

In November 2009, there were several calls for Bishop Drennan to resign from his post for his inclusion as part of the Murphy Report, surrounding a sexual abuse scandal in the Dublin archdiocese.

Bishop Drennan said that he did not feel disturbed by the Dublin diocesan report's discussion of his role. He said: "The report says nothing negative about me in fact, you know. I don’t think I have any questions to answer, in fact, from my own reflections on the time there."

The report's assessment was that the Archdiocese acted correctly in addressing the issue that relates to Dr. Drennan given the fact that the civil authorities brought no charges against the priest in question.