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THE MOST REV NIALL COLL, D.D.

Niall Coll was born in 1963, the eldest of four children, to Willie and Kathleen Coll, St Johnston, Co. Donegal.

Niall attended St Baithin’s NS, St Johnston and St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny. In September 1981 he entered the National Seminary at Maynooth to begin his formation for the priesthood. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Geography in 1984 and a Bachelor in Divinity in 1987. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Seamus Hegarty for the Diocese of Raphoe in 1988. Following a two-year period of post-graduate study in Rome he was conferred with a Licence in Theology by the Gregorian University.

Having completed his studies Father Niall was appointed to St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny in 1989, as chaplain and teacher. Three years later he obtained a Higher Diploma in Education from Trinity College, Dublin. In 1992 he was sent to Rome to study for a Doctorate in Theology at the Gregorian University. In 1995 he was awarded a Doctoral Degree for a thesis in Christology which was later published as Christ in Eternity and Time: Contemporary Anglican Perspectives (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2001).

Following his return from Rome in 1995 he was appointed as a lecturer in Systematic Theology in St Patrick’s College, Carlow. Three years later he returned to Raphoe Diocese as both chaplain in Pobalscoil na Rossan and curate in the parish of Dungloe. In 2001 he was appointed as Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies and Religious Education at St Mary’s University College, Belfast (a college of Queen’s University, Belfast).

In 2020, at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic, he returned to the Raphoe Diocese as parish priest of Drumholm (Ballintra and Laghey) and a year later was transferred to the neighbouring parish of Tawnawilly (Donegal Town and Clar).

Bishop Niall is editor (with Paschal Scallon CM) of A Church with a Future: Challenges to Irish Catholicism Today (Dublin: Columba Press, 2005) and also of Ireland and Vatican II: Essays Theological, Pastoral and Educational (Dublin: Columba Press, 2015). He was for many years editor of Le Chéile: A Catholic Schools Ethos Journal published by St Mary’s University College which sought to promote the values and work of Catholic education locally. He is a member of the Irish Inter-Church Committee.

His appointment as Bishop of Ossory by Pope Francis was announced on October 28th, 2022. Bishop Niall was ordained as the 96th Bishop of Ossory on 22nd January 2023 by Archbishop Dermot Farrell, who himself had served as Bishop of Ossory.

His appointment as Bishop of Raphoe by Pope Leo XVI was announced on the 13^th November 2025 by the Papal Nuncio to Ireland Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor in St Eunan’s Cathedral, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

Bishop Coll was installed as the Bishop of Raphoe on Sunday 25th January 2026.

The episcopal motto ‘Christ Jesus our hope’ is taken from the opening salutation of the First Letter of St Paul to Timothy. In the heraldic tradition of the Catholic Church, that hope in Christ can be expressed in the symbols found on a bishop’s coat of arms. In Bishop Niall’s Coat of Arms, the dove symbolises the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, quietly guiding hearts towards truth and strengthening the Church in faith, hope and love. Heaven and earth, represented by the colours blue and red respectively, are united by the action of the Holy Spirit.

The archetypal High Cross here is representative of the deep roots of Christian faith planted in the soil of our country and, most especially, in the Diocese of Raphoe. United to Christ’s death and resurrection, God’s pilgrim people are called to be builders of His Kingdom in the Church and in the world, as taught by the Second Vatican Council and confirmed by successive popes. This finds expression today in the Synodal journey so close both to the heart of the late Pope Francis and to the emerging priorities of Pope Leo XIV. By the power of the Spirit, the Risen Lord continues to pour out his grace and blessings on the local Church.
The image of the sun, at the centre of which is the symbol ☧ (an ancient sign for Christ), points to Christ, the Light of the World (Jn 8:12). It reminds us that the light of Christ accompanies us and illuminates our path on the journey of life. Truly, we, as members of Christ’s body the Church, are called to reflect this light by loving both God and neighbour. To do so, we must listen to the Word of God (represented by the open Bible), ponder it in our hearts and celebrate it in the sacramental life of the Church. Christ is our beginning and our end, the Alpha (A) and the Omega (Ω) in whom we place our joys and sorrows, our fears and hopes.

Dean: Vacant

Archdeacon: Very Rev Canon William McMenamin, PE, Raphoe

Very Rev Canon Denis McGettigan, PE, Raphoe.

Very Rev Canon John Gallagher, PE, Ardara

Very Rev Canon Francis McAteer, AP, Glencolmcille

Very Rev Canon James Friel, PE, Tamney

Very Rev Canon Michael Herrity, PE, Gortahork

Very Rev Francis McLoone, PP, Killymard

Very Rev Michael McKeever, PP, Church Hill

Very Rev Patrick Dunne, PP, Ballyshannon

Very Rev James Sweeney, PP, Inver

Very Rev Kieran McAteer, PP, Stranorlar

Very Rev Michael Carney, PP, Ramelton

Mgr Kevin Gillespie, Adm., Cathedral

Very Rev Brian Ó Fearraigh, SP, Gaoth Dobhair

Very Rev Michael McKeever,

Ard Adhamhnáin, Cathedral Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, F92 W2W9
Tel: 074 912 1208
Fax: 074 912 4872
Email: diocesanoffice@raphoediocese.ie

Administrative Secretary

Mrs Marie McGill

Ard Adhamhnáin, Cathedral Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, F92 W2W9
Tel: 074 912 1208
Fax: 074 912 4872
Email: diocesanoffice@raphoediocese.ie 

Fr Brendan Ward

Ard Adhamhnáin, Cathedral Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, F92 W2W9
Tel: 074 912 1208

Email: chancellor@raphoediocese.ie 

Mgr Kevin Gillespie, Adm. Letterkenny. 074 912 1021 (Region I)

Very Rev Charlie Byrne, PP, Carrigart 074 9155154 (Region II)

Very Rev Kieran McAteet, PP, Stranorlar. 074 913 1135 (Region III)

Very Rev Adrian Gavigan, PP, Ballintra. 074 9734642 (Region IV)

Very Rev Pat Ward, PP, Kincasslagh/Burtonport. 074 954 2006 (Region V)

Very Rev Gerard Cunningham, PP, Glenties. 074 955 1117 (Region VI)

Very Rev Michael McKeever, PP

Mrs Carmel Doherty

Ard Adhamhnáin, Cathedral Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
Tel: 074 912 1208
Fax: 074-9124872

Chairperson: Very Rev Michael McKeever

Mr Noel O’Connell,  Mr Conal Boyle, Very Rev Adrian Gavigan, Rev John Joe Duffy, Rev Stephen Gorman (Secretary), Mr Seán Ó Longain.

Very Rev Canon John Gallagher, PE, Beagh, Ardara

Bona fide students wishing to make use of the facility may do so by appointment , by writing to:

The Secretary, Fáiche Ó Donaill Building (Archives), Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

Tel: 074 9161109

Email: archives@raphoediocese.ie