A Mullingar priest has been appointed as the new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise.
Fr Paul Connell served in the Diocese of Meath and is a former president of Saint Finian's College in Mullingar.
Bishop-elect Connell was ordained to the priesthood in 1982 and he was also awarded a doctorate in history by Maynooth University in 2002.
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In more recent times he has undertaken the role of diocesan chancellor, administrator of Multyfarnham parish and chaplain to St Mary's Hospital in Mullingar.
Fr. Tom Healy took over the day to day duties of the diocese in January last year when former bishop Francis Duffy was installed as the Archbishop of Tuam.
The announcement was made just before 11 o'clock mass in St Mel's Cathedral Longford this morning.
