John Kirby is the Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of the Diocese of Clonfert. He was born in Baylough, Athlone, County Roscommon

County Roscommon

County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. He was ordained a priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

 on 23 June 1963 for his home diocese. He was educated at Garbally College

Garbally College

Garbally College is a Catholic, boys-only, secondary school based in Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland. It is officially known as St Joseph's College .-History:...

 where he later taught. He coached the rugby

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 team where he was the first to notice the skills of Ciaran Fitzgerald

Ciaran Fitzgerald

Ciaran Fitzgerald in Loughrea, County Galway is a former Irish rugby union footballer and coach of the national team.- Biography :...

 who would go on to captain the national team. Dr Kirby was later appointed to the Presidency of the College.

On 18 February 1988 he was appointed Bishop. He was ordained a bishop on 9 April, of the same year at the age of 49. The Principal Consecrator

Consecrator

Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...

 was Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi

Gaetano Alibrandi

Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi of the Roman Catholic Church was a senior papal diplomat and former Personal Secretary to Giovanni Battista Montini .Mgr. Alibrandi was ordained priest on 1 November 1936, and Consacreted Bishop in 1961...

, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland

Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland

The Holy See, as the central government of the Catholic Church , has full diplomatic ties with Ireland as well as many other countries worldwide. The current Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland is Archbishop-elect Monsignor Charles John Brown...

; his Principal Co-Consecrators were two of his predecessors Archbishop Joseph Cassidy

Joseph Cassidy (Roman Catholic Bishop)

Joseph Cassidy is an Irish churchman who held high office in the Roman Catholic Church; firstly Bishop of Clonfert from 1982 to 1987, then Archbishop of Tuam from 1987 to 1994....

, and Bishop William Philbin.

The role of Bishop of Clonfert "ex-officio" includes the roles of Parish Priest of Ballinasloe and senior governor of the Garbally College

Garbally College

Garbally College is a Catholic, boys-only, secondary school based in Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland. It is officially known as St Joseph's College .-History:...

.