CONNOR, a parish, and the head of a diocese, counties ANTRIM, DOWN, LONDONDERRY. A religious establishment was founded here at an early period, of which little beyond the names of some of its abbots is now known.
The first bishop was Angus Macnisius, commonly called St. Macnise, who died soon after the commencement of the sixth century : he is said to have been a disciple of St. Olcan, who was one of St. Patrick's pupils. Connor appears anciently to have been called “Dailnaraigh,” from its cathedral being in the territory of Dalaradia. In 1124, Malachy O’Morgair was consecrated bishop. At this time, according to St. Bernard, the inhabitants of the diocese were very. uncivilized; but by a few years residence among them, St. Malachy wrought as great a change in their morals as was expected by St. Patrick. In the fifth century.
By the solicitations of John, Bishop of Connor, Pope Eugene IV. was prevailed upon, in 1442, to unite the bishopricks of Down and Connor, the former being then vacant by the deprivation of John Cely. This union bad been approved by letters patent of Hen. IV, in l 438, when the bishops of the two sees were desirous that the survivor should have both; but when it was effected the union was strongly opposed by John Prene, Archbishop of Armagh, who wished the pope to appoint William Bassett, a Benedictine monk, to the bishoprics of Down. The union has, however, continued without interruption since that period, and the subsequent history of the diocese of Connor is included in that of Down and Connor. By the Church Temporalities Act (3rd of Wm. IV.) the see of Dromore is to be united with Down and Connor, on the death or translation of either of the bishops; and the title of the united sees is to be the Bishoprics of Down, Connor, and Dromore.
The cathedral establishment appears to have been rebounded by patents of the 7th of Jas. I. (1610), which ordained that the church should be called the church of St. Saviour, Connor, and that the chapter should consist of a dean, archdeacon, chancellor, precentor, and treasurer, and the four prebendaries of Connor, Cairn-castle, Rasharkin, and Kilroot. There are no canons or vicars choral, and neither the dignitaries nor prebendaries have any ecclesiastical duties to perform in respect of their offices. Chas. II., by letters patent in 1663, constituted the church of Lisburn the cathedral for the united dioceses, both the old cathedrals being then in ruins; but, in 1190, an act was passed for the restoration of Down cathedral at Downpatrick. Lisburn church, however, is still used as the cathedral for the bishoprics of Connor : there is no economy fund connected with it, but the building is in a good and sound state, and has hitherto been kept in repair by the parishioners. The extent of see lands is 6411 profitable acres, and tire gross yearly income of the bishoprick, on all average of three years ending Dec. 3lst, 1831 amounted to £3065. 3s. 4 ¾ d. The consistorial court is the same as for that of Down, and is held at Lisburn, where the records of the united dioceses are preserved.
The diocesan school, which was originally established at Carrickfergus, was removed to Ballymena in 1829. The small village of KELLS (Na Cealla: the monastic cells/churches) close to Ballymena in County Antrim is an historic ecclesiastical site. An Augustan Abbey in the village was once the cathedral of the old diocese of Connor and Kells. Only one wall remains of the Abbey and this now stands in the middle of a textile factory. The many existing churches in the area are well established. An old stone bridge crosses the river Kells, separating Kells from the adjacent village of Connor. From the bridge there are lovely views of the weir on the river.
Benedictine Houses: