His retirement takes effect from Friday 29 July 2016.
Bishop Drennan
Martin Drennan was born on 2nd January, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny.
Educated at Tobernabrone National School and St Kieran's College, Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both Sacred Theology and Sacred Scripture.
On his return to Ireland Fr Martin served as curate in St Mary's Cathedral Parish in Kilkenny and then in Ballycallan. From 1975 he taught Sacred Scripture at St Kieran's College, returning to Rome in 1980 to become Spiritual Director at the Irish College there for the next five years.
When Fr Martin again returned home he became a Lecturer in Sacred Scripture at St Patrick's College, Maynooth where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997. His area of pastoral responsibility in that time was East Wicklow and South Dublin.
On the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was chosen as Bishop of Galway & Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora, and he was installed on 3 July 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
In the subsequent eleven years Bishop Drennan instigated and oversaw many worthy initiatives and developments in the diocese, including the founding of the Good Shepherd Parish at the east edge of Galway city and the reordering of parish boundaries and personnel throughout the diocese in response to changing demographics.
Last year he welcomed Cardinal Sean O'Malley to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the dedication of Galway Cathedral.
In this, his last year as shepherd to the people of this diocese, Bishop Drennan had the joy of ordaining three men to the priesthood: Fr Michael King who is taking up an appointment as curate in Gort, Fr John O’Halloran who is taking up an appointment as curate in the Good Shepherd Parish at the eastern edge of Galway city and Fr Daniel Gallagher who is taking up an appointment as curate in Oranmore.