Tuigg was born in 1820 in Donoughmore, Ireland, and educated at All Hallows College in Drumcondra. In 1849, when Michael O'Connor—the bishop of Pittsburgh at the time—traveled to Dublin, calling for volunteers for missionary work in America, young Tuigg was the first to respond. He reached Pittsburgh in December 1849, and finished his studies at St. Michael's Seminary, where he was appointed professor for a brief time. Tuigg was ordained a priest in May 1850, and was soon after appointed secretary to the bishop, Michael Domenec. He was also an assistant priest in Saint Paul Cathedral. Tuigg was then transferred to St. Bridget's parish, and with characteristic energy, immediately began to erect a new church. Soon, however, he was transferred to mission work in Altoona, where he remained until 1876. Father Tuigg had been appointed vicar general for the eastern part of the diocese of Pittsburgh, but the Diocese of Allegheny split from the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Bishop Domenec was selected to lead the new diocese. Tuigg was selected to preside over the see of Pittsburgh—in fact, he was officially notified that the Pope would not accept any declination of the honor. Appointed in January, on March 19, 1876 he was consecrated bishop of Pittsburgh; upon his accession he found that the Panic of 1873 had left the diocese's property and finances in disarray. Yet Bishop Tuigg extricated the diocese from its difficulties and gave new impetus to the young suffragan diocese. Upon the retirement of Bishop Domenec in 1877, the territory that had belonged to the Diocese of Allegheny was left sede vacante. Bishop Tuigg was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the territory, but this new and increased burden was more than he could bear, and Tuigg's health began to give way. After having suffered a paralytic stroke, he took a sabbatical. Though he had begun to recover, Bishop Tuigg returned, and suffered another stroke. His bad health forced him to retire; his successor, Richard Phelan, was appointed coadjutor to the two sees with right of succession. At the time, the combined Pittsburgh and Allegheny dioceses contained 133 churches and 191 chapels, convents, and educational institutions. Bishop Tuigg died in Altoona on December 7, 1889 and is buried in the cemetery of St. John Church in that city.
