Fr James Joseph (Seamus) O’Neill was born on 2nd October 1932 in Dungiven, Co Derry. He was educated at Cashel NS, Dungiven, and St Columb’s College, Derry. He came to Dalgan in September 1950 and was ordained priest on 21st December 1956.
He was appointed to graduate studies at St Xavier University, Antigonish, Canada 1957-1959, and in 1959 to the Philippines where he would spend most of the following 25 years on the island of Mindanao.
After language studies he worked briefly in Bonifacio, and in Gingoog 1961-’64. After a year in Talisayan, he spent four years in San Pablo. There followed three years in Pagadian and a year in Dimitaling, before spending time in Camiguin.
He had a year’s renewal studies in Maynooth University, Ireland before going to the new Columban area in the Diocese of Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Mindanao.
Seamus was a member of the first group to be appointed to a new mission in Belize in 1986; he ministered there for the following ten years. Formerly known as British Honduras, it only achieved independence in 1981.
The people of Belize are a mixture of Creoles, descendants of slaves and slave-masters, Hispanics and peoples of mixed Caribbean, Indian and African ancestry. There were just eight Belizean diocesan priests to cover a multitude of small communities.
A key Columban contribution was to help train local lay leaders to gather the people for prayer, to be a voice for the poor and prepare candidates for the sacraments. Lack of personnel forced the Columbans to withdraw in1996.
On his return to Ireland, Seamus worked for five years in Balinaheglish, in the Diocese of Elphin, before retiring to Ballinascreen, Co Derry where he helped in the parish.
Seamus enjoyed his retirement in Derry before entering the Dalgan Nursing Home in December 2021. His health deteriorated rapidly over the past year, and he passed away peacefully on 18th August 2025.
He was a gentle presence, a fisherman, an amateur pilot, and a quiet industrious missionary.
May he rest in peace.
The funeral Mass for Fr Seamus can be seen here:
