Both the Offaly Independent and the Tuam Herald have given extensive coverage of the Columban Martyrs in recent issues.
The Offaly Independent has focused on Fr Patrick Kelly from William Street in Tullamore including a piece by Mairéad O’Brien on Fr Patrick Kelly’s personal history.
The Tuam Herald has focused on Fr John Heneghan and Fr Peter Fallon who had Tuam and Dunmore connections.
The coverage follows a recent feature on the Columban Martyrs killed in the Battle for Manila in World War II by the Meath Chronicle.
They were killed on 10 February 1945 during the fierce US-Japanese battle for Manila. Japanese Navy personnel surrounded Malate church and convento and took every male they found on the premises (20 in all), along with four priests of Malate parish – Columbans Frs John Heneghan, Patrick Kelly, Joe Monaghan and Peter Fallon. The four were never seen alive again. Nor were their bodies ever recovered.
For more information see: https://columbans.ie/about-us/columban-martyrs/
