For those Columban Fathers whose death occurred before the obituaries started being posted online (2018) please contact us via the contact form.
Request information
If you submit a query, you must provide a name and a contact email so we can respond. Thank you.
Fr Donal Romuald O’Dea
Donal (‘Donie’) O’Dea was born on 20 February 1928 in the Parish of Nenagh, Co Tipperary. He was educated in Ballina NS, De la Salle NS Castlebar, Quin NS Co Clare and St Flannan’s College, Ennis, Co Clare. He came to Dalgan in September 1945 and was ordained...
Fr Joseph Dolan
Fr Joe Dolan was born in Aughnasheelan, Co Leitrim on 18 January 1935. He attended Drumbibe N.S. and St Patrick's College, Cavan before coming to Dalgan in 1953. His reputation as a gifted footballer was enhanced during his student years but, as ever, he hid his...
Fr John Silvester McGrath
John Silvester McGrath was born on 31 December 1930 at Carna, Connemara, Co Galway. He was educated at Carna NS, Bangor Erris NS, Charlestown NS, Ballymore NS and St Finian’s College, Mullingar. He came to Dalgan in 1949 and was ordained a priest on 21 December...
Fr Patrick Hurley
Fr Patrick ('Paddy') Hurley was born in Kilcrohane, Co Cork on 27 June 1924. He was educated in Kilcrohane NS and St Colman’s College, Fermoy, Co Cork. Two other brothers, the late Dermot and Gerard were also Columban priests, and his sister Catherine was a...
Fr Aidan Larkin
Fr Aidan was born on 31 March 1946 in the Parish of Lissan, Cookstown, Co Tyrone. He was educated at Lissan PS and St Patrick’s College, Armagh. After Armagh he spent a year in Maynooth before leaving to complete his BA in UCD. Still feeling called to priesthood,...
Fr Columb (Colm) Rafferty
Fr Columb (Colm) Rafferty was born on 2 March 1929 at Craigavole, Swatragh, Co Derry. He was educated at Swatragh PES and at St Columb’s College, Derry. He came to Dalgan in 1947 and was ordained priest on 21 December 1953. Colm’s first appointment was to the...
Fr Leo Clarke
Fr Lawrence (Leo) Clarke was born on 12 January 1929 in Delvin, Co Westmeath. He was educated in Ballinvalley NS and St Finian’s College, Mullingar. He came to Dalgan in 1947 and was ordained priest on 21 December 1953. Leo was appointed to Korea where he would...
Fr Eamonn Finbarr Horgan
Eamonn Horgan was born on 13 October 1929 at Littlefield, Co Kilkenny. He was educated at Clinstown NS and St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny. He came to Dalgan in 1947, and was ordained priest on 21 December 1953 and assigned to Japan in 1954. His next sixty years...
Fr Eugene Ryan
Fr Eugene Ryan was born in Dublin on 25 July 1927. He attended O'Connell’s School and Belvedere College and worked for a while in the Civil Service before coming to Dalgan in 1947. Eugene was ordained on 21 December 1953 and assigned to Korea where the war was...
Fr Patrick Joseph Smyth
Fr Patrick Joseph ('Paddy) Smyth was born in Athlone, Co Westmeath in 1929. He was educated at Ballina NS and St Muredach’s College, Ballina, and came to Dalgan in 1947. He was ordained priest on 21 December 1953. He was appointed to Japan in 1954 but after...
Fr Patrick Joseph O’Herlihy
Fr Patrick (‘Pat’) O’Herlihy died in St Columban’s Nursing Home early on 13 November 2018. Born in Berrings, Iniscarra, Co Cork on 5 August 1933, Pat was educated in Berrings NS, Presentation College, Cork and St Colman’s College, Fermoy, Co Cork. He came to Dalgan...
Fr Seán F. Doherty
Fr Seán F. Doherty was born on 22 March 1935 at Knockagulla, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare. He was educated at Rathbane NS, Lisdoonvarna and St Mary’s College, Galway. He came to St Columban’s, Dalgan Park Navan in September 1953 and was ordained priest on 21 December...
Fr John Roderick Long
Fr John Roderick (‘Derrick’) Long was born in Loughrea on 13 November 1934. He was educated at the Convent of Mercy, Loughrea, St Brendan’s NS, Loughrea, and St Joseph’s College, Garbally Park, Ballinasloe. He came to Dalgan in 1953 and was ordained priest on 21...
Fr Dan Canniffe
Fr Daniel (Dan) Augustine Canniffe was born on 3 July 1928 in Bandon, Co Cork. Educated at Bandon NS, Hamilton High School, Bandon, and St Finbarr’s College, Farenferris, Cork, he came to St Columban’s, Navan in September 1945. Ordained priest on 21 December 1951,...
Fr Martin Ryan
Fr Martin Ryan was born on 23 January 1929 at Wildfield, Muckalee, Co Kilkenny. Educated at Muckalee NS and St Kieran’s, Kilkenny, he came to Dalgan in 1947 and was ordained priest on 21 December 1953. Martin was assigned to the Philippines, to the southern island...
Fr Thomas Kilkenny
Fr Thomas Kilkenny was born in Lecarrow, Carrowbehy, Castlerea, Co Roscommon on 23 July 1922. He was educated at Gorthaganny NS, Co Roscommon and Summerhill College, Sligo. He came to Dalgan in 1940 and was ordained priest in December 1946. Tom was assigned to...
Fr Michael McCarthy
Fr Michael McCarthy was born on 28 October 1939 in Bealnadeega, Co Kerry and attended Meentogues NS before going to St Brendan’s, Killarney and joined the Columbans from there in 1958. Ordained in 1964 he was appointed to Korea and after language studies was...
Fr Donal O’Farrell
Fr Donal O'Farrell ('53) died peacefully at 1.15 pm Irish Time today, Monday 22nd January in the Dalgan Nursing Home. Present at his bedside were Eugene Ryan, Jack Chute, Colm Murphy, Staff Nurse Dee Horgan and Carol McEntaggart, Activities Coordinator in the...
Fr Mattie Reilly
Fr Matthew ('Mattie') Reilly (1934-2018) was born in Bellair, Moynalty, Kells, Co Meath on 5 April 1934. Educated in Moynalty NS and St Finian's College, Mullingar, he came to Dalgan in September 1952. He was ordained priest 21 December 1958. He was a younger...
Fr Tom Parker
Fr Tom Parker died peacefully on 31 January 2017. Born in Glasson, Co Westmeath on 28 March 1924, he was educated at Glasson NS and St Finian's College, Mullingar. He came to Dalgan in September 1941and was ordained priest on 21 December 1947. After a year in...
