Fr Michael McGowan 1929-2025

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Fr Michael died on Tuesday, 11th February, in Lisheen Nursing Home, Rathcoole, in his 96th year (see rip.ie).  His remains were received in the Church of the Holy Family at 6 p.m. on the 13th and the funeral Mass was held on Friday 14th at 12 p.m. He was then taken for burial in Mohill, Co. Leitrim, where he was from. (The removal may be viewed here and the funeral here.)  

Above is a photo of what was placed on or beside the memorial (or remembrance) table. On it are a liturgical vestment, prayer book and the Missal. Beside it we see two 'class pieces', the 1953-'54 group photo of the Third Divinity Class in St Patrick's College, Maynooth (left), and the 1955 photo of the ordination class of Holy Cross College, Clonliffe. Michael is first left, second row from the bottom, in the Maynooth piece, and third left, top row, in the Clonliffe one. As do wedding photos, these photos illustrate a turning point in a life. As can be seen, the priestly life was a very real option in the Ireland of the 40s, to such an extent, indeed, that there was no room for young Michael in his native diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, obliging him to look further afield. Fr Michael then chose Dublin and lived out his vocation to the full for nearly seventy years, his final parish after Ballymore Eustace (1992-2004) being our own. (We reported on his 90th birthday in 2019 here.)

On this day 225 years ago: the story of Fr James Harold of Saggart

Mary McNally, South County Scrap Book

Mary McNally (buried in Saggart) lived in Rathcoole for many years, as did her people before her. Her South County Scrap Book (1999) covers a range of local history topics, including the story of Rathcoole House (see pp.92-96 of the digitized edition which can be downloaded here ). The photo shows the Penal Cross and chalice which were discovered there in 1933, belonging to Fr James Harold, PP of Saggart following the death in 1794 of Fr Simon Barlow (buried in Saggart). He found himself caught up in the 1798 Rebellion and was deported on a convict ship to Australia, arriving in Sydney's Botany Bay on 11 January 1800 -- 225 years ago today. He endured great hardship, especially when transferred to the notorious penal settlement of Norfolk Island (1800-07). In 1810 he was finally granted leave and, in March 1811, went to join his nephew William Vincent Harold O.P. in the cathedral parish of St Mary's in Philadelphia (see their parish newsletter for tomorrow here ). Unfortunately, things did not go very smoothly there for either of them for various reasons despite, no doubt, their best efforts (taking a heavy toll on the already sorely tried 67-year-old Fr James). In the end, in 1815, they both resigned and returned to Ireland. Having served in Kilcullen, Clontarf and Coolock, James resigned due to illness in 1819. He died in 1830 and is buried in Goldenbridge cemetery. (See the Dictionary of Irish Biography and parishioner Mervyn Ennis's article for an Irish-Australian magazine.)  

So, a plunge there into the murky waters of Irish history more than two centuries ago. Joyce's phrase, "the nightmare of history" (Ulysses, 1922), must come to mind as we read about people's lives. The American Catholic writer Flannery O'Connor's phrase, "the mystery of our position on earth" can be put into the balance too. The third phrase I'll throw in is that of the French theologian, Yves Congar (1904-1995): "God has a plan for the world. I'm convinced that our ways are guided" (Autumn Conversations, 1987). In the end, it all comes down (does it not?) to this: whether there really is a Divine Providence walking with humanity along the dark road of history towards the final dawning of an all-justifying, all-consoling truth. 

Christmas 2024

The Mystical Nativity, Painted c.1500 by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510), Oil on canvas, © National Gallery, London

For times of Masses, see official site here.  The readings for Masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are here.