Showing 318 results

Born: 01 June 1934, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 07 September 1960, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois
Ordained: 1972, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria (as an SMA)
Died: 27 March 2010, London England

Left Society of Jesus: 21 August 1961

Originally C of I - Baptised Catholic 1957 - father (Augustus) a C of I clergyman, so moved around Dublin regularly to live, but lived for a while also at Glenealy, County Wicklow.

Had a BA from Trinity College Dublin

Joined Society of African Missions (SMA)

https://sma.ie/fr-douglas-bluett-sma/

Fr Douglas H Bluett SMA dies in London

The SMA British Province has lost its senior missionary with the death of Fr Douglas (Dougie) Bluett in a London hospital on Monday, 27 March 2010.

In recent years he had suffered from cancer though never allowed it to dim his missionary calling. He continually requested a return to front line service in Africa though his illness meant that his wish could not be granted.

Fr Bluett, born in Dublin in 1934 was raised in the Church of Ireland before converting to Catholicism and becoming a Catholic priest.

He was ordained in Keffi, diocese of Makurdi, by Archbishop Peter Y Jatau of Kaduna, Nigeria in 1972. For 36 years Fr Bluett ministered in several parishes in the diocese of Makurdi, most notably Doma. He was a renowned teacher and for many years taught at St Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Makurdi. He had the great joy of seeing part the area where he worked made into a separate diocese, Lafia.

Fr Bluett is mourned by his sister, extended family, friends and his confreres in the British Province as well as in the wider Society.

Fr Rob Morland informs us that, in accordance with his wishes Fr Dougie will be buried alongside other SMA colleagues Manchester.

Born: 04 July 1922, Kanturk, County Cork
Entered: 07 September 1940, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 1940

Born: 04 March 1922, Kilfinane, County Limerick
Entered: 14 April 1943, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 15 December 1943

Previously Entered 12 October 1942 and Left 1942

Born: 06 June 1927, Bartra, Dalkey, County Dublin
Entered: 07 September 1945, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois
Died: 24 April 2016, Clonskeagh, Dublin, County Dublin

Left Society of Jesus: 18 December 1945

Son of Joseph Brennan and Margerita Ryan. Father was manager of a number of insurance and finance companies.

https://rip.ie/death-notice/gabriel-gay-brennan-dublin-clonskeagh-274141

Gabriel (Gay) BRENNAN
Brennan (Clonskeagh, Dublin) – April, 24 2016, Gabriel (Gay), peacefully in the presence of his family, pre-deceased by his wife Éilis (MacCarvill), beloved father of the late Deirdre; deeply regretted by his children Niamh, Orla, Maeve, Diarmuid and Feilim, brothers Fr Joe SJ, Anraí Ó Braonáin, sister Denise, brothers-in-law Diarmuid and Niall, sisters-in-law Ann, Dimphne, Donla and Máire. Sadly missed by his grandchildren Sarah, Hugh, Ross, John, Sarah and Grace, sons-in-law Michael and Jupp, nieces, nephews and his many friends.

Born: 26 March 1918, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 14 September 1941, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 31 March 1943

Born: 07 June 1919, Fairview, Dublin, County Dublin
Entered: 08 March 1939, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly

Left Society of Jesus: 02 October 1940

Born: 01 November 1854, Cabra, Dublin, County Dublin
Entered: 29 August 1873, Milltown Park, Dublin

Left Society of Jesus: 1875

Educated at Belvedere College SJ

LEFT due to ill health resulting in death; Brother of Fr Vincent Byrne SJ (DOB 1848; Ent 1866; Ord 1880; RIP 1943)

Born: 09 February 1945, Gilford Park, Sandymount, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 07 September 1962, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois
Died: 13 May 2015, Royal Hospital, London, England (London)

Left Society of Jesus: 28 May 1964

Father (Richard) was an Army Officer at Beggar’s Bush Barracks, Dublin.

Youngest of three boys and one girl.

Early education at a Convent school in Dublin and then he went to Belvedere College SJ for five years and finally to Clongowes Wood College SJ for five years.

Film Director; Co-founder of Focus Theatre

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/co-founder-of-focus-theatre-who-became-tv-producer-in-uk-1.2247794

Co-founder of Focus Theatre who became TV producer in UK

Richard Callanan: February 9th, 1945 - May 13th, 2015

Richard Callanan, who has died aged 70, was a founder member, with others including Deirdre O'Connell, Tom Hickey, Sabina Higgins (née Coyne) and Mary Elizabeth Burke-Kennedy, of Dublin's famous Focus Theatre, which flourished from 1963 to 2012.

He later made a successful career as a BBC television producer, winning two Bafta awards for children’s programmes in the 1990s.

He also made significant contributions to further education with the Open University (OU) and, after retirement, with the University of the Third Age (U3A).

Callanan had joined the BBC in 1969 to work with the newly established OU. One of his fellow trainee producers at the time was Nuala O’Faolain.

His interest in drama first surfaced at school, at Belvedere and Clongowes, and he was later an active member of Dramsoc at UCD, where he studied English and history from 1965 to 1968.

Among his roles was Antony, opposite Mary Elizabeth Burke-Kennedy's Cleopatra and the title role in John Osborne's Luther.

He was part of the production team for the Focus Theatre's first show, Kelly's Eye by Henry Livings. It was at the Focus too that he began what was to become a lifelong friendship with the actor Sabina Coyne, now Sabina Higgins, wife of President Michael D Higgins.

At UCD, Callanan was also a leading member of the Literary and Historical Society, appearing in the first Irish televised student debate with Patrick Cosgrave, later an adviser to Margaret Thatcher, and John Cooke, who became a High Court judge.

Jesuit training

Callanan had spent two years, after leaving Clongowes, as a seminarian at the Jesuit novitiate at Emo House in Laois, a stage of his life that was terminated, according to his brother Fionnbar, “by mutual consent”.

An Open University colleague, Nick Levinson, remarked at Callanan’s funeral service that his old friend retained the ability to be self-critical, which he speculated might have been a hangover from his Jesuit training, which helped him to “see both sides, and face both ways” when pondering a course of action.

One of Callanan’s special gifts, Levinson said, was casting actors. Among those he recruited were Patrick Stewart, Leo McKern and Ben Kingsley, all of them at a relatively early stage of their careers.

Callanan eventually left the Open University to work for the BBC, especially in children’s television.

In retirement, Callanan returned to further education with the University of the Third Age, where, his colleague Patricia Isaacs said, “he led a group on modern literature, sharing his great love of Irish poets in particular with members”.

Richard Callanan was born in Dublin in 1945, the youngest of five children of Richard Callanan, one of the first recruits to the Army of the Free State, who rose to the rank of major-general, and Margaret McGuinness from Longford, both of whom had been active in the War of Independence, and later, in the Civil War on the pro-Treaty side.

He is survived by his widow, Sally Burr, by his children, Sam, Megan and Joe, his brother Fionnbar and his sister Mona. A sister, Eithne, and a brother, Niall, predeceased him.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/aug/27/richard-callanan-obituary

My friend Richard Callanan, who has died aged 70 after a fall, made important contributions to two great educational endeavours: making TV programmes for the Open University and co-ordinating groups for the University of the Third Age (U3A).

He was a maker of arts programmes for the Open University between 1969 and 1979; and among those he recruited to appear in OU productions were Patrick Stewart and Ben Kingsley. Richard was largely responsible for the famous appearance of Max Wall as Vladimir opposite Leo McKern as Estragon in Waiting for Godot in 1977. He went on to become well known too as a producer and director of children’s programmes: in 1990 he won a Bafta as producer of the BBC series Maid Marian and Her Merry Men; and in 1993 a second for Archer’s Goon.

Richard was born in Dublin, the youngest of five children of Richard Callanan, an Irish army officer, and his wife, Margaret (nee McGuiness). He was educated at Jesuit schools and spent two years training to be a priest at Emo House, in County Laois, before the arrangement was terminated by mutual consent. From 1964 until 1967 he studied English and history at University College Dublin – during which time he became a founder member of the city’s Focus theatre – before moving to London to study for a diploma in modern social and cultural studies at Chelsea College.

Richard’s Jesuit education provoked some stark recollections of the pedagogic arts from him. It also, though, helped him to “see both sides and face both ways”. He never forgot the importance of drawing out his students and he was a supremely attentive listener. This attracted him to what the U3A, in north London, had to offer.

U3A’s guiding principle - “those who learn shall also teach and those who teach shall also learn” – was natural to him and his work on James Joyce, WB Yeats and Seamus Heaney was revelatory. He also taught a Shakespeare course to students in a residential home for the elderly, Mary Feilding Guild, who were not able to make even the shortest journey to reach normal classes. Prognostications of failure because of the age of the students were triumphantly repudiated.

He is survived by his wife, Sally, and his children, Sam, Meg and Joe.

Born: 16 April 1872,
Entered: 12 August 1897, Greenwich, Australia (ASR-HUN)

Left Society of Jesus: 1898

Brother Novice

Born: 20 September 1920, Mount Street, Claremorris, County Mayo
Entered: 07 September 1939, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly

Left Society of Jesus: 29 May 1941

Father was an egg exporter retired, and then lived at St Joseph’s, Father Griffin Road, Galway City.

Eldest of two boys.

Early education was six years at Claremorris NS, and then he went to Coláiste Iognáid (1934-1939)

Born: 04 August 1896, Carrigeen, County Kilkenny
Entered: 07 December 1938, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly

Left Society of Jesus: 19 May 1939

Brother Novice

Born: 23 May 1917, Bridge House, Youghal County Cork
Entered: 12 November 1940, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 07 March 1941

Father worked for Cork and Waterford County Councils, specifically managing the bridge near Youghal.

Third of four boys with two sisters.

Early education for seven years at a National School near Youghal, he then went to the Christian Brothers Secondary School in Youghal (1930-1935). After school he got a post as a clerical officer in the Civil Service.

Born: 30 April 1922, Summerhill, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 14 September 1940, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 16 October 1941

Parents ran a businesse in Summerhill, Dublin.

Second of five boys with three sisters.

Early education at O’Connells school

Born: 22 June 1915, Iona Crescent, Glasnevin, Dublin
Entered: 02 December 1939, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly

Left Society of Jesus: 20 February 1941

Father was a Civil Servant and died in March 1925.

Second in a family of two boys and two girls.

Early education at Holy Faith Convent Glasnevin and then Christian Brothers, James’ Street, Kilkenny for two years and then at O’Connell's School, Dublin. He then went to Rockwell College CSSp. After school he went to UCD studying Architecture and got his degree in 1939.

Born: 04 October 1924, Cork City, County Cork
Entered: 05 October 1943, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 15 December 1943

Born: 11 June 1918, Drumcondra, Dublin
Entered: 27 February 1945, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 03 June 1945

Born: 26 December 1915, Montrose, Ailesbury Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin, County Dublin
Entered: 07 September 1937, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois
Ordained: 03 June 1944, St John’s Seminary, Wonersh (Southwark Diocese)
Died: 25 June 2003, London, England

Left Society of Jesus: 31 December 1937

Father (JF Davys) was a Bank Manager who died in 1929. Mother was then supported by private means.

One sister.

Early Education at a Convent school he then went to St Gerard’s Bray in 1925. In 1930 he went to Belvedere College SJ for two years. He then went to Rosse College, Camden Street, Dublin to prepare for a Bank examination and then went to work for the Royal Bank of Ireland, Grafton Street, Dublin in January 1933. He studied at the Institute of Bankers, North Wall Quay, North Wall, Dublin

https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/389521.a-kind-and-holy-priest/

A kind and holy priest

4th July 2003

A CLERGYMAN with strong connections to Richmond, Ham and Mortlake has died.

Canon Francis Davys, one of four children, including an elder sister and two younger brothers, was born on December 26th, 1915, in Dublin.

Known as Frank, he was educated at St Gerard’s Bray and Belvedere College, Dublin. On leaving school, he joined the Royal Bank of Ireland and felt himself called to become a Jesuit novice at Emo Park, Offaly.

He then transferred to Southwark Diocese and completed his studies at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, where he was ordained priest on June 3rd, 1944.

His first appointment was to a church in Blackheath. After three years, he was appointed a notary to the Marriage Tribunal. In 1948 he took up the position of assistant secretary to the Southwark Rescue Society, where he worked for five years. In June 1953, he became assistant priest at a Reigate church for two years, after which he went to one in Worthing.

His next appointment, again as an assistant priest, was to a church in Cobham in 1958.

He arrived in Richmond in April 1961 when appointed to St Elizabeth’s Church, where he remained for 24 years.

The parish was divided in 1985 and Canon Davys was made the first parish priest of St Thomas Aquinas, Ham, and made arrangements for its consecration.

He continued to serve as Catholic chaplain at the Royal Star and Garter Home, completing 31 years of service there.

After seven years at Ham, he retired to Wimbledon Common before moving to St Mary’s Convent, Worthing, and finally to St George’s Retreat, Burgess Hill.

He was made an honorary canon in 1967 and served the diocese on the Schools Commission as well as being chairman of governors at Christ’s School, Richmond, and St Elizabeth’s Primary School, Richmond. During this time the school moved to new premises in Queen’s Road. He was Dean of Mortlake from 1978 to 1991.

Canon Davys had been ill for some time and suffered a heart attack on the afternoon of June 25th. He died peacefully at home at 11pm aged 88.

Friends say he was a “private man by temperament, a kind, courteous and holy priest with a sense of humour and ever sensitive to the needs of others”.

His Requiem Mass will be held at St Elizabeth’s Church in the Vineyard on Wednesday, July 9th, at noon.

Born: 06 January 1921, Harold’s Cross, Dublin
Entered: 10 January 1942, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 1942

Brother Novice

Born: 19 March 1923, Kinnity, County Offaly
Entered: 27 January 1948, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 06 February 1949

Born: 20 May 1910, Keady, County Armagh
Entered: 05 August 1942, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 1942

Brother Novice

Born: 10 December 1919, Dublin
Entered: 05 August 1942, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 27 July 1943

Born: 20 October 1924, Ranelagh, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 07 September 1943, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 12 October 1943

Born: 02 December 1917, Surrey Street, Belfast County Antrim
Entered: 01 October 1940, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 25 September 1941

Father was an electrical welder and mother died in Feb 1940. Family moved to Griffith Avenue. Drumcondra, Dublin

Younger of two boys with three sisters.

Early education was in convent and Christian Brothers Primary schools, at age 12 he went to St Joseph’s CBS Fairview, Dublin. In 1935 he went to O’Connell Schools, and after the Leaving Cert was awarded a scholarship to St Patrick’s Training College, Drumcondra. he was two years there.He then took a job teaching Maths and Irish at O’Connell Schools, and later took a job at St Joseph’s BNS, East Wall, Dublin. At the same time he attended evening lectures at UCD, and got a BA.

Born: 15 October 1919, Portumna, County Galway
Entered: 03 March 1942, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 25 July 1942

Brother Novice; LEFT without notice

Born: 14 February 1923, Mountrath, County Laois
Entered: 06 September 1941, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois

Left Society of Jesus: 17 September 1943