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James Tommins was born in Dublin on 29 March 1812. Often, when recounting the difficult conditions in pre-emancipation Ireland, he would tell his younger fellow-friars: ‘You were born free. I was born a slave’. As a youth he was apprenticed to a haberdasher, or, more specifically, a button-manufacturer. He frequently attended religious services at the Capuchin chapel on Church Street. In his late thirties, Tommins expressed a desire to become a Capuchin friar. He went to night school to gain the necessary knowledge of the classics, and, by assiduous study, he soon reached the standard required for the novitiate. Then, in 1849, at the age of 42, he was sent to Bruges, in Belgium, for his novitiate and studies. Having taken Edward as his religious name, he was noted for his strict obedience and generous self-sacrifice, which, together with his profound humility, won him the esteem of the Capuchin community in Belgium, and secured his admission to profession. With the successful completion of his studies and having been ordained priest in 1856 by Jean-Baptiste Malou (1809-1864), Bishop of Bruges, he returned to Ireland. The following year Fr. Theobald Matthew OSFC, then Commissary-General, assigned him to Kilkenny. Except for a short period during which he was guardian (local superior) in Cork in 1861, Fr. Tommins spent his entire priestly life in Kilkenny, most of the time as guardian of a small fraternity of two or three friars. He prepared the way for the establishment of a Capuchin novitiate in Ireland; and, at a later period was appointed Commissary-General. On 23 January 1861, Fr. Edward called a meeting of the people of Kilkenny to arrange for the furnishing of the friary church. The meeting was presided over by the Mayor, Thomas Power, and it was agreed to engage Mr. McCarthy, architect, to oversee the improvements to the church, including the installation of the high altar. Once the church was completed, Fr. Tommins was also responsible for the purchase of the garden as far as Pennyfeather Lane. He also gave occasional missions and retreats notably in Castlecomer, Clough and Urlingford. With a shortage of Capuchin priests in the Irish Province, he sometimes said one Mass in Dublin on a Sunday morning; and then took the train to Kilkenny to say a second Mass there. He was also responsible for the inauguration of the Third Order of St. Francis lay confraternity in Cork in about 1866. Of the first six men he recruited as tertiaries, two joined the Capuchins: Br. Joseph O Mahony OSFC (d. 1902) and Br. Felix Harte OSFC (d. 1935). Fr. Tommins was also one of the first to take the pledge when Bishop (later Cardinal) Francis Moran, founded the Total Abstinence Sodality in Kilkenny. He died at the Capuchin Friary on Walkin Street in Kilkenny on 29 July 1889 and was afforded an elaborate public funeral. He was laid to rest in a tomb adjoining the northern aisle of St. Francis Capuchin Church in Kilkenny.

Baptismal name: James Tommins
Religious name: Fr. James Edward Tommins OSFC
Date of birth: c.29 Mar. 1812
Place of birth: Dublin
Name of father: Nicholas Tommins
Name of mother: Mary Tommins (née Casey)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: c.1830
Date of ordination (as priest): 1856
Date of death: 29 July 1889
Place of death: Capuchin Friary, Walkin Street, Kilkenny

Baptismal name: John (Patrick) Ryan
Religious name: Br. Pacificus Ryan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 27 Aug. 1876
Place of birth: Loughane, County Cork
Name of father: John Ryan
Name of mother: Catherine Ryan (née Cronin)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 2 July 1894
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1895
Date of final profession: 31 Jan. 1903
Ministries: A newspaper report on the golden jubilee of Br. Pacificus Ryan OFM Cap. in 1944 read: ‘Born in Cork, Brother Pacificus is a member of a well-known Cork family, and has several relatives in the city and county. During his long life in the Capuchin Order, he served in Kilkenny, and for a long number of years in Dublin, returning to Rochestown over twenty years ago. He served there in the capacity of sacristan and is a very popular and highly respected figure. He is looked upon as an authority on the Rubrics and Church ceremonies’.
Date of death: 1 July 1950
Place of death: South Infirmary, Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

William Coughlan was born in Passage West in County Cork on 20 September 1925. He was received as a Capuchin Franciscan novice at Rochestown Friary in County Cork in October 1944. He was sent for philosophical studies to St. Bonaventure’s Friary in Cork and was solemnly professed as a Capuchin friar in October 1948. He subsequently travelled to Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal for his theological studies. He was ordained to the priesthood on 12 June 1952. Shortly afterward, he went to the United States. During his twenty-three years of ministry in America, he spent two years in Ukiah and a further two years in Bend, Oregon. He also served as assistant pastor for four years in Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fort Bragg in California. He subsequently served as Pastor and Superior for three years in St. Joseph’s Parish in Roseburg and seven years at Our Lady of Angels in Hermiston in Oregon. He suffered a heart attack and died in Hermiston on 29 September 1975. He was buried in the cemetery adjoining San Lorenzo Seminary, Santa Inés Mission, in California.

Baptismal name: William Coughlan
Religious name: Fr. Simon Coughlan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 20 Sept. 1925
Place of birth: Passage West, County Cork
Name of father: John Coughlan
Name of mother: Anne Coughlan (née Hegarty)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1944 (Rochestown, County Cork)
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1945
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1948
Date of ordination (as priest): 12 June 1952
Educational attainments: BA (1948)
Missionary activities: Travelled to the United States mission in 1952
Date of death: 29 Sept. 1975
Place of death: Hermiston, Oregon, United States
Place of burial: Cemetery, San Lorenzo Seminary, Santa Inés Mission, California, United States

John Hynes was born in Kilwarden in County Meath on 2 February 1879. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans at Rochestown Friary in County Cork in January 1901 and took Malachy as his religious name. Having successfully perused his religious studies in Rochestown, he was ordained to the priesthood in Kilkenny on 16 March 1907. He spent periods in both Kilkenny and Dublin until 1912 when he joined Fr. Luke Sheehan OFM Cap. in the newly established mission in Hermiston in Oregon on the American Pacific coast. He assisted Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. in building up the local parish structures following the departure of Fr. Luke. Fr. Malachy returned to Ireland in 1920 and was initially assigned to the Kilkenny Friary before joining the community in Holy Trinity in Cork. In 1933 he was appointed guardian (local superior) of Rochestown and he remained there until 1937 when he returned to Holy Trinity. He was appointed Vicar there in 1940. For several years he worked as district delegate of the Seraphic Mass Association in Cork raising funds for the overseas’ missionary work of the Capuchin friars. He was also active in missionary work in Ireland particularly in the temperance campaign. Suffering from ill-health in his latter years, he died in Cork on 24 February 1955. He was buried in the cemetery adjoining Rochestown Capuchin Friary.

Baptismal name: John Hynes
Religious name: Fr. Malachy Hynes OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 2 Feb. 1879
Place of birth: Kilwarden, County Meath
Name of father: Michael Hynes (Farmer)
Name of mother: Anne Hynes (née Kelly)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 27 Jan. 1901
Date of first profession: 2 Feb. 1902
Date of final profession: 24 June 1905
Date of ordination (as priest): 16 Mar. 1907
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Western United States in 1912. He returned to Ireland in 1920.
Date of death: 24 Feb. 1955
Place of death: Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Baptismal name: Patrick McGirr
Religious name: Fr. Macartan McGirr OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 4 May 1894
Place of birth: Ballygawley, County Tyrone
Name of father: Henry McGirr (Farmer)
Name of mother: Isabella McGirr (née Montague)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 27 Aug. 1914
Date of first profession: 15 Oct. 1915
Date of final profession: 15 Oct. 1918
Date of ordination (as priest): 29 June 1923
Educational attainments: BA (1919)
Date of death: 31 Oct. 1954
Place of death: Capuchin Hostel, Raheny, County Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Baptismal name: Thomas McDonagh
Religious name: Fr. Hilary McDonagh OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 5 June 1900
Place of birth: Graiguecullen, County Carlow (Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin)
Name of father: Michael McDonagh (Royal Irish Constabulary Policeman)
Name of mother: Mary McDonagh (née Keating)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 20 Sept. 1918
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1919
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1922
Date of ordination (as priest): 29 July 1928 (Rome)
Educational attainments: BA (1922); MA, 1st class honours (1923); Studentship (1924); PhD, Catholic University of Louvain (1926); Higher Diploma in Education (1935)
Leadership positions: Vice-Secretary Capuchin Procurator’s Office, Rome, 1932-4; Provincial Definitor (Councillor), 1949-51, 1952-5, 1955-8, 1958-61, 1961-4; Master of Cleric Novices; Custos General, 1964-7.
Date of death: 7 May 1967
Place of death: Church Street, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Herbert O’Hanlon was born in Dublin on 25 March 1890. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in October 1908 and took Reginald as his religious name. He was ordained to the priesthood on 1 July 1917. Soon after his ordination, he was assigned to the American mission custody and spent several years ministering on the West Coast. In 1924 the Irish Capuchins took over the administration of the Old Mission Santa Inés near Solvang in California. Fr. Regniald was appointed assistant pastor to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. He briefly took charge of the Mission in 1929. Seemingly he was a popular friar with parishioners and a local newspaper in Santa Barbara referred to him as a ‘true son of the Seraphic Francis’. Fr. Reginald returned to Ireland in 1934. He was initially assigned to Holy Trinity Friary in Cork but was later transferred to the Church Street community in Dublin. Aside from preaching, one of his principal ministries was the writing of short devotional booklets published by the Catholic Truth Society of Ireland (CTSI). He died in Dublin on 13 May 1976 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Herbert O’Hanlon
Religious name: Fr. Reginald O’Hanlon OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 25 Mar. 1890
Place of birth: Compton House, Dolphin’s Barn, Dublin
Name of father: Michael O’Hanlon
Name of mother: Catherine O’Hanlon (née Kelly)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 18 Oct. 1908
Date of first profession: 26 May 1910
Date of final profession: 21 Dec. 1913
Date of ordination (as priest): 1 July 1917
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Western United States mission in 1924. He returned to Ireland in 1934.
Date of death: 13 May 1976
Place of death: Church Street, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Michael Griffin was born in Galway city on 6 October 1906. He joined the Irish Capuchins in Kilkenny in October 1925 and took Anselm as his religious name. Following his ordination to the priesthood in 1933, he served as spiritual director to philosophical students in St. Bonaventure’s University in Cork. On the outbreak of the Second World War, he volunteered for service as a military chaplain with the Royal Air Force in Britain. On his return to Ireland at the end of the conflict, he was assigned to the Capuchin community in Raheny in Dublin where his ministries included chaplaincy duties with the Christian Brothers’ Institute in Baldoyle. In 1950 he volunteered for overseas missionary work in Africa. Initially stationed in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), he later undertook parish work in Parrow in Cape Town, South Africa. Ill-health forced his return to Ireland, and he died in Cork on 14 February 1957. He was buried in the cemetery attached to Rochestown Capuchin Friary in County Cork.

Baptismal name: Michael Griffin
Religious name: Fr. Anselm Griffin OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 6 Oct. 1906
Place of birth: Nun’s Island, Galway city
Name of father: John Griffin (Prison Warder)
Name of mother: Honora (Nora) Griffin (née Kelly)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 4 Oct. 1925
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1926
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1929
Date of ordination (as priest): 25 June 1933 (Letterkenny, County Donegal)
Educational attainments: BA (1929); Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL), Rome (1935
Missionary activities: Travelled to Northern Rhodesian mission on 2 Feb. 1950.
Date of death: 14 Feb. 1957
Place of death: Bons Secours Hospital, Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Charles McCafferty was born in Derry city on 24 May 1888. He joined the Capuchin Franciscan Order (taking Bonaventure as his religious name) in Kilkenny in April 1912. He was solemnly professed as a Capuchin friar in September 1918. For the next thirty-six years he resided at the Seraphic College in Rochestown in County Cork. His primary responsibility was the management of the kitchen serving both the staff and students in the college. His time in Rochestown is notable for the assistance he gave to Captain Robert Monteith (1879-1956), the soldier and Irish nationalist, who had accompanied Roger Casement in his ill-fated attempt to land at Banna Strand in County Kerry in April 1916. Montieth was nursed through malaria by Br. Bonaventure and other Capuchin friars at Rochestown, before travelling back to his family in New York in December 1916, working in disguise as a fireman and coal trimmer on a merchant vessel. An account of this episode reads as follows:

‘Monteith was nursed by a Derryman, Br. Bonaventure [McCafferty OFM Cap.], who filled the role of both cook and guest-master. In both capacities Br. Bonaventure was excellent; blessed with a true Franciscan spirit of fraternity he was kindly, caring, and jovial. Under his care, Captain Monteith regained strength and when he was well enough to go out in the grounds, he was schooled in the basics of Capuchin behaviour – in so far as externals were concerned at any rate – because there was always the fear of a sudden raid by the British army. Dressed in a Capuchin habit, wearing a beard, and correctly holding a breviary he could hardly be distinguished from the ordinary religious. In case of suspicion, care was taken to include him on the ordinary list of the community. When completely fit and well he left Rochestown and enlisted under a false name as a fireman on the liner, ‘Adriatic’, bound for America. When the ship docked in New York he “jumped off” and made his way home to his family on Third Avenue, 116 Street, just before Christmas 1916’.

In 1949 Br. Bonaventure was assigned to the Church Street Friary in Dublin. He was plagued with ill-health in his later years and died in the friary on 5 September 1962. He was buried in the Capuchin plot in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Charles McCafferty
Religious name: Br. Bonaventure McCafferty OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 24 May 1888
Place of birth: 157 Lecky Road, Derry
Name of father: Charles McCafferty (Grocer)
Name of mother: Catherine McCafferty (née Griffin)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 16 Apr. 1912
Date of first profession: 1 May 1913
Date of final profession: 8 Sept. 1918
Date of death: 5 Sept. 1962
Place of death: Church Street Friary, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Baptismal name: Peter Kelly
Religious name: Br. Elzear Kelly OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 25 June 1857
Place of birth: Rathnure, County Wexford (Diocese of Ferns)
Name of father: Marin Kelly
Name of mother: Margaret Kelly (née Curran)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 6 Jan. 1884
Date of first profession: 2 Feb. 1885
Date of final profession: 8 Dec. 1890
Ministries: Questor, Rochestown Friary, County Cork; Sacristan, Church Street Friary, Dublin, 1915-37
Date of death: 11 Mar. 1937
Place of death: Church Street Friary, Dublin