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Peadar Ó Laoghaire (Peter O’Leary) was born in Lios Carragáin near Macroom in County Cork on 30 April 1839. Born into a bilingual family, he was educated at St. Colman’s College in Fermoy before entering the seminary at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, County Kildare. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1867. He went on to serve in several parishes in the diocese of Cloyne, spending his final thirty years (from 1891) as parish priest of Castlelyons (Caisleán Ó Liatháin) in County Cork. From 1906 he was officially titled Canon Peter O’Leary, but he was more commonly addressed as ‘an tAthair Peadar’ (or ‘Father Peter’). Although he did not begin writing in earnest until he was in his fifties, the foundation of Conradh na Gaeilge (1893) spurred him on to take up a career as a writer. He was particularly eager to compile accessible Irish language reading material, especially for a younger generation. O’Leary completed nearly five hundred pieces of work including essays, stories, and translations of The Bible and ‘Don Quixote’, in addition to modernisations of early and medieval Irish texts. His best-known works are ‘Séadna’ (1904) and ‘Mo scéal féin’ (1915). ‘Séadna’, a folk tale, is considered a seminal work in the Gaelic revival, epitomizing O’Leary’s championing of ‘caint na ndaoine’ or the language of the people. His pioneering autobiographical work, ‘Mo Sgéal Féin’, was published by the Irish Book Company, founded by Norma Borthwick and Mairéad Ní Raghallaigh, with whom he was closely associated. O’Leary’s contribution to Irish language literature saw him honoured as a freeman of both Dublin and Cork, with Cork Corporation referring to him as ‘the greatest Irish writer of his age’ when granting him the freedom of the city in 1912. O’Leary died in Castlelyons, County Cork, on 21 March 1920 and was buried in the local cemetery.

Baptismal name: Thomas Nesdale
Religious name: Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 21 Sept. 1897
Date of baptism: 26 Sept. 1897
Place of birth: Adrigole, County Cork
Name of father: Thomas Nesdale
Name of mother: Margaret Nesdale (née Regan)
Occupation of parents: National School Teachers
Primary school education: Trafrask National School, Adrigole, County Cork
Secondary school education: Seraphic (Capuchin) College, Rochestown, County Cork
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 8 Sept. 1915
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1916
Date of final profession: 12 Oct. 1919
Date of ordination (as priest): 29 June 1925
Education attainments: BA (1921)
Missionary activity: United States Mission (1925); African Mission (Sept. 1931). He returned to Ireland in Mar. 1946.
Date of death: 14 Dec. 1980
Place of death: Kilkenny
Place of burial: Foulkstown Cemetery, County Kilkenny

William Neary, the son of John Leary and Brigid Neary (née Dowling), was born on 24 May 1857 in Freshford, County Kilkenny. Michael Neary, an older brother, joined the Capuchins in 1875 and took the religious name of Fidelis. William followed in his brother’s footsteps and joined the Order in Kilkenny a year later in May 1876. He took Paul as his religious name and was solemnly professed as a friar in October 1881. Following his profession, he was sent to France to continue his studies. He returned to Ireland and was ordained a priest in April 1881. In 1884, the Irish friars succeeded in re-establishing administrative autonomy by reconstituting a canonical Irish Capuchin Province with a Belgian-born friar, Fr. Seraphin Van Damme OSFC (1820-1887), appointed as Provincial Minister (Superior). In January 1887, Fr. Paul was summoned to Rome and was appointed the first Irish-born Provincial Minister of the reconstituted Irish Capuchin Province. Fr. Paul played a key role in the organisation of the celebrations of the centenary of the birth of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC (1790-1856) in 1890 and in the campaign to secure funds to complete the church named in his honour (Holy Trinity, or Father Mathew Memorial Church in Cork). As Provincial Minister, and later as Vice-President of Father Mathew Hall in Dublin, he campaigned widely for the promotion of temperance. When the Catholic hierarchy invited the Irish Capuchins to undertake a nationwide crusade for the revival of temperance in 1905, Fr. Paul was the principal organiser and facilitator of this missionary campaign. Plagued by regular bouts of ill-health in his latter years, Fr. Paul Neary died in the Capuchin Friary on Church Street in Dublin on 20 June 1939 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: William Neary
Religious name: Fr. Paul Neary OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 24 May 1857
Place of birth: Freshford, County Kilkenny (Diocese of Ossory)
Name of father: John Neary
Name of mother: Brigid Neary (née Dowling)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 24 May 1876
Date of first profession: 27 May 1877
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1880
Date of ordination: 4 Apr. 1881
Date of death: 20 June 1939
Place of death: Capuchin Friary, Church Street, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin
Leadership positions: Provincial Minister, 1887-90, 1890-3, 1904-7; Provincial Definitor, 1885-8, 1895-8, 1901-4, 1913-7.
Note: Fr. Fidelis (Michael) Neary OFM Cap. (1855-1932) was a brother of Fr. Paul Neary OFM Cap.

Baptismal name: Michael Neary
Religious name: Fr. Fidelis Neary OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 28 Oct. 1855
Place of birth: Freshford, County Kilkenny (Diocese of Ossory)
Name of father: John Neary
Name of mother: Brigid Neary (née Dowling)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 28 Oct. 1875
Date of first profession: 1 Nov. 1876
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1880
Date of ordination (as priest): 21 Sept. 1881
Leadership positions: Provincial Definitor (Councillor): 1893-5, 1898-1901; Custos General: 1895-8; Guardian, Capuchin Friary, Kilkenny, 1893-5; Guardian, Holy Trinity Friary, Cork, 1895-8; Guardian, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, 1901-4; Master of Novices, 1898-1901
Date of death: 22 June 1932
Place of death: Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Hugh Murtagh was born in Abbeylara in County Longford on 6 November 1896. James Murtagh, an elder brother, joined the Capuchin Franciscans in 1910 and took Stephen as his religious name. Fr. Stephen Murtagh OFM Cap. was transferred to the Irish Capuchin mission custody in the Western United States in 1920 and spent his entire life in ministry in America. Hugh Murtagh followed in his older brother’s footsteps and joined the Order in September 1915. Taking Virgilius as his religious name, he was ordained to the priesthood in June 1924. Following his ordination, he spent some time in Rochestown Friary in County Cork where he had charge of the local Temperance Hall. He devoted most of his religious life to the education of novice friars, first as vice-master, and from 1934 as master of lay novices in Kilkenny. He was appointed President of Father Mathew Temperance Hall adjoining the Church Street Friary in Dublin in 1940 and held this position for three years. He also served as secretary of the Foreign Missions Office and was later appointed guardian (local superior) of the communities in Dublin, Kilkenny and in Ard Mhuire in County Donegal. He was appointed manager of the Capuchin Publications Office (which had charge of ‘The Capuchin Annual’ periodical) in 1955. He was also several times elected to the office of Provincial Definitor (1952-70). He died in the Church Street Friary on 3 September 1972 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Hugh Murtagh
Religious name: Fr. Virgilius Murtagh OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 6 Nov. 1896
Place of birth: Ballyboy, Abbeylara, County Longford (Diocese of Ardagh)
Name of father: James Murtagh (Farmer)
Name of mother: Mary Murtagh (née Crawford)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 8 Sept. 1915
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1916
Date of final profession: 12 Oct. 1919
Date of ordination (as priest): 14 June 1924
Educational attainments: BA (1920)
Leadership positions: Provincial Definitor (Councillor): 1952-5, 1955-8, 1961-4, 1964-7, 1967-70; Custos General: 1949-52.
Date of death: 3 Sept. 1972
Place of death: Church Street Friary, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

James Murtagh was born in Abbeylara in County Longford on 16 March 1894. He received his early education at the local national school in Abbeylara and later at the Seraphic College in Rochestown in County Cork. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in October 1910 and took Stephen as his religious name. He took a BA degree in philosophy from University College Cork. He was ordained to the priesthood in Holy Trinity Church in Cork on 3 May 1918. Shortly after his ordination, he was assigned to the United States mission and was appointed associate pastor at Our Lady of Angels Parish in Hermiston in Oregon. In 1937 he succeeded Fr. Joseph Fenlon OFM Cap. as Custos Provincial, a position he held until 1956 when Fr. Emilian Meade OFM Cap. succeeded him. During his nineteen-year term Fr. Stephen served as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish located in the heart of Silver Lake, near Downtown Los Angeles. He was instrumental in establishing Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School which opened on 6 September 1938. He also oversaw the opening of the friary at McKenzie Bridge in Oregon in 1937. This foundation never developed due in part to its isolated location. In 1954 he withdrew the Capuchin friars from there, handing over the staffing of the house to the Dominican Order. In 1947 Fr. Stephen supervised the seminary experiment at Old Mission Santa Inés near Solvang in California. Despite the expectations, it was not a success, and it was closed just a year later in 1948. However, he did have one lasting success – St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge, California. In 1946 he bought the old Flintridge Golf Club and established a school. It was the beginning of the firm establishment of the Capuchin mission and the eventual growth of what would become the Western American Province of the Order on the Pacific coast. Following the completion of his term as Custos Provincial he served as pastor of St. Francis Parish in Bend, Oregon (1957-66). His last years were spent at St. Francis High School, where he died on 4 March 1980. He is buried in the cemetery adjoining San Lorenzo Seminary at Mission Santa Inés, California.

Baptismal name: James Murtagh
Religious name: Fr. Stephen Murtagh OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 16 Mar. 1894
Place of birth: Ballyboy, Abbeylara, County Longford (Diocese of Ardagh)
Name of father: James Murtagh (Farmer)
Name of mother: Mary Murtagh (née Crawford)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 16 Oct. 1910
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1911
Date of final profession: 8 July 1916
Date of ordination (as priest): 3 May 1918
Educational attainments: BA (1915)
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Western United States mission custody in May 1920.
Leadership positions: Custos General: 1937; Custos Provincial: 1937-43, 1946, 1949, 1952, 1955.
Date of death: 4 Mar. 1980
Place of death: St. Francis High School, La Cañada Flintridge, California, United States
Place of burial: Cemetery, Mission Santa Inés, California, United States

Baptismal name: Edmond Murphy
Religious name: Fr. Theophilus Murphy OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 11 Apr. 1928
Place of birth: Newmarket, County Cork (Diocese of Cloyne)
Name of father: Edmond Murphy (Farmer)
Name of mother: Ellen Murphy (née Riely)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 2 Oct. 1946
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1947
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1950
Date of ordination (as priest): 23 May 1954 (Holy Trinity, Cork)
Educational attainments: BA, 2nd class hons. (1950)
Missionary activities: Travelled to Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia), on 31 Aug. 1954. He returned to Ireland on 6 Oct. 2006.
Leadership positions: Regular Superior, Zambian Mission, 1973-6, 1976-9, 1985-8. He served as Administrator of the Diocese of Livingstone from 1984-5. He also served as a Parish Priest and Diocesan Consultor in Livingstone.
Date of death: 6 Oct. 2006
Place of death: Holy Trinity Capuchin Friary, Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

James Murphy was born in Newry in County Down on 12 October 1912. He entered the Irish Capuchin novitiate in October 1930 and took Theodore as his religious name. He spent the three years of his simple profession in St. Bonaventure’s taking his BA degree in University College Cork. He made his solemn profession in October 1934. There followed four years of theological studies at Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal. He was ordained to the priesthood in June 1938. Following his ordination in St. Eunan’s Cathedral in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Fr. Theodore volunteered for missionary work abroad. At the invitation of Archbishop Sylvester Mulligan OFM Cap. he went to work with the English Capuchins in the Archdiocese of Delhi and Simla in India. He returned to Ireland after thirteen years of difficult missionary work (1938-51). Following a brief stint as Vice Master of Novices in Rochestown in County Cork during 1952, he was assigned to the Church Street community in Dublin for three years. He spent eighteen years teaching religion at the School of Marketing in Parnell Square in Dublin while residing in Raheny Hostel (1955-74). He was also superior of the Rahney community for three of those years (1958-61) as well as being an active promoter of the Seraphic Mass Association (SMA). In 1974, he was transferred back to Church Street and took up a chaplaincy role in St. Brendan’s Psychiatric Hospital. He continued in this role until 1979. He died in the Church Street Friary on 18 February 1993 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: James Murphy
Religious name: Fr. Theodore Murphy OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 12 Oct. 1912
Place of birth: Newry, County Down (Diocese of Dromore)
Name of father: Thomas Murphy (Soldier)
Name of mother: Catherine Murphy (née McMahon)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1930
Date of first profession:4 Oct. 1941
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1934
Date of ordination (as priest): 19 June 1938
Educational attainments: BA (1934)
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Archdiocese of Delhi and Simla on 3 Oct. 1938. He returned to Ireland in January 1952.
Date of death: 18 Feb. 1993
Place of death: Church Street Friary, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Maurice Murphy was born in Kinnagh, County Wexford, on 22 October 1849. He was received into the Capuchin Order in Le Mans, France, on 14 July 1874. He took Nicholas as his religious name upon joining the Order. He continued his studies on the continent and was ordained a priest in Lorient, France, on 13 June 1879. Following his ordination, he returned to Ireland and was attached to Holy Trinity Friary in Cork, where he was appointed guardian (local superior). After a period of three years, he was transferred to the Church Street Friary in Dublin and took up the position of Vicar. In 1890 he was appointed President of Father Mathew Hall, a position he would hold for six years. He was instrumental in the building of both the Third Order Chapel attached to the Church of St. Mary of the Angels and the addition of a new wing to the Church Street Friary. He served as spiritual director of the Third Order of St. Francis sodality in Dublin for many years. He was a vigorous campaigner for the tenement residents of Church Street and petitioned Dublin Corporation on their behalf seeking improvements in housing and social conditions. In the public sphere, Fr. Nicholas served as chaplain to the Lord Mayor of Dublin and was a well-known attendee at numerous civic and religious functions in the city. He died in the Church Street Friary in Dublin on 1 November 1923 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Maurice Murphy
Religious name: Fr. Nicholas Murphy OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 22 Oct. 1849
Place of birth: Kinnagh, County Wexford (Diocese of Ferns)
Name of father: Patrick Murphy
Name of mother: Anne Murphy (née Stafford)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 14 July 1874
Date of first profession: 12 Nov. 1875
Date of final profession: 26 Nov. 1878
Date of ordination (as priest): 13 June 1879
Leadership positions: Provincial Definitor: 1893-1901; Custos General, 1904
Date of death: 1 Nov. 1923
Place of death: Church Street Friary, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Baptismal name: Patrick Murphy
Religious name: Fr. Hugh Murphy OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 3 Dec. 1919
Place of birth: Newmarket, County Cork (Diocese of Cloyne)
Name of father: Edmond Murphy (Farmer)
Name of mother: Ellen Murphy (née Riely)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1939
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1940
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1943
Date of ordination (as priest): 5 June 1947
Educational attainments: BA (1943)
Missionary activities: Travelled to Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia), on 24 Dec. 1947.
Date of death: 9 Mar. 1990
Place of death: Livingstone, Zambia
Place of burial: Livingstone, Zambia