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John Francis O’Connor was born on 13 Feb. 1883 in County Cork. He was born into a devoutly Catholic family. His father, John O’Connor, a teacher, and his mother, Mary Ann Sheehan, were both tertiaries of the Third Order of St. Francis attached to Holy Trinity Capuchin Church, Cork. A brother of Many Ann Sheehan had already joined the Capuchin Franciscan Order. Fr. Luke Sheehan OFM Cap. was one of the first Catholic missionaries to minister in the American state of Oregon. A good number of John’s siblings also entered religious life. John entered Rochestown College, Cork, in the Autumn of 1897. Having successfully completed his secondary education, he entered the Capuchin novitiate on 1 Oct. 1899 and received the religious name of Dominic. A year later he took his simple vows and in the Autumn of the same year began studying for a philosophy degree in the Royal University, Cork. He was ordained a priest on 17 Mar. 1906 in the Capuchin Friary in Kilkenny. He later enrolled in the Catholic University in Louvain where he obtained a Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Sacred Theology). In response to a call from Cardinal Michael Logue, Archbishop of Armagh, Fr. Dominic volunteered for chaplaincy work with the British armed forces during the First World War. After spending two months with a Scottish brigade in England, he transferred to a hospital unit bound for Salonika, Greece. After approximately two years of service, Fr. Dominic resigned his post in 1917, returned to Ireland and was appointed to the Capuchin community in Holy Trinity Friary, Cork. Fr. Dominic soon attained notoriety in nationalist circles and was appointed chaplain to the Cork Brigade of IRA Volunteers by Tomas MacCurtain. As chaplain, Fr. Dominic was the first to appear at the MacCurtain home in Blackpool, Cork, on the morning the Sinn Féin Lord Mayor was killed by British forces (20 Mar. 1920). He also served as chaplain to MacCurtain’s successor as Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence MacSwiney, who was arrested on 12 Aug. 1920. Fr. Dominic ministered to MacSwiney throughout his hunger strike in Brixton Prison and was present for his death on 25 Oct. 1920. Soon after his return to Ireland, Fr. Dominic was arrested at the Capuchin Friary on Church Street, Dublin. He was taken to Dublin Castle and in January 1921 was court martialled and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. During his confinement, he became acquainted with two notable republican detainees, Ernie O’Malley and Pádraig Ó Caoimh. Fr. Dominic served about a year of his imprisonment in Parkhurst Prison. Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty in December 1921, there was a general amnesty for prisoners and Fr. Dominic was released in January 1922. On 25 February 1922, he was granted the freedom of Cork ‘as a mark of respect for his valuable services rendered to the first two Republican Lord Mayors of Cork’. With the onset of the Civil War the Capuchins in Church Street were once more involved in ministering to besieged republicans. In June 1922 the Four Courts, located only a couple of hundred meters from the Church Street Friary, was attacked by Free State forces. Fr. Dominic (assisted by Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap.) provided spiritual comfort, assisted in the evacuation of the wounded, and later facilitated the surrender of the defeated garrison. Soon afterwards, Fr. Dominic returned to Holy Trinity Friary, Cork. On 26 Nov. 1922 a decision was made by the Provincial Definitory of the Irish Capuchins to have Fr. Dominic transferred to the Province’s Mission in Bend, Oregon, United States. This was the location of Fr. Luke Sheehan’s (Fr. Dominic’s uncle) pioneering missionary work some years before. For the remainder of his life Fr. Dominic performed routine duties associated with the missionary apostolate of a Capuchin friar. He was appointed temporary rector of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral and published the first of a two-volume history of the Diocese of Baker in 1930. In August 1935 he sustained serious injuries in a car accident from which he never fully recovered. He died on 17 Oct. 1935 and was buried in Bend, Oregon. His remains (along with those of Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap.) were later repatriated to Ireland and he was buried in the cemetery of Rochestown Capuchin Friary, Cork, on 14 June 1958

A native of Cork, Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap. had a long association with the Capuchin College in Rochestown in the county and served as rector of the school for twenty-one years. While rector, he gave refuge to Captain Robert Monteith (1879-1956) who had accompanied Roger Casement to Ireland in a failed attempt to deliver German arms to be used by republican insurgents in the 1916 Rising. Monteith remained at Rochestown until arrangements could be made for his escape to the United States. Fr. Bonaventure was acquainted with many prominent republicans including Terence MacSwiney and Michael Collins and he reportedly sheltered Liam Mellows during the War of Independence. In 1934 he was appointed guardian (local superior) of the Capuchin Friary in Kilkenny, a position he held until 1940. He continued to reside in Kilkenny until his death.

Baptismal name: Martin Murphy
Name (in religion): Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 7 Feb. 1880
Place of birth: Glanmire, County Cork
Name of father: Michael Murphy
Name of mother: Mary Murphy (née Hegarty)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 1 Oct. 1899
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1900
Date of final profession: 25 Sept. 1904
Date of ordination (as priest): 16 Mar. 1907
Date of death: 26 Apr. 1968
Place of death: St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny
Place of burial: Foulkstown Cemetery, Kilkenny

John Duggan was born in the village of Ballydehob in County Cork on 7 September 1879. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in October 1899, took Pius as his religious name, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1907. Most of his priestly life was spent in preaching missions and retreats (in both Irish and English). In his early years, he also took part in the temperance campaign and gave missions in both Ireland and England promoting this cause. For several years he acted as a spiritual director for theology and philosophy students and was guardian (local superior) at the friaries in Rochestown and in Kilkenny (from 1913-6 and from 1931-4). During his years as member of the Church Street community in Dublin, he was director of the sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis and acted as Commissary Provincial of the confraternity. He died on 29 January 1963 and was buried in the cemetery attached to Rochestown Capuchin Friary in County Cork.

Baptismal name: John Duggan
Religious name: Fr. Pius Duggan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 7 Sept. 1879
Place of birth: Ballydehob, County Cork
Name of father: Timothy Duggan
Name of mother: Sarah Duggan (née Connell)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 1 Oct. 1899
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1900
Date of final profession: 25 Sept. 1904
Date of ordination (as priest): 16 Mar. 1907
Date of death: 29 Jan. 1963
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Francis Cantillon was born near the village of Glounthaune in County Cork on 20 June 1880. He attended the local diocesan seminary for several years, but after some discernment entered the Capuchin novitiate in September 1899. Having completed his philosophical and theological studies, he was ordained on 16 March 1907. In 1910 he was appointed guardian (local superior) of the Capuchin friary in Kilkenny. Following the completion of his term as guardian, he engaged in the ministry of preaching missions and retreats throughout Ireland. He was transferred to the United States in 1926 and took up residence in Mendocino County in California. Later that year he assisted Fr. Thomas Dowling OFM Cap. in ministering in Visitation Valley near San Francisco. This assignment was a temporary one as within a few months the Irish friars were given the administration of the new parish of Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame, California. They resided there in a small house on Cortez Avenue. In 1931 Fr. Berchmans was appointed Pastor of Our Lady of Angels parish in Ukiah, a position he filled until 1937 when he took up the position of pastor of the church of St. Francis of Assisi in Bend, Oregon. His health began to decline in subsequent years, and he retired from active ministry in 1940. He moved to Los Angeles and died there on 12 March 1942. He was laid to rest in the Capuchin plot in Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Baptismal name: Francis Cantillon
Religious name: Fr. Berchmans Cantillon OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 20 June 1880
Place of birth: Rockfarm, Glounthaune, County Cork
Name of father: Denis Cantillon
Name of mother: Mary Ellen Cantillon (née Mahony)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 8 Sept. 1899
Date of first profession: 8 Sept. 1900
Date of final profession: 25 Sept. 1904
Date of ordination (as priest): 16 Mar. 1907
Educational attainments: BA (RUI)
Missionary assignments: Travelled to Los Angeles, California, in 1926
Date of Death: 12 March 1942
Place of death: Queen of Angels Hospital, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place of burial: Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles, California, United States

Daniel Murphy was born on 17 June 1881 in Cork. He was baptised in St. Finbarr’s Church on 19 June 1881. His parents were James and Sarah Murphy (née Flynn) of Ethelville, Western Road, Cork. He was a student of Presentation College and later Rochestown College in Cork. He applied for entrance to the Capuchin novitiate in August 1898 taking the religious name of Columbus. He was ordained a priest in 1906. He subsequently studied at the Catholic University of Louvain and obtained a Bachelor of Divinity in 1909. His life as a friar was mostly devoted to missionary and retreat work. At the outbreak of the 1916 Rising Fr. Columbus was a member of the Church Street community in Dublin. He would go on to play an important role in bringing about a cessation of hostilities. The day after the surrender of the Four Courts garrison on 29 April there was still confusion in North King Street and in other locations as to whether this was a truce or a complete surrender. To clarify, Fr. Columbus went to the Four Courts to retrieve Patrick Pearse’s note which had led to the surrender of Commandant Edward Daly. He later negotiated with the British military to arrange a personal meeting with Pearse in Arbour Hill and brought a copy of his surrender order to Commandant Patrick Holohan at North Brunswick Street. Between 30 April and 4 May Fr. Columbus was called upon to minister to prisoners in Kilmainham Jail prior to their executions. He later compiled a memoir recording his experiences of ministering to various rebel leaders awaiting their court martials and sentencing (IE CA IR-1-2-6). Fr. Columbus later acted as President of Father Mathew Hall, Church Street, Dublin, from 1925-8. He died on 20 February 1962.

Michael Walsh was born in County Kilkenny on 29 July 1881. He joined the Capuchin Franciscan Order in September 1898 and took Edward as his religious name. Following the completion of his philosophy and theological studies, he was ordained a priest in March 1907. He was assigned to the new Capuchin mission in the Western United States in late 1911. His initial appointment was assistant pastor to St. Joseph’s Parish in Roseburg in Oregon. He served as assistant pastor from January 1912 to February 1913 and was thereafter pastor in the same location until 1919. During this time the friars actively sought an additional foundation which came to the fruition when they were assigned the Sacred Heart Parish in the Diocese of Lincoln in Nebraska. Fr. Edward served as pastor (with Fr. Ferdinand Glenny OFM Cap. acting as his assistant) in Lincoln from 1919 to 1923. He remained active in parish ministry and missionary work until he returned to the Irish Capuchin Province in 1923. In 1928 he was elected Provincial Definitor (Councillor) and served as Custos General from 1934 to 1937. He served as guardian (local superior) of Holy Trinity Friary in Cork and served two terms in the same position in the Church Street Capuchin Friary in Dublin. He died in Dublin on 23 May 1961 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Michael Walsh
Religious name: Fr. Edward Walsh OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 29 July 1881
Place of birth: Garryduff, Tullaroan, County Kilkenny (Diocese of Ossory)
Name of father: Edward Walsh (Farmer)
Name of mother: Mary Walsh (née Grace)
Date of parents’ marriage: 3 Aug. 1870
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 17 Sept. 1898
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1899
Date of final profession: 25 Sept. 1904
Date of ordination (as priest): 16 Mar. 1907
Educational attainments: BA (RUI) 1904
Missionary activity: Travelled to the Western American Capuchin Mission (Roseburg, Oregon) on 10 Nov. 1911; Returned to Ireland in 1923.
Provincial Leadership Positions: Definitor (Councillor): 1928-31; Custos General: 1934-7.
Date of death: 23 May 1961
Place of death: Bon Secours Hospital, Glasnevin, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Patrick O’Callaghan was born in Cork on 8 December 1880. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in September 1898 and took Brendan as his religious name. He was ordained on 16 March 1907. In late 1913 he was transferred to the newly established mission custody in the Western United States. He was initially assigned as assistant pastor to St. Francis Parish in Bend, Oregon. After just one year in ministry there he was transferred to Hermiston, Oregon, to assist Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. and Fr. Malachy Hynes OFM Cap. At the time, the Irish friars were investigating the prospects of a new location somewhere on the east coast. A friary there would serve as a midway point for the arduous journey from Ireland to the American Pacific Coast. Fr. Brendan was appointed to find a location for this new foundation. At the invitation of Archbishop Michael Joseph Curley (1879-1947), Fr. Brendan and Fr. Fabian Reynolds OFM Cap. arrived to work in the Immaculate Conception Parish in Towson, Maryland. There stay there was short, however, as problems arose with the Pittsburgh Capuchin Province over jurisdiction. Finally, it was discovered that Delaware was not included in any Capuchin Provincial jurisdiction and a location was chosen in Wilmington. Fr. Brendan was appointed the first guardian (local superior) of the new foundation (St. Patrick’s Friary). In 1935, a novitiate was established in Wilmington. Fr. Brendan returned to Ireland in 1937. He spent his remaining years as a member of the Holy Trinity Capuchin community in Cork city. He died on 10 June 1952 and was buried in the cemetery adjoining Rochestown Capuchin Friary in County Cork.

Baptismal name: Patrick O’Callaghan
Religious name: Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 8 Dec. 1880
Place of birth: Cork
Name of father: William O’Callaghan
Name of mother: Catherine O’Callaghan (née O’Brien)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 17 Sept. 1898
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1899
Date of final profession: 25 Sept. 1904
Date of ordination (as priest): 16 Mar. 1907
Educational attainments: BA (RUI), 1904
Missionary activities: Travelled to the United States mission in Nov. 1913. He returned to Ireland in 1937.
Leadership positions: Custos General, 1946-9
Date of death: 10 June 1952
Place of death: Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, Cork

Thomas Hayes was born in Cork on 24 April 1866. He was the son of Patrick Hayes and Anna Hayes (née Treacy) of Chapel Street in the city. He was received into the Capuchin Order on 30 July 1882. He took Francis as his religious name upon joining the Capuchins. He was ordained a priest in Holy Trinity Church, Cork, on 30 July 1882. Soon after his ordination, he was called upon to assist in the administration of the Irish Capuchin Province. He was appointed guardian (local superior) of the Capuchin Friary on Church Street in Dublin and was twice elected Provincial Definitor (1893-6, 1904-7). He was appointed Provincial Archivist on 20 August 1907. He later became Rector of Rochestown Capuchin College, and for many years taught both philosophy and theology to novice-students of the Province. In 1919 he was chosen as a witness in the cause of the beatification of two seventeenth-century Irish Capuchin martyrs, Fr. Fiacre Tobin OSFC (d. 1656) and Fr. John Baptist Dowdall OSFC (d. 1710). Throughout his life he retained an interest in uncovering and transcribing documentary records relating to the history of the early Irish Capuchin. He died in Rochestown Friary, County Cork, on 19 November 1946 and was buried in the adjoining cemetery.

Baptismal name: Thomas Hayes
Religious name: Fr. Francis Hayes OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 24 Apr. 1866
Place of birth: 22 Chapel Street, Cork
Name of father: Patrick Hayes
Name of mother: Anna Hayes (née Treacy)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 30 July 1882
Date of first profession: 5 Aug. 1883
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1887
Date of ordination (as priest): 1 May 1889
Leadership positions: Provincial Definitor: 1893-6, 1904-7
Date of death: 19 Nov. 1946
Place of death: Capuchin Friary, Rochestown, County Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Capuchin Friary, Rochestown, County Cork

Edward Abraham Sutton was born in Monkstown in County Cork on 5 November 1876. His early education was with the Christian Brothers. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in June 1898 and took Chrysostom as his religious name. He was solemnly professed as a friar in August 1902. He was ordained to the priesthood on 28 September 1902. He served as master of novices in Kilkenny from 1910 until his death on 11 November 1918. It was noted that ‘his death … came about from a severe attack of influenza contracted whilst ministering to those afflicted with the disease in Kilkenny city’. A local newspaper, ‘The Kilkenny People’ (16 November 1918), referred to the death from influenza of Fr. Chrysostom and noted the remarks of the city’s mayor in saying that the priest ‘was a most charitable man, and he would say he lost his life in trying to relieve the sufferings of the poor of Walkin Street and the neighbourhood during the epidemic’. Fr. Chrysostom was buried in the Capuchin plot in Foulkstown Cemetery in Kilkenny.

Baptismal name: Edward Abraham Sutton
Religious name: Fr. Chrysostom Sutton OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 5 Nov. 1876
Place of birth: Bellevue Place, Monkstown, County Cork
Name of father: George Abraham Sutton (Merchant)
Name of mother: Lydia Sutton (née Harding)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 9 June 1898
Date of first profession: 2 Aug. 1899
Date of final profession: 2 Aug. 1902
Date of ordination (as priest): 28 Sept. 1902
Educational attainments: BA, RUI (1901)
Date of death: 11 Nov. 1918
Place of death: Kilkenny
Place of burial: Foulkstown Cemetery, County Kilkenny

Christopher Moynihan was born in the town of Boyle in County Roscommon on 30 May 1877. He joined the Irish Capuchins in October 1896 and took Kevin as his religious name. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Royal University in Cork in 1901. Following his theological studies, he was ordained to the priesthood on 28 September 1902. There followed further academic studies at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium where he was awarded a Doctorate in Philosophy. In 1907 he was appointed guardian (local superior) of Rochestown Friary in County Cork. Three years later he was appointed Rector of the Seraphic College at Rochestown. In 1919 he assumed the role of master of novices. He was five times elected Provincial Definitor (Councillor) and held the office of Provincial Minister of the Irish Capuchins from 1928 to 1931. His term of office as Provincial Minister witnessed the opening of Ard Mhuire Friary in County Donegal (for the training of cleric novices) in 1930, and the establishment of a foreign mission in Barotseland, a vast territory located in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) in 1931. Fr. Kevin spent most of his life in ministry in Rochestown holding various offices including guardian, director of students and professor of theology. He died (suddenly) at St. Bonaventure’s Friary in Cork on 20 January 1959. He was buried in the cemetery adjoining Rochestown Friary.

Baptismal name: Christopher Moynihan
Religious name: Fr. Kevin Moynihan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 30 May 1877
Place of birth: Boyle, County Roscommon (Diocese of Elphin)
Name of father: Michael Moynihan
Name of mother: Margaret Moynihan (née Murphy)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 4 Oct. 1896
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1897
Date of final profession: 2 Aug. 1902
Date of ordination (as priest): 28 Sept. 1902
Educational attainments: BA, RUI (1901); PhD, Catholic University of Louvain
Leadership positions: Provincial Definitor (Councillor), 1910-3, 1913-6, 1919-21, 1940-3, 1943-6; Provincial Minister, 1928-31; Custos General, 1931-4.
Date of death: 20 Jan. 1959
Place of death: St. Bonaventure’s Capuchin Friary, Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork