I am very grateful to my brother Raymond Dunne for his work in preparing the following information about the lives and contributions made by the many clergymen and nuns from our community.

Most Rev. John Baptist Crozier (1853-1920). John Baptist Crozier, eldest son of the Rev. Baptist Barton Crozier and Catherine Mary Crozier, Rockview, Ballyhaise was born in the townland of Knockfad on the 8th April 1853. Shane and Josephine Devlin currently occupy the house where the Crozier family lived and a tree called ‘The Primate’s Tree’ still flourishes in the garden at Rockview House.

John Baptist Crozier was baptized in Casletara Parish Church, Ballyhaise on the 24th June 1853 by curate the Rev. Arthur Moneypenny. His grandfather, a justice of the peace, was John Crozier of Gorta House, Co. Fermanagh and his mother was daughter of John Boland, 54 Blessington, Dublin.

He graduated from T.C.D. with a B.A. in 1872, a M.A. in 1875, and a B.D. and D.D. in 1888. He was a M.R.I.A. from 1916. He was a keen horseman, Vice-President of the Holywood Cricket Club and one of the earliest members of The Wanderers Football Club of Dublin.

His extensive ministry began in 1876 in St Stephen, Belfast. Successive appointments followed to St Anne’s Belfast (1877) Holyhood Co. Down(1880), Dunsford in Down Catheral(1889), St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin(1896), and as chaplin to Bishop Knox(1885), to the Bishop of Down (Welland)(1892) and to the Lord Lieutenant (1891)

He was elected Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin on 20th October 1897 and consecrated in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin 30th November 1897.
He translated to the Diocese of Down, Connor and Dromore in 1907, and was subsequently elected, unanimously by the house of Bishops, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, on 2 February 1911. He was enthroned in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh on 17th March 1911 in succession to Primate Alexander who had been forced by ill- health to resign. A special train brought hundreds of people from Belfast for the ceremony which was so crowded that several hundreds had to be refused admission.

He married on 12 September1877, Alice Isabella Hackett, third daughter of the Rev. John and Jane Sophia Hackett of St James, Bray and they had four children.

Eldest son, Baptist Barton, who was born on 17 July 1878, married Ethel, the eldest daughter of William Humphries of Ballyhaise House and they had a daughter Cynthia and a son Ronald Baptist Crozier.
He won numerous distinctions in the European war, including Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy and Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

Second son John Winthrop, who was born on 5 Dec 1879, was elected Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry on 23 November 1938 and consecrated in Armagh Cathedral on 2 February 1939. He married on 1st September 1910 Bertha Elizabeth McCall from Banbridge, Co. Down. He retired in 1957 and died c1966.

Third son was Mervyn Packenham, born on 20 July 1881. He died at the Palace, Armagh on 18th December 1914 and is buried at Armagh Cathedral.

Only daughter was Alice Maude who was born on 7th May 1884 and who married on 16th June 1908 Charles Chenevix Coote from Ballyfin, Co. Laois and had four children Cecilla Maud, Mervyn Charles, Dermot Chenevix and Patricia Aileen.

Primate John Baptist Crozier died on Sunday 11th April 1920 at the Palace, Armagh and he is buried in the grounds of Armagh Cathedral beside his wife, Alice Isabella, who died on 29th February 1928 at the residence of her daughter Mrs Coote in Newcastle-on-Tyne. Their youngest son Mervyn Packenham, who had died earlier in 1914, is buried in the same grave.
 

In Armagh Cathedral there are two stained glass windows:  one is to commemorate the archbiship’s son Melvyn and was raised by the archbishop:  the second window was raised by the archbiship’s friends after his death.
Resources:

Armagh Clergy 1800- 2000 by Rev. W.E.C. Fleming, M.A. sometime incumbent of Tartaraghan and Diamond and Chancellor of Armagh Cathedral. Published 2001.

County Armagh Museum – ‘Inscriptions’. St Patrick’s Cathedral and Churchyard Armagh – TGF Paterson Manuscript Collection No 114 - courtesy of Sean Bardon.

The New York Times, 13 April 1920.

Thanks also to Charles W. Kemp, Rahulton, Butlersbridge, Mrs. Peggy O Connell, Knockfad, and to Dr Raymond Refausse, Librarian and Archivist, Church of Ireland Representative Church Body Library, Braemor Park, Churchtown, Dublin 14 for their valuable assistance.

Fr Hugh Brady (1835 – 1901), Butlersbridge, son of Hugh Brady and Margaret (nee Fitzsimons). Attended Kilmore Academy from 1853 – 1857.
He entered All Hallows College, Dublin in 1858 and was ordained for the Diocese of Perth, Western Australia. He was ordained in St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth on 17th May 1864 and arrived in Perth in September of that year. He served in a number of missions in Western Australia. In 1888 and 1889 he carried out at the request of his bishop, Matthew Gibney, a visitation of ‘the Kimberleys’ - a huge area of North Western Australia where gold fields had been found – which involved a journey of over 3,000 miles. His written report has been preserved. He was Pastor of Bunbury for many years and was then transferred to Subiaco in Perth city where he died in the St. John of God Hospital, run by Irish sisters, on 17th October 1901. He is buried in the grounds of St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Wembley, Perth.

Note 1: Most of this information sourced from Breifni Journal of Cumann Seanchais Bhreifni No. 16, 1973 – 1975, - Students of Kilmore Academy 1839 –1874 by Rev. Terence P. Cunningham D.C.L.

Note 2: In 1821 census Hugh Brady, unmarried, aged 24, was an Innkeeper in Butlersbridge, with his mother Mary, aged 53, and brother, James aged 15. In Griffith’s valuation Hugh Brady had property valued at £20 in Kilnaglare in Butlersbridge. He bought property in Drumahurk for Fr. Hugh’s brother John and his public house in Butlersbridge is now the ‘High Ball’ ex Thomas Smyth’s.

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Fr John Gilhooly (1842 – 1900), Drumany, Butlersbridge, son of Thomas and Ann (nee Daly) from Derrycramp, Cavan.
Attended Kilmore Academy from 1856 – 1861, St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth from 1861 – 1867 and was ordained in Cavan by Bishop Nicholas Conaty on 31st March 1867. He served as a curate in Kildallon, assisted in fund raising in USA for St. Patrick’s College, Cavan in 1869 and 1870, served as curate in Larah to 1872, in Cavan to 1875, Templeport to 1877; Corlough to 1881; Glangevlin to 1887, Killann to 1887, and Castlerahan to 1888. On 1st October 1889 he retired from the Diocese of Kilmore and became attached to the Archdiocese of New York. He was assistant in St. Michael’s on West 34th Street in the city until early 1900 when he was appointed Chaplain to the House of Good Shepherd. However when on holiday in upstate New York he died at Saratoga Hospital of pneumonia on 23rd August 1900. Both his parents are buried in Annagh Cemetery where the grave is marked by a headstone with a celtic cross.

Note: Most of this information sourced from Breifni Journal of Cumann Seanchais Bhreifni No. 17, 1976, - Students of Kilmore Academy 1839 –1874 by Rev. Terence P. Cunningham D.C.L.
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Fr Patrick Cosgrove (1842 – 1905), Innishbeg, Butlersbridge, son of John and Katherine (nee Smith from Drumbarry, Denn).
Attended the Kilmore Academy from 1864 – 1870. He completed his ecclesiastical studies in St. Bonaventure’s College, Allegany, New York, where he was ordained for the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, on 22nd June 1873. He served in St. Bridget’s Parish, Warren, Meadville; in St. Nicholas’s Parish, Crates; in St. Mary’s Parish, Wheatland, Crown; in St. Michael’s Parish, Greenville, and in St. Elizabeth’s Parish, Smithport, where he died on 24th October 1905. He is buried in St. Elizabeth’s cemetery in Smithport. He had a brother John who lived in Corglass, Milltown.

Note: Most of this information sourced from Breifni Journal of Cumann Seanchais Bhreifni No. 17, 1976, - Students of Kilmore Adademy 1839 –1874 by Rev. Terence P. Cunningham D.C.L.
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Fr Francis Aidan Brady (1864 –1944), Innisbeg, Butlesbridge, son of William Brady and Mary (nee Smith).
He was born on the 30th April 1864 and emigrated at the age of 16; was educated and ordained at St Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, Philadelphia on the 23rd May 1891. He was Rector of St Anthony of Padua Church, Philadelphia from 1916 - 1944. He died on 21st May 1944. According to Breifne 1973 – 1975, page 523, it is possible that he was a brother of Patrick Brady who attended Kilmore Academy 1865 – 1868. The two side altars in St. Aidan’s Church, Butlersbridge were donated by Fr Francis Aidan Brady.

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Fr James Vallelly (1905-1974), the eldest son of Patrick Vallely, Letterfrack, Co. Galway and Margaret Brady, Crahard, Butlersbridge, Co. Cavan. Fr James was born in Galway but after the death of his father, a shoemaker, he lived with his mother and two brothers in Drumany, Butlersbridge, Co. Cavan. He attended Coolboyogue School in 1910 as did his brothers Michael in 1911 and Eddie in 1922. He entered St. Senan's Collete, Cahiracon in 1924 and was ordained a priest on the 03.01.1931. Fr James spent ten years in China as a missionary priest with the Columban Fathers and afterwards served as a chaplin in the Canadian Army. He retired in 1961 and died on the 24.07.1974. He is buried in Dalgan Park, Navan, Co. Meath.

Information courtesy of Marian Vallely, Limerick and Cathal Leddy, Drumsilla, whose mother Gretta was a first cousin of Margaret Brady.

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Fr Patrick J. Brady (1913 – 1997), Drumahurk, Butlersbridge, son of Hugh Brady and Mary (nee Kelly, from Innishmore, Butlersbridge).
He attended St. Patrick’s College, Cavan from 1928 – 1933 and St. Patrick’s College, Carlow where he was ordained on 8th June 1940 for the Diocese of Glasgow, Scotland. He served in St. Brigid’s Parish, Baillieston from 1940 – 1943; in St. Luke’s Parish, Glasgow from 1943 –1949; in St. Mary’s Parish, Duntocher from 1949 – 1957; in St. Saviour’s Parish, Glasgow from 1957 – 1965; in Parish of St. Albert the Great, Pollokshieldds from 1965 and in the Kenmure, St. Albert’s Parish, Church of Scotland from 1967 – 1990.
He retired in October 1990. He died on the 7th August 1997 in the Southern General Hospital having spent some time in Nazareth House. He is buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Daldepth, Glasgow.

Note: This information on Fr Patrick J. Brady was sourced from his nephew Terry Brady, formerly Rahulton, Butlersbridge.

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Fr Andrew Masterson (1923 - ) Innishbeg, Butlersbridge, son of John and Annie (nee McVeigh, Drumanny, Glebe, Milltown).
Attended Kilnaleck National School and St. Patrick’s College, Cavan from 1942 – 1947. He completed his ecclesiastical studies at Oscott, Birmingham. He was ordained in 1952 in the Cathedral of Ss. Patrick and Felim, Cavan. He ministered in the Kidderminster Parish, Birmingham, until the mid seventies when he then served in Australia in Turramurra, New South Wales, St. John of God in Victoria and in Tasmania, St. Mary’s Presbytery, 15 Porter Street, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, then to St. Vincent’s Parish, 5 Frederick Street, Launceston, Tasmania.

Note: Information courtesy of his sister Eileen Lynch, Dublin Road, Ballinagh.

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Fr James Aidan Foynes (1936 - ), Butlersbridge, son of Michael and Ellen (nee Leddy, Butlersbridge).
He attended Coolboyogue National School, St. Patrick’s College, Cavan from 1950 – 1955 and St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny, where he was ordained on 4th June 1961 for the Diocese of St. Augustine and St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.A. He won a county Minor medal with Butlersbridge in 1953 and a McRory Cup medal with St. Patrick’s College in 1955 playing as a left halfback.
He served for two years at St. Cecilia’s Church, Clearwater and from there he was assigned to the Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota where he taught English, Latin and Religion for five years, and served as associate pastor at Church of the Incarnation. He then moved to Clearwater Centre Catholic High School where he taught for six years. He then moved as Pastor to Espiritu Sancto Catholic Church in Safety Harbor, Florida then to Our Lady Queen of Peace, New Port Richey for 18 years. And finally he moved back to St. Cecilia’s Church in Clearwater where he was Pastor until his retirement there on 1st. September 2005 after 44 years ministry. He continues to live in Clearwater but returns regularly to Butlersbridge to visit his sister Lizzie and her husband Harry Condell and all the Foynes families and relations in the area.

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Fr James Judge (1866 – 1943), Shercock and Butlersbridge, son of Hugh and Margaret (nee MacComb).
His father, an RIC policeman, was transferred to Butlersbridge.
Fr Judge was the first dayboy to enroll at St. Patrick’s Day School in Cavan, which opened in 1879. He entered St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth in 1883 and was ordained on 24th June 1890. After ordination he was appointed Chaplain to St. Clare’s Convent in Ballyjamesduff, to St. Patrick’s College, Cavan as Professor and Bursar on 11th August 1893 and to Presidency of the College in 1903 and in 1915 as Parish Priest in Killeshandra. During his fourteen years in Killeshandra he was responsible for the building of Cornea Church, Arva Church and for the opening of Portlongfield Church. He was transferred to Crosserlough on 27th January 1930 where he died on 9th December 1942.

Note: Most of this information sourced from ‘History of St. Patrick’s College – a Centenary History, Cunningham and Gallogly.

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Fr P. J. Flynn (1951 - 2007), Drumany, Butlersbridge, son of Patrick and Eileen (nee Kelly, Innishmore, Butlersbridge).
He attended Coolboyogue National School, St. Patrick’s College, Cavan (1964 – 1969) and St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth. After ordination in the Cathedral of Ss. Patrick and Felim, Cavan on 8th June 1975, he served as curate in Innismagrath (1975); in Castletara from 1978, Carrigallen, Drumreilly Upper from 1984, as emigrant Chaplain in Shepard’s Bush, London from 1988; as Curate in Manorhamilton from 1989; as Curate in Ballyjamesduff from 1993 until 1999 when he moved to St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth on sabbatical. He was appointed parish priest in 2000 to the Parish of Kilmainhamwood – Moybologue.

Fr P.J.'s Funeral took place in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Kilmainhamwood on Thursday, 22nd March at 12noon with burial in Butlersbridge cemetry.

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Brother Anthony Donnelly (1927 - ), Deggan, Butlersbridge; Patrick, son of Peter and Brigid (nee Maguire, Deggan, Butlersbridge).
Attended Coolboyogue National School, Patrician House, Tullow, Carlow. He taught at Ballyfin College where he taught music and acted as Bursar. He left Ballyfin in the late sixties for Papua, New Guinea, but returned early seventies to St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth for further studies.
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Brother Clement Brady, (1936 - ), Greenfield, Coolboyogue; Michael Laurence Brady, son of Bernard Brady, Reaske, Co Cavan and Margaret (nee Madigan, from Cranny, Killadysert, Co. Clare.
In 1958 he made Final Vows at the Franciscan Monastry Novitiate House, in Cullandulla, Co. Galway.
Bernard and Margaret met in New York and were married in St. Catherine of Genoa Church in Upper Manhattan in the late twenties. They lived there for a number of years and had two children, Tommy Brady, Coolboyogue and Mary Cosgrove, Innishbeg, Butlersbridge. In 1932 they returned to Ireland by boat to Belfast and journeyed to Cavan on the Great Northern Railway.

The Cole family of Cloverhill formerly owned the house and lands they bought. In 1934 Brian Brady was born there and he married Rosaleen Smith from Killatogher, Crosserlough.
Michael was born on 17th December 1936. He was educated at Coolboyogue National School. The teachers there at that time were Mrs. Reilly and Master Ruddy and in later years Master Keavney. In 1950 Michael went to St. Anthony’s Secondary School in Clara, Co. Offaly. After his Novitiate and Profession Brother Clement continued his study at St. Anthony’s and later attended the Agricultural Colleges courses at Mountbellew, Co Galway and Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford.

For a number of years Brother Clement taught horticulture at Mountbellew Agricultural College and was appointed superior there in 1976. A new college was built in Mountbellew in those years and Brother Clement was assigned to the United States to raise funds to pay off some of the cost of this new college. While in New York he became an active member of the Cavan Association, the Cavan Golf Club, Chaplain to the Cavan Football Club, a member of Div. 9 A.O.H. Bronx County and a member of many other Irish clubs in the New York area.
Along with the fundraising activities in N.Y. Brother Clement attended Fordham University, the City University of New York and received a BA. in psychology and a Masters degree in Social Work. As a social worker he worked in Mary Manning Nursing Home on Second Avenue and later in social services and sacristan at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, under the late Cardinal John O’Connor.

In 1989 Brother Clement was sent to the Missions of the Franciscan Brothers in Kenya, East Africa, where the Brothers conduct an agricultural college, similar to the one in Mountbellew. While in Kenya, Brother Clement was the victim of an armed robbery at mid-night in January 2001. A number of men with sticks, knives and guns attacked the Brother’s residence. He was beaten up slightly and taken at gunpoint to the college offices where they broke down the doors and took whatever cash and goods that were available there.

Since that incident, Brother Clement has returned to Ireland, enjoying early retirement back in Mountbellew and taking care of grounds at the Brother’s residence, and other activities. He is still involved in fundraising in the New York area, where an annual ‘golf tournament’ is held each October. This tournament is organized by Mr. Pat Cahill, from the parish of Denn with the aid of the members of the Cavan Golf Club, the Cavan Association and other groups.

The proceeds from this tournament is to support the work of the Franciscan Brothers in Kenya, which is mainly the education of the people of East Africa in sustainable agriculture, rural development and effective leadership. Having been there for a few years, Brother Clement believes that this is the only hope that the people there have of getting a basic education, and thus securing for themselves a better life-style and avoiding the ever present treat of famine.

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Sr Mary Vincent O’Rourke (1909 – 1997), Butlersbridge; Maggie, daughter of James and Kate (nee Lynch, Antiduff, Ballyhaise). Attended Coolboyogue National School and St. Clare’s School, Cavan. In 1928, aged 19, she entered the Franciscan Sisters, Order of St. Francis, in Rock Island, Chicago, Illinois, USA. After taking final vows she worked nursing handicapped children and later in her career she nursed the elderly. Her first visit home was in 1950 after 22 years. She played accordion piano and was known to have entertained and taught her American friends some Irish songs and dances. She died in April 1997 aged 88 and is survived by her sister, Kathleen Duffy in Butlersbridge. She is buried in the grounds of Mary of the Angels Convent, 1000 – 30th Street, Rock Island, Illinois, USA. Incidentally her niece, Rosaleen O’Rourke, daughter of her brother Patrick and Sheila, also took her final vows in the Franciscan Sisters as Sr Veronica. Note: Information on St. Vincent sourced from her sister Kathleen Duffy, Butlersbridge and her nephew Vincent Fitzpatrick, Butlersbridge.

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Sr Dympna Brady (1902 – 1986), Kilnaglare, Butlersbridge; Helena (Ellen Maria), daughter of Terence Brady and Kate (nee Brady), Kilnaglare.
Helena entered St. Clare’s Convent on 16th May 1924 and on 26th February 1927 she made her temporary profession. On 1st March 1930 she made her final profession.

A very warm engaging personality, she was renowned for her love of children and a good game of cards. Most of her time was spent managing the domestic affairs of St. Clare’s in Cavan until in the early eighties she retired to St. Clare’s Convent in Ballyjamesduff where, aged 86 years, she died on the 2nd December 1986. She is interred in the Nun’s Cemetery at St. Clare’s Convent, Cavan.

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Sr. M. Rosario McDonald (1906-1986) daughter of John & Elizabeth McDonald (nee Smith) of Derrygoss, Butlersbridge. She attended Kilnalack N.S. and then trained as a nurse in Bethnal Green Hospital Training School in London where she was awarded a bronze medal at her final examinations. She nursed in the District Hospital in Cashel before entering the St. Louis Convent, Monaghan in 1933.

Although comparatively senior to other entrants she felt she had been called to a life as a nun form an early age. In fact she rarely missed 'first Friday Mass' during her years at Kilnalack despite the risk of being disciplined for being late for school.

Through the years she carried out her nursing ministry as school and community nurse in a number of convents. She also skillfully cared for many of her fellow sisters in their final years with devotion and love.

Her talents were many and varied. She was particularly interested and skilled in crochet knitting and finer work in embroidery, Carrickmacross Lace and leatherwork.

She was niece of Sr Jerome (Kathleen) Smith (1883-1974), from Corratobber, Cavan, Co. Cavan who was also a member of the St Louis Order. Sr Jerome, the sixth Smith child in a family of eleven, was a teacher who taught in the Louis Convent, Bundoran, Co. Donegal where she is interred.

Sr Rosario died in St. Louis Medical Centre Monaghan quietly and peacefully on the 19th April 1986 and is buried at St Louis Convent, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan.
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Sr Rita O'Hare (1927-), Hackelty, Butlersbridge, is daughter of Patrick and Mary Ann (nee Maguire, Auhavas, Co Leitrim) and the youngest of seven children. Her mother Ann died when she was a very young child. Sr Rita grew up in the home of her aunt, Molly (nee O'Hare) and husband Ned McCann, of Queen St, Dublin. She attended Scoil Mhuire, Marlborough St and Loreto College, North Great George's St, Dublin.


Sr Rita joined the Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa and was professed a nun at Mount Oliver, Dundalk, Co Louth in 1950. She then attended UCC where she read Medicine and qualified as a medical doctor in 1957. She worked for two years in England at St Anthony's Hospital, Cheam in Surrey and St Hilliar's Hospital, Carshaltan. This was followed by a two year stint in St Francis Hospital, Kampala in Uganda before she went to South Africa where she worked as Medical Superintendent in St Elizabeth's Hospital in Lusikisiki from 1962-89. She then worked at St Rita's Hospital in Northen Transval from 1990-93. Sr Rita continued with great dedication and skill, from 1993-2004, to serve the African people by working at the St Francis Care Centre, 35 Olivia St, Eveleigh, Boksbourg in South Africa where she cared for terminally ill Aids patients and at the House of Mercy Rehabilitation Centre for alcoholics and drug addicts.


She retired to Ireland in 2004 where she now lives at 142 Raheny Road, Raheny, Dublin 5 with her fellow Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa.


This information on Sr Rita was sourced from her nephew Colm O'Reilly, Hackelty, Butlersbridge, Cavan.

The O'Hare family:
Standing (L-R) Annie Reilly (Ballyconnell), Sean O'Hare (Hackelty), Sheila O'Reilly (Hackelty). Sitting (L-R) Kathleen Mannering (London), Sr Rita O'Hare, Maureen Reel (Canada).

Sr Rita O'Hare