March 17

 FR. EDMUND J. McGOVERN was born at Rathmore, County Kerry, Ireland in 1914. He died at Dalgan on March 17, 1976. While still in his early years Father Eddie’s family moved to Midleton, County Cork, Ireland. He attended Middleton Christian Brothers School and Mount Melleray Seminary, County Waterford, Ireland before coming to Dalgan Seminary in 1932. He was ordained priest in 1937 and went to Burma in 1938. He served in Burma through World War II and up to 1956. Health reasons prevented his return to Burma, so he did parish work in Ireland for nine years. In 1965 he received another mission assignment, this time to Negros, Philippines. After four years he was again forced to return home because of ill health. He did parish work in the archdiocese of Birmingham, England [1969-74]. He retired to Dalgan and is buried there.

March 18

  FR. LAWRENCE KELLY was born at Moycullen, County Galway, Ireland in 1925. He died at Dalgan on March 18, 1998 after a long illness.  Father Larry entered Dalgan Seminary in 1943 having completed his secondary studies at St. Mary’s, Galway. He was ordained priest on December 21, 1949 and appointed to the Philippines where he engaged in Student Catholic Action in Manila for over ten years. From 1966 onwards he worked in and around Olongapo until 1989 when he was assigned to Ireland.  Unable for pastoral work which he hoped to do, Father Larry retired to Dalgan. He is buried at Dalgan Park.

 FR. EDWARD O’CONNOR was born in Lurgan, County Armagh, Ireland in 1921. He died in Dalgan on March 18, 2003. Having studied at the Convent School and St. Peter’s in Lurgan, Father Eddie came to Dalgan Seminary and was ordained there in 1946. After post-graduate studies in Rome, he was assigned to the Philippines in 1951 and worked in Iba Diocese until 1980. He then undertook pastoral work in the Galway Diocese for two years and spent the remainder of his active life as chaplain to the Columban Sisters.  One of nature’s gentlemen, Father Eddie retired to Dalgan in 1996 and is buried there.

March 19

 FR. JOSEPH FITZGERALD was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.A. in 1929. He died suddenly at Dalgan Seminary on March 19, 2000. When his family returned to Ireland Father Joe studied at Sts. Peter & Paul’s, Cork and at North Monastery C.B.S. He was ordained at Dalgan in December 1955 and assigned to the Philippines. In 1964, he was assigned to Ireland where he served as Dean in Dalgan Seminary. In 1975, he was reassigned to the Philippines but returned to Ireland later that year. Father Joe is buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Cork City, Ireland.

March 21

FR. COLM McKEATING was born in St. Patrick’s Parish, Belfast, Ireland on 9 July 1940. After ordination on December 21, 1962 he studied science in Queen’s, Belfast in preparation for teaching in Whitby, England. But the Society closed the school there and sent him to the Philippines in 1967.  For the next ten years he enjoyed parish work in Zambales and taught Science in Columban College, Olongapo. Back in Ireland he acted as Justice and Peace Officer, as a member of the Vocation’s team, and had four years in student formation. At the request of the Philippine Region he went to Rome in 1984 to study theology specializing on that of John Henry Newman. He joined the Columban Initial Formation Programme in Manila in 1990 and was a clear, incisive teacher in the Maryhill School of Theology. After serving as Director of the Philippine Region from 1999 to 2005 he returned to formation, giving retreats, and publishing several fine books. In 2013 he retired to Dalgan for cancer treatment and still hoping to write one more book but he died there on March 21, 2015.  Father Colm is buried in Dalgan Park.

Fr. Colm Mckeating with friends during his Golden Jubilee celebration in 2012

 FR. CORNELIUS O’CONNELL was born in 1910 at Cahirlane, Abbeyfeale, County Limerick, Ireland.  He died of a heart attack on March 21, 1995 at Dalgan, Navan.  He belonged to a family of twenty children. Having completed his secondary education at St. Michael’s College, Listowel, Ireland, Father Con entered Dalgan Seminary in September 1929 and was ordained priest there in 1935. He was sent to China where he studied the language in Shanghai, followed by an assignment to Nancheng. Forced by the Communists to leave China in 1951, he went to the Philippines and worked here for almost forty years, mainly in Zambales.  From 1991 Father Con resided in Dalgan and he is buried at Dalgan Park.

March 23

FR. JOSEPH F. DIVER was born in 1910 at Forest Glen, New York, USA. He died on March 23, 1994 at Dalgan Park, Navan, Ireland. His family moved to Ireland and resided at Carrigans, County Donegal. He received his secondary education at St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny, and went to Dalgan Seminary in 1931 where he was ordained priest in 1938. Appointed to Korea in 1939, conditions forced him to stay in the U.S. where he became an Army chaplain, but was discharged a year later due to ill health. He was assigned to parish and mission promotion work around the U.S. until 1945 when he went to the Philippines. From 1949 to 1951, he was in the Irish Region and was chaplain to the Benedictine Convent, Drumfries, Scotland. Appointed to the U.S. Region, Father Joe worked in Los Angeles, Bristol and Chicago. Returning to the Irish Region in 1967, he continued in pastoral ministry in Ireland and Britain until his retirement to Dalgan in 1983.  Father Joe is buried at Dalgan Park.