John Fahy (priest)
Encyclopedia
John Fahy was an Irish
priest
, republican
, agrarian and radical
Fahy was born in the townland of Burroge, in the parish of Killeenadeema, Loughrea
, County Galway
. He was one of a number of sons of John Fahy, a strong farmer and feverent member of the Irish National Land League
, and Honoria Davock. He was ordained on 28 September 1919, serving in Dundee
, Scotland
, between 1919 and 1921. He served as the chaplain for a battalion of the Irish Volunteers
and involved himself with the Scottish nationalism
movement. He supported Terence MacSwiney
's fatal hunger strike, and traveled back to Ireland to attended the funeral of Michael Griffin (Irish priest)
in November 1920. He was recalled to the diocese of Clonfert where he served as curate
of Eyrecourt
, Closetoken and Bullaun
from 1921 to 1929.
From 1928 Fahy became involved with Peadar O'Donnell
, who brought his campaign into east Galway. Fahy was arrested in 1929 on charges of obstructing a bailiff rescuing seized cattle. He refused to recognise the court, citing Irish republican legitimatism
, and was imprisoned in Galway. This brought him to national attention, and raised important church-state issues. Fahy's bishop, John Dignan
, invoked privilegium fori
, allowing Fahy to submit to him. He was tried and sentenced to seven weeks already served, and released. Bishop Dignan transferred him back to Clostoken, where he would serve till 1932, and forbade him to publicly express political views. It is believed that the republican sympathies of Dignan and Monsignor John Bowes (Fahy's uncle), saved him from more serious consequences, despite Fahy's continued involvement in the IRA
.
In 1945 he was transferred to Lusmagh
, County Offaly
, where in the late 1950s he was involved in rural
agitation. Farms were burned, cattle seized, and five activists arrested were forcibly freed from Lusmagh Garda station, which led to the Gardai raiding Fahy's house. He was moved to the parish of Abbey in Galway but remained active in republican circles until his death in 1969.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, agrarian and radical
Political radicalism
The term political radicalism denotes political principles focused on altering social structures through revolutionary means and changing value systems in fundamental ways...
Fahy was born in the townland of Burroge, in the parish of Killeenadeema, Loughrea
Loughrea
Loughrea is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains.The town expanded in recent years as it increasingly becomes a commuter town for the city of Galway.- Name :...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
. He was one of a number of sons of John Fahy, a strong farmer and feverent member of the Irish National Land League
Irish National Land League
The Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor tenant farmers. Its primary aim was to abolish landlordism in Ireland and enable tenant farmers to own the land they worked on...
, and Honoria Davock. He was ordained on 28 September 1919, serving in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, between 1919 and 1921. He served as the chaplain for a battalion of the Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
and involved himself with the Scottish nationalism
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
movement. He supported Terence MacSwiney
Terence MacSwiney
Terence Joseph MacSwiney was an Irish playwright, author and politician. He was elected as Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork during the Irish War of Independence in 1920. He was arrested by the British on charges of sedition and imprisoned in Brixton prison in England...
's fatal hunger strike, and traveled back to Ireland to attended the funeral of Michael Griffin (Irish priest)
Michael Griffin (Irish priest)
Father Michael Griffin was an Irish Roman Catholic priest.Griffin was born at Gurteen, near Ballinasloe, County Galway. He was ordained at St Patrick's College, Maynooth in 1917...
in November 1920. He was recalled to the diocese of Clonfert where he served as curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of Eyrecourt
Eyrecourt
Eyrecourt, historically known as Donanaghta , is a village in County Galway, Ireland. Eyrecourt is on the R356 regional road 12 km west of the Banagher bridge over the River Shannon.-History:...
, Closetoken and Bullaun
Bullaun
A bullaun is the term used for the depression in a stone which is often water filled. Natural rounded boulders or pebbles may sit in the bullaun...
from 1921 to 1929.
From 1928 Fahy became involved with Peadar O'Donnell
Peadar O'Donnell
Peadar O'Donnell was an Irish republican and socialist activist and writer.-Early life:Peadar O'Donnell was born into an Irish speaking family in Dungloe, County Donegal in northwest Ireland, in 1893. He attended St. Patrick's College, Dublin, where he trained as a teacher...
, who brought his campaign into east Galway. Fahy was arrested in 1929 on charges of obstructing a bailiff rescuing seized cattle. He refused to recognise the court, citing Irish republican legitimatism
Irish republican legitimatism
A concept within Irish republicanism, Irish republican legitimatism denies the legitimacy of the political entities of Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and posits that the pre-partition Irish Republic continues to exist...
, and was imprisoned in Galway. This brought him to national attention, and raised important church-state issues. Fahy's bishop, John Dignan
John Dignan
John Dignan, Bishop of Clonfert, 13 June 1880 - 15 April 1953.Dignan was a native of Ballygar, County Galway. He was educated at Esker, near Athenry, later attending St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Clonfert on 6 September 1903. In 1919 he became...
, invoked privilegium fori
Privilegium fori
The privilegium fori, Latin for "Privilege of the forum", is a generic term for legal privileges to be tried in a particular court or type of court of law....
, allowing Fahy to submit to him. He was tried and sentenced to seven weeks already served, and released. Bishop Dignan transferred him back to Clostoken, where he would serve till 1932, and forbade him to publicly express political views. It is believed that the republican sympathies of Dignan and Monsignor John Bowes (Fahy's uncle), saved him from more serious consequences, despite Fahy's continued involvement in the IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
.
In 1945 he was transferred to Lusmagh
Lusmagh
Lusmagh is an area and townland in County Offaly, Ireland. It is also a Roman Catholic parish, in the Diocese of Clonfert, the only one east of the River Shannon.-People:...
, County Offaly
County Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...
, where in the late 1950s he was involved in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
agitation. Farms were burned, cattle seized, and five activists arrested were forcibly freed from Lusmagh Garda station, which led to the Gardai raiding Fahy's house. He was moved to the parish of Abbey in Galway but remained active in republican circles until his death in 1969.
See also
- Tadhg an tSleibhe Ó FathaighTadhg an tSleibhe Ó FathaighTadhg an tSleibhe Ó Fathaigh, Irish Chief of the Name, fl. 1620.-Ó Fathaigh of Slieve Aughty:Tadhg an tSleibhe was one of the few known chiefs of the Ó Fathaigh clan, located in Uí Maine, in what is now County Galway. Descendants of Fathadh mac Aonghus, they were a minor clan, based in an area...
, Chief of the Name, fl. 1620. - Anthony Dominic FahyAnthony Dominic FahyAnthony Dominic Fahy, was an Irish Dominican Priest, missionary and head of the Irish community in Argentina between 1844 to 1871.-Life:...
, missionary and head of the Irish community in Argentina, 1805–1871 - Jerome A. FaheyJerome A. FaheyFather Jerome A. Fahey was an Irish priest and writer, 1843–1919.Fahey was born at Killomoran, Gort, and educated in the town's national school and St. Jarlath's, Tuam. He studied at Maynooth from 1860, been ordained there in 1867....
, priest and writer, 1843–1919 - Frank FahyFrank FahyFrancis Patrick Fahy was an Irish teacher, barrister, and politician. He served for nearly 35 years as a Teachta Dála , first for Sinn Féin and later as a member of Fianna Fáil, before becoming Ceann Comhairle for over 19 years.- Early life :Fahy was born in Kilchreest, County Galway, a son of...
, Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
TDTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
, 1880–1953 - Gary FaheyGary FaheyGary Fahey is a former All-Ireland winning Gaelic footballer who captained Galway in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.His reputation as an excellent full-back in the annals of Galway football is assured, with five Connacht Senior medals and two All-Ireland medals which is a terrific...
, All-Ireland football captain - Michael FahyMichael FahyMichael "Stroke" Fahy is a farmer and independent member of Galway county council in the Republic of Ireland. He is from Ardrahan and was first elected in 1979 for Fianna Fáil, but resigned from the party in 2004 when under investigation for misappropriation of funds from the council...
, independent councillor for County Galway - Pádraic FahyPádraic FahyPádraic Fahy is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Carnmore and was a member of the Galway senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s.-References:...
, retired sportsman, born 1948 - Frank FaheyFrank FaheyFrank Fahey is a property developer and former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency.-Life before politics:...
, Fianna FáilFianna FáilFianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
TDTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
and businessman, born 6 June 1951 - Paul FahyPaul FahyPaul Fahy is the current Artistic Director of the Galway Arts Festival.A native of County Galway, he faced some critism over ticket prices in recent years but replied it was necessary to cover the costs of paying performers and ensuring the high quality of the festival.-External links:*...
, Artistic Director of the Galway Arts FestivalGalway Arts FestivalGalway Arts Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place each July in Galway, Ireland. It is Ireland’s leading arts festival and one of the most successful and influential arts enterprises in the country. The Festival is one of the key European arts festivals...