Timothy Joyce
Encyclopedia
Timothy Joyce was an Irish
Roman Catholic priest, Monsignor
and parish priest of Portumna
, 1919–1947.
School, Nenagh
; St. Brendan's Seminary
, Loughrea
; Mungreat College, Limerick
. He was ordained in St. Bridget's church, Portumna, by Bishop of Clonfert, Dr. Healy, in 1896. He was immediately made parish curate
, serving under Fr. Joseph Corcoran.
In 1904 he was one of two Clonfert priests who travelled to the U.S.A. to collect funds for the construction of a cathedral in Loughrea; "members of the Joyce family who had previously emigrated to the United States helped greatly in this task by organising fundraising events." On his return he served briefly in Ballymacward
and then Ballinasloe.
One result of his efforts in the USA was a recommendation to the bishop that, vacancy arising, he should be appointed parish priest in his home parish of Portumna. This came to pass upon the death of Fr. Corcoran in December 1919.
In 1922 Monsignor Joyce played a fundamental part in the purchase of Garbally House and estate from the Clancarthy family; it was converted into the Diocesan College for Clonfert, Joyce giving the first mass in it on 16 August 1922. "The timing of the purchase was of crucial importance as plans were at an advanced stage by one of the parties involved in the Civil War (see Irish Civil War
) to have the house burnt down to prevent the opposing faction from using it as a stronghold."
In Portumna, Joyce instigated the erection of a new Town Hall, aided the establishment of an Electric Light Company, established a Civic League, and re-named the town streets, all of which had footpaths cleaned, newly-laid out. His contribution to the town—recognised "as a model town and one of the neatest and tidiest in the country"--led to Pope Pius XI
granting him the title of Domestic Prelate in 1928.
Joyce was involved in several other local projects, such as the establishment of the town's Vocational School in 1934, the establishment of the fire service, and the very successful Portumna Agricultural and Home Industries Show in the 1930s and 1940s. Due to emigration, the Portumna Brass and Reed Band (established 1907) had declined, until Monsignor Joyce reorganised it and appointed a new bandmaster. He established the Shannon Development Association in 1945 to utilise the resources of Lough Derg for the town and its neighbours.
Joyce died on Thursday 20 February 1947 at the parochial house (which he built), Portumna.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Roman Catholic priest, Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
and parish priest of Portumna
Portumna
Portumna is a market town in the south-east of County Galway, Ireland, on the border with County Tipperary. The town is located to the west of the point where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg. This historic crossing point over the River Shannon between counties Tipperary and Galway has a long...
, 1919–1947.
Biography
Joyce was born in Portumna on 8 August 1868. He was educated at the Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
School, Nenagh
Nenagh
Nenagh is the county town of North Tipperary in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of North Tipperary and in 2011 it had a recorded population of 7,995. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ormond Lower...
; St. Brendan's Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
, 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 :...
; Mungreat College, Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
. He was ordained in St. Bridget's church, Portumna, by Bishop of Clonfert, Dr. Healy, in 1896. He was immediately made parish 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...
, serving under Fr. Joseph Corcoran.
In 1904 he was one of two Clonfert priests who travelled to the U.S.A. to collect funds for the construction of a cathedral in Loughrea; "members of the Joyce family who had previously emigrated to the United States helped greatly in this task by organising fundraising events." On his return he served briefly in Ballymacward
Ballymacward
Ballymacward is a village in County Galway, Ireland, on the R359 regional road between the main road and rail networks which traverse east-west, 10 miles from Ballinasloe and approximately 30 miles from Galway City...
and then Ballinasloe.
One result of his efforts in the USA was a recommendation to the bishop that, vacancy arising, he should be appointed parish priest in his home parish of Portumna. This came to pass upon the death of Fr. Corcoran in December 1919.
In 1922 Monsignor Joyce played a fundamental part in the purchase of Garbally House and estate from the Clancarthy family; it was converted into the Diocesan College for Clonfert, Joyce giving the first mass in it on 16 August 1922. "The timing of the purchase was of crucial importance as plans were at an advanced stage by one of the parties involved in the Civil War (see Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
) to have the house burnt down to prevent the opposing faction from using it as a stronghold."
In Portumna, Joyce instigated the erection of a new Town Hall, aided the establishment of an Electric Light Company, established a Civic League, and re-named the town streets, all of which had footpaths cleaned, newly-laid out. His contribution to the town—recognised "as a model town and one of the neatest and tidiest in the country"--led to Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
granting him the title of Domestic Prelate in 1928.
Joyce was involved in several other local projects, such as the establishment of the town's Vocational School in 1934, the establishment of the fire service, and the very successful Portumna Agricultural and Home Industries Show in the 1930s and 1940s. Due to emigration, the Portumna Brass and Reed Band (established 1907) had declined, until Monsignor Joyce reorganised it and appointed a new bandmaster. He established the Shannon Development Association in 1945 to utilise the resources of Lough Derg for the town and its neighbours.
Joyce died on Thursday 20 February 1947 at the parochial house (which he built), Portumna.
See also
- Damien JoyceDamien JoyceDamien Joyce is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Cappataggle and with the Galway senior inter-county team.-See also:* Henry Joyce* Nicky Joyce* Pádraic Joyce* Richard Joyce...
- Henry JoyceHenry JoyceHenry Joyce, Mayor of Galway, 1542-1543.Joyce was a member of one of The Tribes of Galway, and the only member of the Joyce family to become Mayor. Other members of the family included Archbishop William Joyce of Tuam and William Joyce, bailiff of Galway in 1507...
- Pádraic JoycePádraic JoycePádraic Joyce |Galway]], Ireland) is a current inter-county Gaelic football player for Galway. He plays his club football with Killererin. He is regarded in GAA circles as one of the best forwards in the game over the past decade. His key abilities include excellent accuracy both from frees and...
- Richard Joyce
- William JoyceWilliam JoyceWilliam Joyce , nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was an Irish-American fascist politician and Nazi propaganda broadcaster to the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He was hanged for treason by the British as a result of his wartime activities, even though he had renounced his British nationality...