Rev. Fr. Michael A. O' Quigley

Aerial view Castlebar, Co. Mayo
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St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, Co. Galway
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tuam_St._Jarlath%27s_College_2009_09_14.jpg
Blackrock, Co. Dublin
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackrock,_Dublin_(507248)_(33027054295).jpg
Freetown aerial view
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Freetown-aerialview.jpg
Flag of Sierra Leone
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag-map_of_Sierra_Leone.svg

Singer / Producer / Missionary

A sensitive soul: this priest portrayed his musical talents at school performances.  He loved his game of golf, because his style was rather unorthodox it provided some merriment.  Indeed the ‘Quig‘ as he was affectionately known was always associated in people’s mind with fun.

Michael A. O ‘Quigley was born on 12th July 1916 in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.

Education

Following his national school education, he attended St Jarlath’s College in Tuam, Co. Galway.  He studied there for two years of secondary education prior to his entrance at Blackrock College in Co. Dublin during 1932. He attained his B. A. during 1941.

Ordination

During 1934 Michael O ‘Quigley joined the Novitiate at Kilshane, Co. Tipparary.  He perfected at Blackrock College following his Profession from 1936 to 1938.  Two years later he was Ordination occurred

Mission

Fr. O ‘Quigley’s first appointment was to Sierra Leone at St. Anthony’s Church in Assensiontown near to Freetown.  During his spare time, he acted as choirmaster at St. Anthony’s.  He acted as headmaster of the local primary school also was secretary to the Bishop Dr. Ambrose Kelly:  His duties included Chaplin to prisoners in Freetown.

Further studies

During 1950 Fr. O ‘Quigley studied for his H Dip in education at St. Michael’s College at Ailesbury Road in Dublin.  Along with Fr. Turlough O ‘Brien they drew up a comprehensive programme for the Junior School.  However both were posted elsewhere at the end of the year.

Musical Productions

For seven years Fr. O ‘Quigley taught at Rockwell College.  He used his many talents as he produced college operas.  He also funded & conducted an orchestra among the college students.  His teaching of Flotow’s ‘Martha’  broke new ground when it was successfully produced at the college.  His mellifluous rendering of the special ‘Ninth Lectio’ during Tenebrae was often celebrated.

Renditions

During 1958 Fr. O ‘Quigley returned to Blackrock where he joined the teaching staff of Willow Park.  His exploits were recalled that in the Senior Scholasticate ‘his hilarious rendering of the Robin in Aristophanes’  ‘Birds’  It was thought that he imitated one of the professorial staff members.  One morning: as the multitude of scholastics were standing in serried ranks for ‘meditation‘ a cockroach crawled up the aisle only to be squashed by the boot of J. H. Ryan: the poor ever – sensitive Quig was so shocked that he collapsed: he had to be carried out!

Illness

Unfortunately, during 1965 Fr. O ‘Quigley suffered a serious stroke which left him with one side paralyzed.  He recovered over a long period at a rehabilitation clinic.  He managed to drag himself around with the aid of a stick.  He still was often the centre of a social gathering.

Demise

Fr. O ‘Quigley’s demise occurred suddenly when he was just age fifty-seven years when he stayed with relatives during the summer holidays on 4th July 1973.  He is interred in Kimmage in Dublin.

Source

PDF  www.spiritan.ie/oldSite/irish_spiritans_remembered.pdf

 

 

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