Local priest marks 60th anniversary of his ordination

Photo: Tang native Fr Kevin Corrigan.

A local missionary recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of his ordination.

Fr Kevin Corrigan CSSp, (pictured above) a Spiritan (Holy Ghost) priest from Tang, is one of Irish Spiritans whose 60th Jubilee of Ordination fell on July 10. Due to the pandemic, celebrations of the milestone are on hold until later in the year.

Born in 1933, the future missionary went to primary school in Tang, then a two-teacher school that served the local community for over a century until its eventual closure in 1965. His secondary studies were in Blackrock College and he trained for the priesthood in his congregation’s Kimmage Manor seminary in Dublin.

Ordained in 1960, Fr. Kevin went on mission to east Africa the following year and spent just under two decades in Kenya. He did pastoral work and taught in Kiambu, and, from 1964-1966, was Dean of Studies in Kabaa Secondary School (Thika). He became Headmaster and Bursar in Muhoho High School (Ruiru) and, later, in Kanunga Secondary School (Kiambu). A hospital chaplain in Limuru for 2 years, he served in a pastoral role in Queen of Apostles Seminary, in the capital Nairobi from 1976–1978.

He moved to the USA to undertake further studies, graduating with an MA in Pastoral Counselling from Santa Clara University in California in 1981. He was a pastor in a number of Californian parishes including St. Athanasius (Mountain View) and St. Dunstan’s (Millbrae).

Returning to Ireland in 2005 after well over 40 years on overseas mission, Fr. Kevin was Chaplain in Marian House, his congregation’s then nursing home in Kimmage, for almost six years.

He always enjoyed returning to his roots in Tang and on his trips home he would visit as many people, especially his school pals, as he could. After retirement, he remained on in Kimmage until earlier this year when he transferred to Nazareth House on Dublin’s northside.

Fr Kevin was ordained on the same day as his brother, Fr Francis. In fact he was one of four brothers to join the Holy Ghost fathers!

Matt, the eldest of the four, was born in 1919, ordained in 1946, served in The Gambia (in west Africa) and in Ireland, and died in 1998.

Colum was born in 1926, ordained in 1956, missioned in Canada and died in 2015. He had left the priesthood by then and married.

Francis was born in 1931, ordained in 1960, served in Nigeria, Ireland and Canada, and died in 1988 in Canada, aged 56.