Mountbolus Curates

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Curates Resident at Mount Bolus

In addition to Fr. James Kane (see section on Parish Priests), who was appointed curate in 1909 and who moved from Kilcormac in 1912, the following priests lived at the parochial house in Mount Bolus.

Fr.Kane at the then recently constructed house at Mountbolus

1921-25 Rev. Charles Murtagh. Born in the parish of Athboy on the 6th May 1897. He was educated at St. Finian’s, Navan and Maynooth. He was ordained on the 21st June 1903. He served in the parishes of Moyvore, Enfield, Slane, Athboy, Curraha and Rochfortbridge before being appointed to Killoughy. He was appointed parish priest of Dysart in 1925 and on 24th June 1935 parish priest of Beauparc where he died suddenly on the 10th June 1937.

1925-29 Rev. Thomas Keappock. A native of Navan, Fr. Keappock was educated at St. Finian’s Navan and Maynooth. He was ordained in Kells on the 1st September 1907. He served in the parishes of Drumconrath, Collinstown, Lobinstown, Kinnegad, Milltown, Collinstown (again), and Ballymore before being appointed to Mount Bolus in 1925. He was appointed parish priest of Eglish where he died on the 28th March 1961.

1929-37 Rev. Patrick Brady. Born at Kilskyre. He ws educated at Navan and Maynooth. He was ordained on the 19th June 1892. He served in Ballynacargy, Dunderry, Moynalvy, Slane, Mountnugent, Dysart, Castletown-Kilpatrick, Moynalty (again), Castletown-Kilpatrick (again), Enfield, Clara, Castletown-Geoghegan, Bohermeen, Collinstown, and Kinnegad before being appointed to Mount Bolus. He moved as curate to Summerhill in 1937 and to Lobinstown in 1940, where he died as curate on the 19th February 1942.

1937-39 Rev. Edward Gibbons Born at Tyrrellspass on the 1st December 1879, he was educated at Navan and Maynooth. He was ordained on the 19th of June 1904. He was appointed professor at St. Finian's, Navan from 1904 to 1908 when the school was moved to Mullingar. From 1908, he was curate at Rahan, Multown, Kinnegad, Mountnugent, Johnstown, Castletown-Geoghegan, Moynalty, Kilskyre, Ballinabrackey, Duleek. He was appointed to Mount Bolus in 1937 where he died a few days after a road accident on the 3rd December 1939. He is buried in the church grounds at Mount Bolus.

1939-45 Rev. Peter Clarke. Born in Navan, Fr. Clarke was educated at Navan, Maynooth and The Irish College, Rome and was ordained in 1928. Fr. Clarke served in the parishes of Kilbeggan, Clara, Kilcloon and Mountnugent before being appointed to Mount Bolus in 1939. In 1945 he went as curate to Tullamore and was appointed parish priest of Coole in November 1957. He died there on the 2nd of March 1963.

1945-48 Rev. Denis O'Shea. Born on the 4th May 1904 in Mullingar. He was educated at St. Mary’s CBS, Mullingar, St. Finian’s and Maynooth. He was ordained in June 1929. He was appointed to the parishes of Kells, Kilbeggan, Skryne and Tullamore before being appointed to Mount Bolus. In 1948 he moved as curate to Tang (Parish of Drumraney) where he died on the 20th August 1961. Fr. O’Shea was a keen writer and contributed to many publications over the years. Of particular interest to him was the Holy Land, which he visited many times. In 1955 he published an authoritative guide to the holy Land called "In the Land of Jesus".

1948-51 Rev. Bernard Plunkett. Introduced Legion of Mary to Beauparc. Did he do the same in Mount Bolus? Was appointed parish priest of Beauparc on 9th of September 1951. He died on the 7th March 1970 during the construction of a new church in Yellow Furze (Beauparc)

1951-56 Rev. Hugh Conlon. A native of Moate, Fr. Conlon had spent some time in Nigeria with the Kiltegan Fathers before being appointed to Mount Bolus. He was appointed parish priest of Killucan where he died on the 20th September, 1983.

1956-59 Rev. James Carty. A native of Kells, Fr. Carty was educated at St. Finian’s Mullingar and Maynooth. He was ordained in 1929 and served in Multyfarnham, Johnstown, Ratoath, Castletown-Geoghegan, Mountnugent and Summerhill before his appointment to Mount Bolus in 1956. In 1961 he was appointed parish priest of Dysart before being appointed to Lobinstown in 1965. He died there as parish priest in 1971. He was buried at Heronstown Church but was reinterred in the New Cemetery in Lobinstown in 1988.

1959-69 Rev. Joseph Mooney. Born at Boher in Ballymore parish in 1912, Fr. Mooney was ordained in 1938. He served as a curate in Johnstown, Enfield, Multyfarnham, Summerhill, Mountnugent and Tullamore before his appointment to Mount Bolus in 1959. He was appointed parish priest of Carnaross, Co. Meath in 1969 and parish priest of Rahan in June 1976. During his time in Mount Bolus, Fr. Mooney built new schools at Coolanarney and Gortnamona. Mary, his housekeeper was a well known character around the parish, and supplied eggs and butter for sale in the local shop. She died in January 1999. Fr. Mooney retired as parish priest of Rahan in 1988 and lives at Cloonagh in Rahan parish.

1969-77 Rev. Conor McGreevy. Fr. Mc Greevy was a native of Mullingar parish. He was educated at St. Finian’s College and at Maynooth. He was ordained in 1944. After ordination, he was sent on loan to Seattle diocese in the United States where he remained for four years. On his return to Ireland he spent a further year on loan to the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. He was appointed to the staff of St. Finian’s College, Mullingar in 1949 and in 1952 to the staff of St. Patrick’s Classical School in Navan. In 1956 he was appointed as a curate in Mountnugent and following that in 1965 as administrator of Carnaross. In 1969 he was appointed to Mount Bolus where he remained until his appointment to Kilskyre as parish priest in January 1977. Fr. Mc Greevy retired in 1997 and died in 1998. He is buried at the church in Kilskyre. Fr. Mc Greevy was considered a fine historian and provided many stories for education and amusement.

1977-86 Rev. Michael Moorhead, S.M.A. Fr. Moorhead was curate in Mountbolus for nine years before retiring to the S.M.A. house in Cork where he died in August 1992. During his time in Mountbolus, the church underwent major restoration work – details below.

1986-91 Rev. Terence Toner. Fr. Toner is a native of Donaghmore, which is in Ashbourne parish, but at the time of his birth in August 1947 formed part of Curraha parish. He was educated at Mungret College in Limerick and St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny, where he was ordained in 1975. He served as curate in Moynalvey and Oristown before his appointment to Mount Bolus in 1986. At the time of publication Fr. Toner is serving in Mornington (Parish of Laytown), Co. Meath, where he was appointed curate in 1991.

1991-92 Rev. John Moorhead. Fr. Moorhead is a native of Girley, Kells, Co. Meath. He was educated at Belmont Abbey, Hereford, Toronto I.D.A.C., University College Dublin and underwent seminary training at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome while studying at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana (Jesuit). He was ordained in Trim on the 6th January 1980 and worked in the parishes of Trim, Kingscourt and Dunshaughlin before being appointed to Mount Bolus in 1991. Fr. Moorhead was appointed to Eglish on the 12th January 1992, where at the time of publication he is still parish priest. Fr. Moorhead, from his studies, work and travels, has a great experience of engineering and architecture and wasted no time during his short spell in Mount Bolus in planning for the future. During his six months in Mount Bolus, Fr. Moorhead made some minor alterations to the layout of the sanctuary and secured the baptismal font now positioned to the right of the main altar.

1992-94 Rev. Séamus Fleming CSSp. Born in Athboy parish, he was ordained for the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1960. He worked on the missions in Nigeria and in the Gambia from1961-80. In 1980, due to the ill health of his mother, he returned to Ireland where he worked in Kells, Co. Meath 1980-91 and was later appointed curate in Eglish 1991-92. At the time of publication Fr. Fleming is curate in Castletown-Finea (Parish of Castlepollard), Co. Westmeath.

1994-2003
Rev. Denis Mc Nelis.

Denis McNelis
A native of Navan, Fr. Mc Nelis studied at St. Joseph's National School, Scoil Mhuire N.S., and Navan Vocational School before travelling to Rome where he studied at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana and the Pontifical Irish College. He was ordained in Navan on the 14th August 1988. He was appointed curate in Clara, Co. Offaly and Diocesan Advisor for Religious Education (1988-1994) before being appointed curate in Mount Bolus in September 1994. He was appointed Diocesan Secretary for Education in September 1998. In September 2003 he was appointed to Donaghmore - Ashbourne, Co. Meath.

2003 -
Rev. Michael Meade

A native of Rathkenny, Co. Meath. He was educated at Saint Patrick's College Maynooth and was ordained in 1987. He was appointed curate in Castletown - Kilpatrick in 1987 and Kingscourt, Co. Cavan in 1988. In 1997 he was appointed curate in the Parish of Ashbourne, Co. Meath. He took up residence in Mountbolus in October 2003.

1921-25	Rev. Charles Murtagh.	Born in the parish of Athboy on the 6th May 1897. He was educated at St. Finian’s, Navan and Maynooth. He was ordained on the 21st June 1903. He served in the parishes of Moyvore, Enfield, Slane, Athboy, Curraha and Rochfortbridge before being appointed to Killoughy. He was appointed parish priest of Dysart in 1925 and on 24th June 1935 parish priest of Beauparc where he died suddenly on the 10th June 1937.
1925-29	Rev. Thomas Keappock.	A native of Navan, Fr. Keappock was educated at St. Finian’s Navan and Maynooth. He was ordained in Kells on the 1st September 1907. He served in the parishes of Drumconrath, Collinstown, Lobinstown, Kinnegad, Milltown, Collinstown (again), and Ballymore before being appointed to Mount Bolus in 1925. He was appointed parish priest of Eglish where he died on the 28th March 1961.
1929-37	Rev. Patrick Brady.	Born at Kilskyre. He ws educated at Navan and Maynooth. He was ordained on the 19th June 1892. He served in Ballynacargy, Dunderry, Moynalvy, Slane, Mountnugent, Dysart, Castletown-Kilpatrick, Moynalty (again), Castletown-Kilpatrick (again), Enfield, Clara, Castletown-Geoghegan, Bohermeen, Collinstown, and Kinnegad before being appointed to Mount Bolus. He moved as curate to Summerhill in 1937 and to Lobinstown in 1940, where he died as curate on the 19th February 1942.
1937-39	Rev. Edward Gibbons	Born at Tyrrellspass on the 1st December 1879, he was educated at Navan and Maynooth. He was ordained on the 19th of June 1904. He was appointed professor at St. Finian's, Navan from 1904 to 1908 when the school was moved to Mullingar. From 1908, he was curate at Rahan, Multown, Kinnegad, Mountnugent, Johnstown, Castletown-Geoghegan, Moynalty, Kilskyre, Ballinabrackey, Duleek. He was appointed to Mount Bolus in 1937 where he died a few days after a road accident on the 3rd December 1939. He is buried in the church grounds at Mount Bolus.
1939-45	Rev. Peter Clarke.	Born in Navan, Fr. Clarke was educated at Navan, Maynooth and The Irish College, Rome and was ordained in 1928. Fr. Clarke served in the parishes of Kilbeggan, Clara, Kilcloon and Mountnugent before being appointed to Mount Bolus in 1939. In 1945 he went as curate to Tullamore and was appointed parish priest of Coole in November 1957. He died there on the 2nd of March 1963.
1945-48	Rev. Denis O'Shea.	Born on the 4th May 1904 in Mullingar. He was educated at St. Mary’s CBS, Mullingar, St. Finian’s and Maynooth. He was ordained in June 1929. He was appointed to the parishes of Kells, Kilbeggan, Skryne and Tullamore before being appointed to Mount Bolus. In 1948 he moved as curate to Tang (Parish of Drumraney) where he died on the 20th August 1961. Fr. O’Shea was a keen writer and contributed to many publications over the years. Of particular interest to him was the Holy Land, which he visited many times. In 1955 he published an authoritative guide to the holy Land called "In the Land of Jesus".
1948-51	Rev. Bernard Plunkett.	Introduced Legion of Mary to Beauparc. Did he do the same in Mount Bolus? Was appointed parish priest of Beauparc on 9th of September 1951. He died on the 7th March 1970 during the construction of a new church in Yellow Furze (Beauparc)
1951-56	Rev. Hugh Conlon.	A native of Moate, Fr. Conlon had spent some time in Nigeria with the Kiltegan Fathers before being appointed to Mount Bolus. He was appointed parish priest of Killucan where he died on the 20th September, 1983.
1956-59	Rev. James Carty.	A native of Kells, Fr. Carty was educated at St. Finian’s Mullingar and Maynooth. He was ordained in 1929 and served in Multyfarnham, Johnstown, Ratoath, Castletown-Geoghegan, Mountnugent and Summerhill before his appointment to Mount Bolus in 1956. In 1961 he was appointed parish priest of Dysart before being appointed to Lobinstown in 1965. He died there as parish priest in 1971. He was buried at Heronstown Church but was reinterred in the New Cemetery in Lobinstown in 1988.
1959-69	Rev. Joseph Mooney.	Born at Boher in Ballymore parish in 1912, Fr. Mooney was ordained in 1938. He served as a curate in Johnstown, Enfield, Multyfarnham, Summerhill, Mountnugent and Tullamore before his appointment to Mount Bolus in 1959. He was appointed parish priest of Carnaross, Co. Meath in 1969 and parish priest of Rahan in June 1976. During his time in Mount Bolus, Fr. Mooney built new schools at Coolanarney and Gortnamona. Mary, his housekeeper was a well known character around the parish, and supplied eggs and butter for sale in the local shop. She died in January 1999. Fr. Mooney retired as parish priest of Rahan in 1988 and lives at Cloonagh in Rahan parish.
1969-77	Rev. Conor McGreevy.	Fr. Mc Greevy was a native of Mullingar parish. He was educated at St. Finian’s College and at Maynooth. He was ordained in 1944. After ordination, he was sent on loan to Seattle diocese in the United States where he remained for four years. On his return to Ireland he spent a further year on loan to the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. He was appointed to the staff of St. Finian’s College, Mullingar in 1949 and in 1952 to the staff of St. Patrick’s Classical School in Navan. In 1956 he was appointed as a curate in Mountnugent and following that in 1965 as administrator of Carnaross. In 1969 he was appointed to Mount Bolus where he remained until his appointment to Kilskyre as parish priest in January 1977. Fr. Mc Greevy retired in 1997 and died in 1998. He is buried at the church in Kilskyre. Fr. Mc Greevy was considered a fine historian and provided many stories for education and amusement.
1977-86	Rev. Michael Moorhead, S.M.A.	Fr. Moorhead was curate in Mountbolus for nine years before retiring to the S.M.A. house in Cork where he died in August 1992. During his time in Mountbolus, the church underwent major restoration work – details below.
1986-91	Rev. Terence Toner.	Fr. Toner is a native of Donaghmore, which is in Ashbourne parish, but at the time of his birth in August 1947 formed part of Curraha parish. He was educated at Mungret College in Limerick and St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny, where he was ordained in 1975. He served as curate in Moynalvey and Oristown before his appointment to Mount Bolus in 1986. At the time of publication Fr. Toner is serving in Mornington (Parish of Laytown), Co. Meath, where he was appointed curate in 1991.
1991-92	Rev. John Moorhead.	Fr. Moorhead is a native of Girley, Kells, Co. Meath. He was educated at Belmont Abbey, Hereford, Toronto I.D.A.C., University College Dublin and underwent seminary training at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome while studying at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana (Jesuit). He was ordained in Trim on the 6th January 1980 and worked in the parishes of Trim, Kingscourt and Dunshaughlin before being appointed to Mount Bolus in 1991. Fr. Moorhead was appointed to Eglish on the 12th January 1992, where at the time of publication he is still parish priest. Fr. Moorhead, from his studies, work and travels, has a great experience of engineering and architecture and wasted no time during his short spell in Mount Bolus in planning for the future. During his six months in Mount Bolus, Fr. Moorhead made some minor alterations to the layout of the sanctuary and secured the baptismal font now positioned to the right of the main altar.
1992-94	Rev. Séamus Fleming CSSp.	Born in Athboy parish, he was ordained for the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1960. He worked on the missions in Nigeria and in the Gambia from1961-80. In 1980, due to the ill health of his mother, he returned to Ireland where he worked in Kells, Co. Meath 1980-91 and was later appointed curate in Eglish 1991-92. At the time of publication Fr. Fleming is curate in Castletown-Finea (Parish of Castlepollard), Co. Westmeath.
1994-2003	Rev. Denis Mc Nelis.	A native of Navan, Fr. Mc Nelis studied at St. Joseph's National School, Scoil Mhuire N.S., and Navan Vocational School before travelling to Rome where he studied at the Pontificia Università Gregoriana and the Pontifical Irish College. He was ordained in Navan on the 14th August 1988. He was appointed curate in Clara, Co. Offaly and Diocesan Advisor for Religious Education (1988-1994) before being appointed curate in Mount Bolus in September 1994. He was appointed Diocesan Secretary for Education in September 1998. In September 2003 he was appointed to Donaghmore - Ashbourne, Co. Meath.
2003 -	Rev. Michael Meade	A native of Rathkenny, Co. Meath. He was educated at Saint Patrick's College Maynooth and was ordained in 1987. He was appointed curate in Castletown - Kilpatrick in 1987 and Kingscourt, Co. Cavan in 1988. In 1997 he was appointed curate in the Parish of Ashbourne, Co. Meath. He took up residence in Mountbolus in October 2003.