Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 1er octobre 1921 à Meenagowan dans le diocèse de Clogher, Irlande engagement permanent le 16 juin 1947 prêtre le 13 juin 1948 décédé le 13 septembre 1996

1948-1950 Blackrock Road, Cork, further studies 1950-1959 missionnaire au Nigeria, diocèse de Ondo 1960-1980 missionnaire au Nigeria, diocèse d'Ilorin 1980-1994 Blackrock Road, Cork, staff 1994-1996 Blackrock Road, Cork retiré décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 13 septembre 1996, à l'âge de 74 ans

Michael McCoy was born at Meenagowan, Dromore, Co Tyrone, in the diocese of Clogher, on 1 October 1921. He died in the Bon Secours hospital, Cork, on Friday, 13 September 1996.

Michael (Mick) McCoy was the second youngest of a family of nine. He received his early education in Tummery primary school, before transferring to the Salesian College, Pallaskenry, Co Limerick where he studied agricultural science. However, after two years in this college, in 1939, feeling the call to the missionary priesthood, he decided to acquire the necessary secondary education and enrolled in the Christian Brothers school in Omagh. Completing his secondary education, he entered the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, on 20 November 1942. Two years later he commenced his theological formation in the Society's major seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down. Michael was received as a member of the Society on 16 June 1946 and was ordained a priest in St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, by Bishop Eugene Doherty of Dromore diocese, on 13 June 1948. He was one of a group of fourteen ordained on that day.

Michael inherited a love of woodwork from his Father who was a skilled carpenter (also a farmer). He was very pleased when, after ordination, he was offered a three year course in the Cork Technical School, knowing also that the experience gained would be most beneficial in Africa. Having completed his course and taking diplomas in woodwork and Mechanics, in December 1950 he sailed for Africa. He was assigned to the newly erected diocese of Ondo. Originally the Ondo jurisdiction was part of the vast vicariate of the Bight of Benin, covering much of south and western Nigeria. In 1943 the Ondo Ilorin region was detached and erected as a separate vicariate, under the leadership of Thomas P. Hughes. In 1950, with the erection of the Nigerian hierarchy, the Ondo Ilorin region became the 'diocese of Ondo'. It was here, and especially in the Ilorin region, that Michael was to labour for over thirty years, preaching, teaching and making his considerable practical skills available to Bishop Hughes and his successors in the building up of the infrastructure of schools, hospitals, clinics and mission residences.

Michael's first appointment was to Ushi, a mission which had been founded in 1926 under the patronage of St. Joseph. This was one of the strongest mission districts in the diocese, with a catholic community of over 6,000 and numerous catechumens. Michael joined a missionary staff led by Martin Kenny. The other assistant priest was Dan McCauley. Michael was to spend four years in this station, learning the rudiments of mission life, studying the local languages and receiving faculties to hear confessions in the indigenous tongue. Quiet and taciturn by disposition, but strong and firm of character and generous in the gift of his talents, Michael proved an excellent missionary, winning the respect of his confreres and the people of Ushi. In December 1954 he came to Ireland for his first period of leave, returning to the diocese in November 1955. He was now appointed to the parish of Ado Ekiti. This station, which had been founded in 1914 under the patronage of St. George, is now the headquarters of a diocese. When Michael took up his duties Ado had a flourishing catholic community of over 3,000 members with almost 1,000 catechumens and 20 secondary stations. After fifteen months, during which he assisted James McAfee, Michael was appointed parish priest of Ilorin mission (St. James), in the north of the diocese, taking up his post in February 1957.

After his return from his next leave (he was in Ireland between March 1959 February 1960), Michael resumed his superiorship of Ilorin mission. Ten months later, the Ilorin district was erected as a prefecture with William Mahony as prefect. The new prefecture comprised an area of 30,000 square miles and a population of almost a million souls, located to the west and south of the Niger river, between 8 and 10 degrees north of the Equator. There were but two parishes, St. James, Ilorin, and St. Andrew's, Oro, as well as a staff of only five priests. In March 1961 Michael was appointed founding father of a new parish, that of Ekan Meje (Aye Ekan), which was erected in that year fittingly under the patronage of St. Michael. Between 1961 and 1968, when Ilorin was erected as a diocese, the growth and development of the Church was nothing short of phenomenal. Among the more obvious external signs of development were the establishment of five new parishes, a teacher training centre, a catechetical training centre, a technical school for boys, four secondary schools, two hospitals, several clinics, as well as the erection and completion of the cathedral church with a seating capacity for some 700 people.

Michael played a major part in these developments. In Ekan, by 1965 he had established over 20 outstations and Mgr. Mahony found it necessary to appoint a second Father to the parish. In Eruku, one outstation, Michael built an exceptionally fine church (Mgr. Mahony reported to the Irish Provincial). But Michael's technical skills were to be put to much wider use in countless churches, mission houses, schools, hospitals and clinics throughout the jurisdiction. He was architect, engineer, consultant, contractor. Most notable, among his building projects, were the Fatima secondary/technical school at Ekan Meje, constructed in 1967, the Maternity section of Carosi Hospital, Osi and a 30 bed General Ward (in 1969), the Catholic Maternity Home in Erin Ile, the Children's welfare centre in Offa (1968), St. Anthony's co educational Secondary day school (1968), Ilorin cathedral. There were many other projects, especially in the area of water technology.

One confrere, writing of him after his death, said: 'Right from the start, Michael saw that a supply of clean water was a basic need for any community. He was appalled by the death rate, particularly among young children, caused by polluted water and, making use of his technical expertise, took steps to rectify the situation by designing and helping to construct a number of water projects that continue to provide for the people of those communities.' One such project took place in the 1970's when Michael was parish priest of Osi. Michael decided to remedy the polluted water supply, building a big dam and pumping the water to Osi and other villages. Together with the help of local community labour he successfully completed this project. It was a huge undertaking, but done quietly without fuss or publicity. It was typical of his quiet ways of putting the Gospel into practice. Michael was the first Catholic missionary to make a survey of the remote Borgu area of northern Ilorin. This was to be the starting point for the recently erected Prefecture Apostolic of Kontagora.

In 1981 Michael took sabbatical leave, spending a year in S.M.A. House Maynooth. He was then appointed assistant bursar in the Province's mother house at Blackrock Road. Michael's ministry as bursar was especially fruitful, doing so much to beautify the environment in which the retired Fathers of the Province lived out their years. His technical skills, too, were in great demand. In June 1993 Michael suffered a stroke which caused serious paralysis and difficulty in communicating. After a spell in the South Infirmary and St. Vincent's hospital, Dublin, he returned to Blackrock Road. He remained cheerful and good humoured despite his severe incapacity, and he particularly relished the frequent visits from his family who travelled long distances from the North to be by his side. His technical bent even had an outlet in those last months when he acquired and quickly mastered a power driven wheelchair to enable him go outside the house without troubling anybody. God's call came for Michael in September 1996 when he died peacefully in the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork.

Michael had a great love of nature. He had a keen awareness of the flora and fauna and insect life of Africa and this sensitivity lived with him until the end of his life. During his last years in Blackrock Road he cultivated plants inside and outside the house, built an aviary, and had an aquarium in his room. This closeness to nature brought him to a deep understanding of Africa and its people. It also enhanced his ability and determination to preach the Gospel in all its manifestations. Michael can be truly regarded as one of the founding Fathers of today's thriving Church in the Ilorin region.

He is buried in the Wilton cemetery.