Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 18 juin 1908 à Ballinlough dans le diocèse de Cork, Irlande membre de la SMA le 19 juin 1932 prêtre le 21 décembre 1935 décédé le 12 octobre 1978

1936-1943 missionnaire au Nigeria 1936-1941, vicariat de la Nigeria Occidentale 1942-1943, préfecture de Jos 1943-1947 Blackrock Road, Cork 1947-1951 missionnaire en Egypte, Choubra 1951-1955 Blackrock Road, Cork 1956-1957 diocèse de Saint-Augustin, Floride 1957-1959 Blackrock Road, Cork 1959-1967 diocèse de Nottingham 1967-1978 Blackrock Road, Cork malade, soins, retiré décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 12 octobre 1978, à l'âge de 70 ans

Kevin O'Shea was born in Ballinlough, Cork ('Rosedale, Ballinlough Road), in the diocese of Cork, on 18 June 1908. He died in St. Finbarr's hospital, Cork, on 12 October 1978.

Kevin was one of three brothers from the O'Shea family of Ballinlough who became members of the S.M.A., the others being Frank and John. While there have been several pairs of brothers in the Province, this was the only instance of a trio. A sister, Sr. Mary Teresita, became a religious in the Mercy convent, at Kinsale, Co Cork. Kevin studied with the Christian Brothers, at Sullivan's Quay, Cork, and then went to work in an outfitter's shop in Cork city. At the age of 20 years he decided to follow his brothers and become a missionary priest. He entered the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo, in 1928, a year later than his younger brother Frank. This was the Society's preparatory college where students were introduced to the Society and studied Latin. In September 1930 Kevin joined the S.M.A. novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. He studied theology in the Society's seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down, from 1932 1936. Kevin was admitted to membership of the Society on 19 June 1932 and was ordained a priest (together with his brother Frank and nineteen other classmates) by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 21 December 1935.

Kevin served in the vicariate of Asaba Benin (formerly Western Nigeria) from 1936 1941. For the first two years he ministered in Agenebode mission under the guidance of Martin Bane, the mission superior. Kevin left an account of his life at this period. 'I have taken over management of schools, and the church in Agenebode. Fr. Bane does a bush station every Sunday, and then we visit some other outstation during the week just to see how things are done. He is an ideal confrere and does everything in his power to make things go smooth and easy for me. Everything is done with a view to the love of God, the good of our people, and our own mutual happiness.' In September 1938 Kevin was assigned to the teaching staff of St. Thomas' teacher training college, Ibusa (a renowned institution established by Bishop Thomas Broderick in 1928).

In June 1942 Kevin transferred northwards to the prefecture of Jos. This prefecture, established in 1934, experienced a staffing crisis in the early years of the war. Three missionaries who were in key positions in education had been invalided home and five others were stranded in Ireland attempting, with little success, to get a sea passage to Nigeria. Kevin, who was an experienced educator, was appointed to Jos in June 1942. Mgr. Lumley, the prefect apostolic, posted him to Shendam - the first mission in northern Nigeria, founded in 1907 - where he commenced study of the Hausa tongue and taught in the vernacular teacher training college with Jim Carroll and Joe Donnelly. Kevin suffered a lot from dysentery and this precipitated a collapse in his health. In December 1943 he managed to get a place on a sea convoy travelling to England.

Kevin spent the next four years attached to the S.M.A. house at Blackrock Road, Cork, where he gradually recovered his health. During these years he assisted in the work of promotion as much as his health would allow. In May 1947 Kevin was assigned to the Egyptian mission. The S.M.A.'s first contacts with Egypt date from 1877. Augustine Planque, Superior General at that time, was urgently seeking a suitable mission field for the growing number of members whose health had been irreparably damaged in West Africa, or who for other reasons were no longer capable of enduring the rigors of tropical Africa. Egypt had a good climate to recommend it. By the time Kevin reached Egypt there were perhaps 40 French Society members in the jurisdiction and some 15 Irish, several of whom had been invalided from tropical Africa, and had been sent there because of Egypt's climate and because of their expertise in education.

The Society staffed a number of first rate colleges in the vicariate and it was to one of these, St. George's college at Ciccolani (Choubra), in the province of Galioubieh, that Kevin was assigned as a professor. The principal of St. George's, which was known as 'the Anglo-Copt college' (because tuition was through the medium of English and most of the students were Europeans or oriental Christians - Copts), was David Hughes. Another member of the staff was Kevin's older brother, John. Kevin remained in Egypt until June 1951 when his health deteriorated and he was again invalided home to Blackrock Road. Five years later, although little improved, he went to minister in the diocese of St. Augustine, Florida, U.S.A. By the end of the year he was back in Blackrock Road. With an improvement in health Kevin sought out pastoral work in England, working from 1959 1967 in Nottingham diocese. He ministered in Our Lady and St. Patrick's church, London Road, Nottingham. Later he was priest-in-charge at Exton. From 1967 until the time of his death he was invalided at Blackrock Road.

During his lifetime Kevin had his own share of trials, suffering, misunderstanding and sickness. Yet during the 43 years of his priesthood he maintained a never failing cheerfulness, an inventiveness and a singular wit.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.