Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 29 septembre 1914 à Dunmanway dans le diocèse de Cork, Irlande membre de la SMA le 29 juin 1937 prêtre le 22 décembre 1940 décédé le 3 novembre 2000

1942-1953 préfecture apostolique de Jos, Nigeria 1954-1992 diocèse de Jos, Nigeria 1992-1994 Dunmanway, (Cork), retiré 1994-2000 Wilton, retiré décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 3 novembre 2000, à l’âge de 86 ans

Denis Joseph O’Donovan was born in ‘Main Street’, Dunmanway, in the diocese of Cork, on 29 September 1914. He died in St. Theresa’s nursing unit, SMA House, Blackrock Road, Cork, on 3 November 2000.

Denis O’Donovan (on his baptismal certificate and in his passport and Society documents Denis was known as Denis Donovan; however he preferred to sign himself ‘O’Donovan’) commenced his secondary education in the Sacred Heart College, Ballinafad, Co Mayo, in 1931. A year later he was promoted to the Society’s senior-cycle secondary school, St. Joseph’s College, Wilton, Cork, where he completed his secondary education in 1935. He then went to the Society’s novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. Two years later, in 1937, he commenced his theological course in the Society’s major seminary, at Dromantine, Newry, Co Down. Denis was received as a member of the Society on 29 June 1937. He was ordained a priest in St. Colman’s Cathedral, Newry, by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore, on 22 December 1940. He was one of a group of nineteen ordained on that day.

After ordination Denis was appointed to the Prefecture of Jos in Northern Nigeria. The catholic presence in northern Nigeria went back to 1907 when three missionaries came to Shendam. The prefecture of Northern Nigeria was erected in 1929 and in 1934 was divided into two jurisdictions, the prefectures of Kaduna and Jos. When Denis was appointed the Jos prefecture had a staff of some eighteen missionaries under the leadership of William Lumley. In the early years of his tenure, Mgr. Lumley’s small staff of less than a dozen Fathers was depleted by the tragic deaths of three young confreres within a short space of time (Florence O'Driscoll in 1935, and John Marren and Anthony O'Dwyer within days of each other in September 1937). Denis was one of several newly-ordained priests sent from Ireland in the wake of these losses. Because of the war it was extremely difficult to secure a sea passage for Africa and it was February 1942 before he reached Nigeria. He was to spend the remainder of his active missionary life – exactly 50 years - in the Jos jurisdiction, becoming one of the longest serving missionaries of his generation.

Denis’s first appointment was to Kafanchan mission from where he carried out tours to all the towns and villages along the railway line between Jos and Makurdi (the famous ‘line stations’). Most of the line towns were populated by people working on the railway, mainly Igbos from eastern Nigeria. Denis’s next appointment was to Udei, in the north Tiv area of Makurdi North. This mission, founded in 1934, was the fruit of Mgr. Lumley’s policy of reaching out beyond the Christian immigrants from the East to the indigenous tribes untouched by Islam or Christianity. This was truly primary evangelisation. Reminiscing on his time there, Denis later wrote: ‘A typical bush trek from the station was by foot through some eighteen towns and villages and took forty-nine days.’ He was particularly impressed by the strong catechumenate in the area. ‘It was firmly established in all villages of any size, and continued for at least two years before the people were permitted to be examined by the Father.’

Prior to the second World War, indeed from the time of Lugard, British policy in Northern Nigeria favoured rule through the Emirs (Muslim rulers) and generally prohibited Christian missionaries from establishing schools, even in pagan districts. After the war there was a certain relaxation of this policy, as Nigeria prepared for independence. Catholic missionaries made the most of the new situation, and in the Jos prefecture (as elsewhere in the North) a large network of elementary schools was established. Mgr. Lumley set up the College of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I), a teacher training institute, at Kafanchan, in 1949, to have a well-trained supply of teachers for these schools. Denis first demonstrated his skills as a builder when he built a fine Fathers Residence at this college. This established his reputation as a builder and during the remainder of his missionary career he was much in demand for the quality of his work.

For many years, under Mgr. Lumley’s successor, Bishop John Reddington, Denis had a roving commission, in charge of ‘diocesan buildings’. Pride of place among his feats of construction was the Akwange Hospital – a project that won the plaudits of the Ministry of Health and the Diocese alike. He also built the Fathers Residence at Barakin Ladi and helped in the construction of Murumba College. He even built a road, in 1947, when he was stationed with Johnny O’Malley at Alogani. Alogani was situated in a remote rural district, amidst the Mada hills. It was also the scene of a tragedy in April 1940 when one of the founding missionaries, Andy Geraghty, died as a result of a fall from a horse. This mission was situated two miles up a hill from the main road, and inaccessible to any vehicle, and Fr. Geraghty’s fall was sustained when riding down from the mission. Denis decided to make the mission accessible and safe. Together with Fr. O’Malley, he constructed a road rivalling any in the Alps. One of his last buildings was the parish church of St. Finbarrr’s, Rayfield, Anglo-Jos.

Denis was much more than a builder. He relished the challenge of parochial work and distinguished himself in several parishes. He was the founder of St. Finbarrr’s parish (he gave it its name), living for many years alone in the church’s sacristy. (His church/residence was contiguous to Rayfield Gold Club. And he eventually became a late vocation to that ancient game encouraged by his SMA confreres who regularly visited him on a Thursday morning for that purpose). He was also a much respected pastor in the parish of St. Michael, Sabon Gwong, and for a number of years had charge of St. Theresa’s, Jos. During part of the 1960’s he was parish priest of Akwange, in Eggon country.

When Denis arrived in Nigeria in 1942 Jos was a seven year-old Prefecture. He was there when it became a diocese in 1950. He was there for the erection of the first Major Seminary for Northern Nigeria. He was there when the first local priest was ordained. And he was there for the foundation of the first Nigerian Congregation of Sisters.

And yet, though he spent two-thirds of his life in Africa, he remained steadfastly a West Cork man. Tough and uncompromising, he was manifestly a man who had imbibed deeply from a rich fountain of spirituality in his native Dunmanway. It served him well over the years. With great single-mindedness Denis pursued his career as a missionary building up the Kingdom of God, preaching the message in season and out of season. And he never tailored the message to suit the minds of his congregation. His was a deep, simple straightforward message without frills, preached without fear or favour. Dogged and determined, he would never suffer fools gladly. And yet, for all his toughness and resilience, he managed to build up a good rapport with the local people for whom he became something of a hero and mentor. A good flavour of the man may be obtained by reading from his speech delivered on the occasion of his leave-taking from Nigeria on 21 February 1992, titled: The Hidden Side of a Missionary Life’. This is available in the Archives of the Irish Province, at Blackrock Road.

Denis spent the first two years of his retirement living in Dunmanway. However in 1994 he came to Wilton where he was to remain until the time of his death. During those years he continued to drive and was a regular at local and provincial hurling and football matches. He had a wide variety of interests (including the keeping of a canary in his room) that kept him busy. Denis enjoyed good health until the summer of the year 2000 when he began to weaken. Early in October he entered the Bon Secours hospital, Cork, and spent his last week in Blackrock Road in the care of the nursing staff and community. He died peacefully with Frs Joe Maguire (formerly of Jos) and Bob Molloy present with him.

Denis was predeceased by his sister May, and his brother, Jerry. The chief celebrant at his requiem Mass was his brother, Donal, who spent his priestly life in Florida. He was also survived by his sisters Joan, and Sheela.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.