Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

Eugene McSweeney was born at Cobh, Co Cork, in the diocese of Cloyne, on 9 January 1884. He died in Nelson Road, Whitton, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, on 19 November 1966.

Eugene studied with the Christian Brothers in Cork, at the North Monastery, and C.B.C., Wellington Road. He became a licentiate assistant of the Pharmaceutical Society and having passed the preliminary examination of the Royal college of Surgeons, Ireland, he took employment as a dispensing chemist in Fielding's Pharmacy Cork. In October 1920, deciding to become a missionary priest, he came briefly to St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork. After two months (in January 1921) he was ready to enter the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. He completed his training for priesthood in St Joseph's seminary, Blackrock Road, Cork, where he studied theology (1922 1926). Eugene was received as a member of the Society on 22 December 1922 and was ordained a priest, along with ten colleagues, in St. Joseph's church, Blackrock Road, by Bishop Thomas Broderick, vicar apostolic of Western Nigeria, on 23 May 1926. Today (1996) in the community oratory at Blackrock Road a fine Celtic chalice, a souvenir of Eugene's ordination, is used daily in the liturgy.

After ordination Eugene was appointed to the vicariate of Western Nigeria. On his arrival, in October 1926, Eugene was appointed by Bishop Broderick to the district of Ibusa. This comprised the principal stations of Ibusa, Ugwashi-Uku, Issele-Uke and Onitsha-Olona, as well as numerous secondary stations. When Eugene arrived William Porter was superior of the district. Eugene was stationed in Ibusa town, where a mission had first been established in 1899 under the patronage of St. Augustine. The district had a catholic community of almost 2,000 Catholics and 200 catechumens. In 1928 Bishop Broderick established a teachers training college at Ibusa, which in time was to become one of the most important educational institutes in the mid-west. Eugene did not teach in the college, but played a part in preparing the physical plant. While Val Barnicle and Jack O'Shea worked in the college, Eugene took care of the 'parish' under the superiorship of John Lynott. One of the works of the parish was its leprosarium. Eugene's skills in dispensing medicine proved a great boon to the lepers, as well as to the many sick people who came to the mission residence. The Ibusa leper settlement was one of the first of its type in the mid-western region, and Eugene and helped to develop it into 'a leper village'.

Following a severe illness early in 1930 Eugene was forced to withdraw from Africa. After convalescing, but no longer fit to return to the tropics, in June 1930 he was appointed to the S.M.A. house at Ullet Road, Sefton Park, Liverpool, through which missionaries passed on their journeys to and from Africa. In 1931 Eugene was made superior of this house. Three years later, In 1934, he was appointed to the staff of the major seminary at Dromantine, Co Down. He taught canon law and ecclesiastical history, and was also confessor to the students. In 1938 Eugene returned to Ullet Road, serving the needs of the confreres in transit. During these years he became one of the best-known members of the Province. His skill in obtaining medicines for missionaries setting out for Africa was legendary. As well as this work Eugene ministered to the large African community in the area, and for a time served as chaplain to Sefton General hospital.

In 1951 he suffered a haemorrhage behind the eyes and his sight became severely impaired. Retiring from the active ministry he continued to reside at Ullet Road, while receiving treatment in hospital. In 1953 he came to Ireland, to Blackrock Road. Five years later, in 1958, he went to London to receive further treatment for his advanced blindness and continued to live there with friends until the time of his death. He had a sister, Mary Finbarr, in the convent of Mercy, Ennis.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.