Société des Missions Africaines – Province d'Irlande

né le 8 juin 1920 dans le diocèse de Kerry (Irlande) membre de la SMA le 1er juillet 1941 prêtre le 17 décembre 1944 décédé le 6 avril 2005

1946-1955 préfecture de Jos, Nigeria 1956-1976 diocèse de Jos, Nigeria 1977-1988 archidiocèse de Kaduna, Nigeria 1989-2001 Kells, Co Meath, Irlande, retiré 2001-2005 Blackrock Road, Cork, retiré décédé le 6 avril 2005 à l'hôpital de Cork (Irlande), à l'âge de 84 ans

Thomas Oliver Smith was born in Tralee, in the diocese of Kerry, on 8th June 1920.
He died in the University Hospital, Cork, on 6th April 2005.

Thomas Oliver Smith’s parents were Hugh and Maria Agnes (nee Lyons). His father was a draper. Two of his aunts were members of the Mercy Order, while his first cousin, Patrick, became a diocesan priest in Meath. Oliver attended Moyderwell primary school, Tralee. He received his secondary education at CBS, Carlow (1933-1936) - the family had moved to Carlow at this time - and St. Mary’s College, Knockbeg, Carlow (1936-1939) (a diocesan seminary), receiving an honours leaving certificate. It was during his time in Knockbeg that he made his first contact with the SMA. A photo in the 1939 SMA Calendar of a dark-haired priest wearing a white soutane and a sun helmet attracted his attention. The priest was Michael Carolan, a native of Offaly. Oliver applied to join the missionary Society of which Fr. Carolan was a member. He was interviewed in Knockbeg by John Levins, the Vocations Director, and accepted for the Society. He entered the Society’s novitiate and house of formation in the autumn of 1939. Two years later he was promoted to the Society’s major seminary, at Dromantine, Newry, Co Down. Oliver was first received as a member of the Society on 1st July 1941 and became a permanent member on 17th June 1944. He was ordained a priest in St. Colman’s Cathedral, Newry, Co Down, by Bishop Eugene O’Doherty of Dromore diocese, on 17th December 1944. He was one of a class of seventeen ordained on that day. Oliver’s celebrated his first Mass in the Pro-Cathedral, Dublin.

After ordination Oliver was appointed to the Prefecture of Jos in Northern Nigeria. His departure from Ireland was delayed because of the war and its aftermath; eventually he got a ship’s passage in June 1946. The journey lasted thirteen days and an additional two days travelling by train northwards from Lagos. During his first missionary tour of duty, lasting from June 1946 to June 1950, he served in Shendam, Udei and Kafanchan. Shendam was the oldest Catholic mission in Northern Nigeria, established in 1907. The Jos Prefecture had been erected in 1929. Oliver’s parish priest in Shendam was none other than Michael Carolan. Oliver wrote humorously (much later): ‘I often reminded Fr. Carolan that he was largely responsible for my predicament in being caught up in the slings and arrows of my tropical misfortunes’. Oliver left some recollections of those early days. He found the climate difficult, especially on occasions when the temperature rose above 105 degrees centigrade in the shade. He recalled many evenings spent in the company of Fr. Carolan as they sat outside their mission house, ‘he wearing a singlet and shorts, I in long trousers and jacket. He couldn’t understand and felt intensely annoyed that the same sweltering heat could affect both of us in such different ways’.

During his second tour (1951-1955) Oliver spent a year as Diocesan Supervisor of Schools and then was posted again to Shendam (this time as superior), ending the tour in Kwande. In 1954 Jos was erected as a diocese under Bishop John Reddington. Oliver spent his next tour of duty in charge of Kafanchan mission. He was to work in the Jos jurisdiction continuously until 1976. During this lengthy period he served in many posts, including terms as parish priest of Daffo, Rayfield, St. Theresa’s parish (Jos), Fatima parish (Jos), and a term as Bishop Gabriel G. Ganaka’s secretary. Oliver did not always see eye to with his bishop and did not particularly relish the duties of secretary – although he was excellent in the position – and during his home leave in 1976 decided to move to another diocese.

Oliver returned to Africa in January 1977 to work in the Archdiocese of Kaduna, in Northern Nigeria. Archbishop Jatau posted him first as Religious Knowledge teacher in St. Enda’s Teacher Training College, Zaria. A year later he was nominated by the bishop as Staff Inspector (for Christian Religious Knowledge) with the Ministry of Education, Kaduna State. He was to serve as in this capacity until 1984 when he returned to the pastoral ministry. In April 1987 he came to Ireland on compassionate leave to attend the funeral of his sister, Rose Margaret Mary. When he returned to Nigeria, a month later, he became bishop’s secretary. However within a year he fell ill, had surgery in St. Gerard’s hospital Kaduna (perforated ulcer and peritonitis) and was compelled to return to Ireland where he entered the Bon Secours hospital in Cork. Clearly no longer fit for the tropics – and having spent forty-two years in Africa – Oliver retired to live with his sister, Marie Elizabeth, in Kells, Co Meath.

Oliver celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his ordination in December 1994. He celebrated his Diamond Jubilee on 17th December 2004. The death of Marie Elizabeth in May 1999 and a further deterioration in health led him to retire to the SMA house at Blackrock Road in 2001. Continuing ill-health caused him to be hospitalised during August and September 2002. His death came unexpectedly. On the evening of Monday, 4th April 2005, he was walking in the Blackrock Road grounds when he stumbled, striking his head against one of the parked cars. He was brought by ambulance to the Cork University Hospital. During the night he lapsed into unconsciousness and died peacefully on the morning of 6th April. At his own request his funeral Mass was private – held in the Oratory, Blackrock Road, Cork. After his cremation at Glasnevin, his ashes were collected by his cousins, Rose and Patrick Curran from Kells, and brought to St. Columcille’s cemetery, Kells, where they were interred in the grave occupied by his two sisters, Rose and Marie, to whom he was greatly attached. Prayers at the graveside were offered by Joseph Egan SMA.

The homilist at his funeral Mass described Oliver in the following terms: ‘Many people will have memories of Oliver, some from his early years in seminary and

mission, others from later years. He was certainly his own man, a true ‘fear ann fein’. He had an independent mind and would not be easily swayed from a path of action once his mind was made up. One would have to say he had a streak of stubbornness and could be somewhat awkward at times. His was a quiet presence, but a presence not easily ignored. His choice of funeral arrangements reflects a facet of his character that was intensely private. A spirit of generosity and kindness was also present: this was evident in his desire to leave his bodily organs after his death to anyone to whom the medical profession would deem them to be of benefit. His age counselled against actually using these organs. He is also known to have formed bonds of warm attachment and affection with staff members in this house (Blackrock Road). And he always marked his gratitude when a good deed was done to him or for him.’ A capable writer, during his retirement Oliver wrote a book of short stories, somewhat in the W. Somerset-Maughan mode. Earlier, in 1992, he wrote an article on current Anglo-Irish relations, titled: ‘The Irish Question’. Copies of both are to be found in the Society’s Archives, at Blackrock Road.

His ashes are interred in St. Columcille’s cemetery, Kells, Co Meath.