Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 15 août 1892 à Moate dans le diocèse d'Ardagh, Irlande membre de la SMA le 16 juillet 1921 décédé le 2 juillet 1964

1921-1964 Kilcogan, Galway, au service de la mission décédé à Galway, Irlande, le 2 juillet 1964, à l'âge de 72 ans

Thomas William Hughes was born at Moate, Co Westmeath (his home address when entering the Society is recorded as Grattan St., Maryborough, Co Laois), in the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, on 15 August 1892. He died at the Regional hospital, Galway, on 2 July 1964.

Thomas (Tom) lived almost all of his adult life as a brother in the S.M.A. He is first mentioned in Society records in the Etat for 1913-1914 (the Etat, was a list of members and their placements published annually). This was the second Etat produced after the erection of the Irish Province in May 1912. The names of three brothers are included, John Clery (St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork), Denis McCarthy (the 'mission house', Kinoury, Killavalla, Westport, Co Mayo) and Thomas Hughes. Tom was on the staff of the Province's headquarters and seminary at Blackrock Road. Other members of the staff were Thomas Broderick, superior and president of the seminary, Patrick Moylan, who taught in the seminary, James McGettigan, bursar, and Leo Taylor, editor of the African Missionary.

Tom was a postulant in Blackrock Road and was admitted to his first oath of membership in 1913; thereafter he renewed his oath every two years until 1921 when, on 16 July, he took his perpetual oath. During his years in Blackrock he followed a rule for 'brothers in formation'. Rising was at 6.a.m., followed by prayer, meditation and Mass. Next there came cleaning of the house followed by breakfast at 8.15. The main business of the day commenced at 8.45, namely 'manual work, or clerical work supervised by a Father'. At 12.45 p.m. there was 'examen' (examination of conscience) followed by lunch and recreation. Brothers returned to manual labour or clerical work at 3 p.m. There was tea and recreation at 5 p.m. An hour later there was 'study for all', followed by 'spiritual reading and visit to the Blessed Sacrament' at 8.p.m. Half an hour later there was supper and recreation, followed by night prayer at 9.30. 'Lights out' were at 10.30.p.m.

Tom was the first candidate for the brotherhood to become a permanent member of the Irish Province, although there were two Irishmen who had joined the Society as brothers in the era before the erection of the Province, namely, Jerome Killen and Alphonsus Nolan. Two months after taking his final oath Tom was appointed to the Province's novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. This house and its large estate was one of two properties given to the Province by its principal benefactor, Llewellyn Blake, one of the Blakes of Galway, who in his earlier years had served as an officer in the Connaught Rangers. Kilcolgan was opened as a formation house in September 1918. When Tom came to Kilcolgan there were twenty-three aspirants, under the superiorship of Maurice Slattery, master of novices, with Nicholas Clery as professor of philosophy and Jerome Sheehan as bursar and professor of English.

Tom was to spend the remainder of his long life at Kilcolgan. He took ill there in June 1964 and died in hospital in Galway. A man endowed with artistic talent, he used to play the violin, and loved reciting poetry, especially Shakespeare. His obituary in the African Missionary records: 'Although Brother Tom Hughes spent all his religious life with the Society in Ireland he was, among members of the Society, probably one of the best known characters in it. For generation after generation of students in Kilcolgan, the quiet humble brother Tom was as familiar as the castle at the end of the house, or the great rock strewn waste of land where they loved to roam on free days. He often entertained them with tunes on the fiddle in the old apple house in the orchard on summer evenings, and maybe smuggled a few apples for the boys.'

Tom suffered a stroke in June 1964 and entered the Regional hospital in Galway. He was 72 years old when he died. He three sisters in religion, two in the Dominican order and one in the Sacred Heart order.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.