Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 4 avril 1907 à Coorheen dans le diocèse de Clonfert, Irlande membre de la SMA le 2 juillet 1929 prêtre le 11 juin 1933 décédé le 2 juin 1974

1933-1943 missionnaire au vicariat du Bénin 1945-1947 missionnaire en Egypte 1947 Ballinafad, économe 1948-1963 malade, soins 1963-1968 Clarenbridge, aumônier des Frères de la Charité 1968-1974 malade, soins décédé à Waterford, Irlande, le 2 juin 1974, à l'âge de 67 ans

William Deeley was born at Coorheen, Loughrea, Co Galway, in the diocese of Clonfert, on 4 April 1907. He died in Waterford county and city infirmary, on 2 June 1974.

William (Bill) was educated in the colleges of the Society. He studied in the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (1923 1924) and St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1924 1927). He entered the novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, in the autumn of 1927. His theological studies were conducted in the major seminary at Dromantine, Co Down, between 1929 1933. Bill became a member of the Society on 2 July 1929 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 11 June 1933. He was one of a group of nine ordained on that day.

After ordination Bill was appointed to the vicariate of the Bight of Benin, in south-western Nigeria. On his arrival, the vicar apostolic, Francis O'Rourke, posted him to the staff of St. Gregory's college, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria's first catholic secondary college, established in 1928. Bill joined a staff led by Jim Saul, and which included Tommy Moran, Thomas F. Hughes and 10 African masters. There were 150 pupils in the secondary school and 38 students in a teacher training department attached to the college. Bill went on his first home leave in December 1937. He returned to Nigeria in the last week of December 1938, scarcely two months after the death of Bishop O'Rourke. Philip Corish, the pro-vicar, appointed him to Ado-Ekiti district (in Ondo province) as assistant priest to Paddy O'Donoghue. The principal station of Ado-Ekiti had been founded in 1914 under the patronage of St. George. When Bill came to Ado there were almost 4,000 catholic members and 800 catechumens, located in the central station and its 42 secondary stations. Today Ado is the headquarters of the thriving diocese of Ekiti.

In 1939 Bill was appointed first resident missionary at Ilawe, with Justin McCarthy as his assistant. Ilawe had formerly been an outstation of Ado-Ekiti. Fr. Corish commented to Stephen Harrington, the Irish Provincial: 'The people certainly deserve a (residential) Father. The progress there has been wonderful, a congregation of 1,200 coming to church. The school is going strong also. With Igbara-Odo, Ilare, Igbara-Oke, Ikogosi and Erijinan, the two Fathers will have their hands full. The communions and marriages are very encouraging too'. Twenty acres of land were acquired at a cost of £23. Then, in April 1939, when the new residence was finished, the Fathers took up residence. Bill remained in charge of Ilawe, until January 1943, spending most of that time on his own after the transfer of Fr. McCarthy to St. Gregory's college in August 1939. Eventually in January 1943 the strain of work caught up with him and Bill's health broke down. After a brief period in hospital he was assigned to Holy Cross cathedral mission in Lagos. However it was clear to his doctor and superiors that he should return home. When eventually he was able to get a passage back to Europe, in October 1943, he had to spend a month in hospital in Scotland (where he was diagnosed as suffering from acute malarial anaemia) before completing his journey to Ireland.

After making a good recovery, but no longer fit for the tropics, Bill was assigned to the vicariate of the Nile Delta, in Egypt, where the Province was responsible for staffing the 'English-language' schools. Bill was appointed to St. Paul's college, Alexandria, which had been opened by the Irish Province for the British Council in 1940. The students in this college (situated at 72 rue Sidi Abil Dardaa and which had both primary and secondary departments) were mainly of Maltese and Cypriot nationality. On 15 January 1947 Bill sailed for Ireland on board the M.V. Ascania, from Port Said. He had spent the previous eleven weeks in hospital at Méadi, a Cairo suburb. John Lupton, the 'visitor', responsible for the welfare of the confreres, reported: 'We are very sorry to lose Fr. Deeley as he was a good worker and a splendid priest in every way'. On his return to Ireland Bill appeared reasonably well and took up a post as bursar in Ballinafad. However within two months he became seriously ill and was hospitalised for a period of six months. For the next five years, until 1953, he remained in the Province's headquarters at Blackrock Road, Cork, convalescing and assisting in the work of promotion. However, at this point his health broke down completely and he was to spend most of the next 10 years in hospital.

Eventually, in September 1963, after a marked improvement in his condition, Bill was appointed chaplain to the Brothers of Charity at Clarenbridge, Co Galway. In August 1968, once more, his health deteriorated and he had to be hospitalised. Tall and of strong physique, Bill was a victim of the African climate. The loss of his older brother Tommy, ordained for the Society in 1928 and who died in 1960, may have aggravated his condition. His life was one of great suffering, which he bore with courage and faith.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.