Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 2 novembre 1893 à Kilmurry dans le diocèse de Limerick, Irlande membre de la SMA le 15 novembre 1916 prêtre le 29 juin 1919 décédé le 19 juin 1964

1920-1946 missionnaire dans l'Ouest Nigeria 1946-1953 Kilcogan, Galway, économe 1953-1964 au service du diocèse de Nottingham Angleterre décédé à Boston, Grande-Bretagne, le 19 juin 1964, à l'âge de 71 ans

Patrick O'Connell was born in Kilmurry, Fernagh, Charleville, Co Cork, in the diocese of Limerick, on 2 November 1893. He died at Boston, Lincolnshire, England, on 19 June 1964.

Pat came to St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork, as a 'late vocation', in November 1913. In June 1914 he completed his secondary education and in the following autumn entered the Society's major seminary, at Blackrock Road, Cork. Studying philosophy and theology he completed his course in 1919. Pat was received as a member of the Society on 15 November 1916 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Daniel Cohalan of Cork diocese, at St. Mary’s cathedral, on 29 June 1919. He was one of a group of five ordained on that day.

After ordination Pat was appointed to the vicariate of Western Nigeria, which had been entrusted to the Irish Province a year earlier when Thomas Broderick was nominated vicar apostolic. Pat arrived in Nigeria in January 1920. He joined a staff in which continental missionaries still predominated. There were eleven 'seasoned' S.M.A. priests from Alsace, France and Italy, and six young Irishmen. Pat was appointed to Lokoja district, where Berengario Cermenati was superior. Lokoja mission, situated at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, had been founded in 1884 (it was subsequently closed for a period and re-opened in 1906) and covered a vast area. Among its outstations in 1920 were Baro, Minna, Kaduna, Zaria, Okeni and Oka. In 1922 Pat was joined in Lokoja by Paul Emecete, Nigeria's first indigenous priest, who had been ordained in 1920 by Bishop Broderick. Pat went on his first home leave in 1924.

On his return he was appointed superior of Lokoja district, directing activities in the five residential stations and numerous outstations. In September 1929 he travelled to Lyon, France, as representative of his confreres to the Society's General Assembly. After the meeting and a vacation in Ireland, he returned to Nigeria in October 1931, resuming his duties as superior of Lokoja district. The district now had four principal stations, Okeni, Kabba, Lokoja and Oka. Pat took up residence in Oka, a station which had been founded in 1917 under the patronage of St. Patrick. Pat served as superior of Lokoja district, resident in Oka, until he retired from Africa in July 1942

Over his twenty-two years in Nigeria, Pat gained a reputation as a pioneer and explorer. He once worked in a parish that was 500 miles wide, and was known to have covered every mile on foot or by bicycle. Pat's treks often took him as far north as Kano and Zaria. Working at a time before there were large-scale conversions, Pat knew what it was to search for the odd individual who was prepared to make the sacrifice of becoming a Christian. For the missionary this meant considerable hardship and discouragement. The mission boom did not begin until after Pat was invalided home, badly burnt in an explosion, caused by a tilley lamp he was lighting.

After his return to Ireland and a lengthy period of convalescence, Pat was appointed confessor to the students at Wilton in 1945. Wilton at that time prepared 60 students for leaving certificate or university matriculation, in a three year cycle. A year later he became bursar in the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy, at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, a post he occupied until 1953. After a period working in the S.M.A. house at Ullet Road, Sefton Park, Liverpool (which catered for missionaries en route to, or returning from, Africa) he took up an appointment in Nottingham diocese. He remained there, working in St. James's parish, Deeping, St. Hugh's parish, Lincoln, and also in Exton until 1964 when he died. Pat had a sister in the convent of Mary Immaculate, in Liscard, Cheshire (Sr. Wilfred).

He is buried in Boston, Lincolnshire, England.