Société des Missions Africaines – Province d’Irlande

né le 13 juin 1913 à Belfast dans le diocèse de Down & Connor, Irlande membre de la SMA le 2 juillet 1933 prêtre le 20 décembre 1936 décédé le 25 juillet 1968

1937-1967 diocèse de Kaduna, Nigeria 1967-1968 malade, retiré décédé à Belfast, Irlande, le 25 juillet 1968, à l’âge de 55 ans

John O'Hara was born in the parish of St. Peter's, Belfast, (his home address was 163 Albert Street), in the diocese of Down and Connor, on 13 June 1913. He died in the family home at Inishmore Crescent, Andersonstown, Belfast, on 25 July 1968.

John (Jack) studied at St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1928 1931) before entering the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway, in the autumn of 1931. He studied theology in the major seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down, between 1933 1937. He was admitted to membership of the Society on 2 July 1933 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 20 December 1936. He was one of a group of eighteen ordained on that day.

After ordination Jack was appointed to the prefecture of Kaduna, in northern Nigeria. The catholic presence in northern Nigeria went back to 1907 when three missionaries came to Shendam. The prefecture of Northern Nigeria was erected in 1929 and in 1934 was divided into two jurisdiction, the prefectures of Jos and Kaduna. Jack arrived in Kaduna in October 1937. His first appointment, given to him by Thomas P. Hughes, the prefect apostolic, was to the district of Kaduna and Kakuri. Jack spent all of his first tour, with the exception of four months (when he served at Zaira) in Kaduna city. This station, which was also the seat of the prefecture, had been established in 1919 under the patronage of St. Joseph. John went on his first home leave in January 1942.

His return to Nigeria, in July 1943, almost ended in disaster. He travelled in a convoy, on board the troop-ship liner California. Four days out to sea the convoy was attacked by aircraft and several ships were damaged or sunk. The California was one of the casualties, suffering a direct hit. Many of the troops on board were killed but all the missionaries survived. They abandoned ship and were rescued by the corvette Moyola, which brought them to Casablanca. There the missionaries, which included a number of O.L.A. sisters, were cared for by American soldiers who saw they eventually got to Nigeria. All their belongings were lost. There is a photograph in the archives of the Irish Province taken at Casablanca of the party of Irish priests, including Jack, kitted out in the uniforms of American soldiers.

When Jack arrived back at Kaduna he was posted to Minna district. Minna was one of the 'line stations' where the mission to northern Nigeria first took root. The majority of the early Catholics were Igbos who had come northwards with the railway, to 'line stations' like Kaduna, Kano, Zaria and Minna. After six months in this mission Jack was transferred to Kaduna where he spent the next three years. During part of this time he was supervisor of schools, a post of great responsibility, which involved supervision of the prefecture's educational apostolate. Jack finished his second tour of duty at Guni, a rural district near Minna. On his return to Kaduna in August 1948 Jack was again appointed to Kaduna. Denis Minihane was superior and the other assistant priest was John Grant. John's return coincided with plans by John McCarthy, the prefect, to establish a boys secondary college in Kaduna. Jack was placed in charge of the project and the college, named after St. John, opened its doors in January 1949, with Jack as the founder-principal. St. John's was always to be a very special place for Jack. Unfortunately after the first academic year he had to return to Ireland where he underwent surgery. Subsequently he had an attack of pleurisy and his doctors recommended a long period of convalescence. In the event Jack was back in Kaduna in May 1952, resuming his principalship of St. John's.

In June 1953 the prefecture was erected as a diocese and Mgr. McCarthy was nominated bishop. In the same year John was appointed superior of Kurmin-Masuga district, in Southern Zaria province. This mission, situated in a rural area with a predominantly animist population, had been opened in 1943 by Malachy Gately. After eighteen months Jack was transferred to Kakuri, another rural mission near Kaduna. Jack returned to Nigeria after his next home leave in January 1957. He was to minister in the diocese (erected an archdiocese in 1959) for a futher ten years. He spent most of this time working at Sabon Sarki with the Jaba people, a ministry that was outstandingly successful. Intelligent, affable, outgoing, and generous, Jack had a rare ability to relate to Nigerians of all classes and tribes. In March 1967 Jack was invalided to Ireland with the illness that would lead to his death. After surgery Jack was able to resume light pastoral work in Belfast. However his condition deteriorated and he entered St. John's nursing home. Three months before his death he was reunited with his family at 2 Inishmore Crescent, Andersonstown. He bore his illness with exemplary courage. Jack's elder brother, Patrick Joseph, was a member of the American Province of the Society.

He is buried Wilton cemetery.