Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 7 décembre 1901 à Tavanagh dans le diocèse de Clonfert, Irlande membre de la SMA le 3 juillet 1928 prêtre le 12 juin 1932 décédé le 7 août 1985

1933-1950 missionnaire au Nigeria, vicariat de Lagos 1951-1952 Irlande, soins 1952-1953 Blackrock Road, Cork , recruteur 1953-1956 Dromantine, directeur spirituel 1957-1980 missionnaire au Nigeria, Ibadan 1980-1985 Blackrock Road, Cork, retiré décédé à Cork, Irlande, le 7 août 1985, à l'âge de 83 ans

Thomas Galvin was born at Tavanagh, near Ballinasloe, Co Roscommon, in the diocese of Clonfert, on 7 December, 1901. He died at Blackrock Road, Cork, on Wednesday, 7 August 1985.

Thomas (Tom) studied at the Sacred Heart college, Ballinafad, Co Mayo (1922) and St. Joseph's college, Wilton, Cork (1923), before entering the Society's novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway (1926 1928). He became a member of the Society on 3 July 1928, and completed his theological training in the major seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down (1928 1932). He was ordained a priest by Bishop Edward Mulhern of Dromore diocese, in St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 12 June 1932. He was one of a group of eight ordained on that day.

After ordination Tom was appointed to the vicariate of the Bight of Benin, which extended over much of south western Nigeria and had its ecclesiastical capital at Lagos. Delayed because of illness from travelling with other classmates in October 1932, Tom arrived in Africa in January 1933, a little over two years since the vicariate had been entrusted to the Irish Province, with the appointment of Francis O'Rourke as vicar apostolic. Tom's first assignment, given to him by Bishop O'Rourke, was to St. Theresa's inter vicarial minor seminary a vital institution which supplied secondary education for all candidates for priesthood in south western Nigeria at that time. Tom joined a staff led by Tom Bunyan and which included Stephen Adewuyi, one of the first indigenous priests, ordained in 1929. There were twenty one pupils in the school, preparing for entry into the major seminary at Asaba. Tom spent all of his first tour of duty (apart from a brief six months placement in Ondo, on the staff of a newly formed minor seminary) in St. Theresa's, succeeding Fr. Bunyan as superior in 1937. Tom went to Ireland on his first home leave in July 1938. On his return to Nigeria, a year later, he was appointed briefly to Abeokuta district (for four months), spending the remainder of his tour as superior of Ijebu Ode district. Ijebu Ode station had been founded in 1896 under the patronage of St. Sebastian. Tom presided over a catholic community of almost 1,500 members and 100 catechumens located in Ijebu Ode and its twenty three outstations.

Tom went on his second home leave in July 1944. After a brief fund raising trip to the U.S.A., he returned to Nigeria in June 1946. He spent all of his third tour of duty in charge of Ijebu Ode district, working variously with Edward Bermingham, Stephen Adewuyi, Julius Sadiku, Michael Sanusi (all Nigerians) and John (Jack) Rogers. In 1950 the jurisdiction, which had been divided in 1943, was erected as the archdiocese of Lagos. In 1951 Tom fell ill and was invalided to Ireland, spending the next year convalescing. Ready for work in October 1952, he was appointed to the promotion staff at Blackrock Road, as assistant to Jack Lee. In June 1953 Tom was appointed 'Spiritual Father', or confessor to the seminarians, in Dromantine.

In March 1952 the Ibadan district of Lagos archdiocese was erected as a prefecture, under the leadership of Richard Finn. In June 1956 Tom was appointed to the prefecture staff. However in August he had to enter the Bon Secours hospital, Cork, for surgery and he was unable to take up his appointment until May 1957. Tom was to serve in the Ibadan jurisdiction, erected as a diocese in April 1958, until April 1980. During these years he was a key member of the diocesan staff, serving Bishop Finn until his retirement in 1974 and, subsequently, Felix Alaba Adosin Job, who succeeded Bishop Finn (nominated archbishop when the jurisdiction became an archdiocese in 1994). Tom's principal work during his first decade of service was that of the 'diocesan examiner', travelling the length and breadth of the diocese examining school children in religious knowledge. He spent the remaining decades as a pastor, ministering in the teeming streets of western Nigeria's capital city. He served as parish priest in most of the city churches but, perhaps, is most closely associated with Oke Offa. Tom retired from Nigeria in his seventy ninth year. He spent the last five years of his life, retired, with his community at Blackrock Road.

An account of Tom written in the African Missionary in 1975 tells us much about the man and his ministry: 'Born in Co Roscommon in the first year of the 20th century, Tom Galvin was a grocer's assistant when he answered the call to a missionary life. Ordained a priest in the glorious June of the Eucharistic Congress year, 1932, he became ill and a doctor pronounced him too delicate for the tropics. Fr. Tom was not to be deterred. After rest and care and prayer he was on the boat to Lagos, Nigeria. One of the students in the seminary to which he was appointed (St. Theresa's, Oke Are) taught Tom the intricacies of the tonal language, Yoruba. That seminarian is today Dr. Anthony Sanusi, first bishop of Ijebu diocese. Over the years Tom has served in Ondo, Benin and Ijebu. In the latter place he persuaded the King to demolish a pagan shrine which was right beside the catholic church. Blaming Fr. Tom, the local witch doctors danced about the church, roundly cursing him and proclaiming that he would never return to the village alive. When he did return the astounded pagans exclaimed: 'He is back again, and fatter than ever'!... With the youthful enthusiasm of a neophyte, 74 years old Fr. Tom bounded up the gangway of a plane at Cork Airport last October. He left, as he arrived a few months before, in his white cassock. No travelling in mufti for Fr. Tom. He is an S.M.A. missionary priest and will be seen to be one in a jet plane, a Nigerian mammy wagon, or a C.I.E. train.'

Tom was an extraordinary sight on those occasions when he wore a black coat over his soutane and black hat on his head. He was renowned for his dedication to the dying and he regularly attended public executions to comfort the condemned. Tom's brother, John, was also a member of the Society. The Galvins were related to Mick Harrison and John Reddington, both members of the Society.

He is buried in Wilton cemetery.