Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 11 février 1921 dans le diocèse de Cork, Irlande membre de la SMA le 30 juin 1940 prêtre le 19 décembre 1943 décédé le 20 octobre 1999

1945-1949 missionnaire dans le vicariat d'Asaba Bénin, Nigeria 1950-1969 missionnaire dans le diocèse de Bénin City 1970-1972 animation missionnaire en Irlande 1973-1974 diocèse de Warri, Nigeria 1975-1992 archidiocèse de Lagos 1992-1999 Cork, retiré décédé à  le 20 octobre 1999, à l'âge de 78 ans

Father Hugh Conlon was a member of an outstanding Cork missionary family that gave three of its members to the Church in Nigeria. When Hugh finished his secondary education at Christian Brothers College in Cork he entered the SMA novitiate in Kilcolgan, Co Galway and was later ordained in Newry in December 1943. Fr. Hugh's sister, Mary, became an OLA nun and gave dedicated service in Nigeria; his brother, Fr. Jimmy, is still serving as Spiritual Director to young Nigerian priests in the Major Seminary in Ibadan.

After his ordination Fr. Hugh was posted to the Mid-West Region of Nigeria and for the next twenty five years he laboured selflessly for the Church there. Following a break of two years on promotion work in Ireland Fr. Hugh returned to Nigeria and gave a further twenty years of service in Western Nigeria, a total of forty five years ministry in ail. During his second period of mission Fr. Hugh was engaged in a most practical form of service for his people, being financial administrator of the missionary hospital in Abeokuta. By his meticulous, expert and dedicated work he ensured that the poor and distressed were given the compassionate and loving care that they deserved.

In 1992 he 'retired' to his native Cork but still continued to exercise a pastoral ministry by helping out at St. Joseph's Church, Mayfield. The huge attendance at his funeral Mass in that Church, celebrated by his brother Fr. Jimmy and some thirty other SMA and Diocesan priests, was a fitting testimony to the effectiveness of that ministry. His Pioneer pin was as distinguishing a feature as his ready smile. His unexpected death following an operation left his family and his confreres in deep sadness.

Requiescat in pace.