Société des Missions Africaines 

né le 8 septembre 1933 dans le diocèse d'Armagh, Irlande membre de la SMA le 25 juin 1954 prêtre le 21 décembre 1960 décédé le 23 mars 2007

1961-1983 archidiocèse de Kaduna, Nigeria 1983-1984 hospitalisé 1984-1987 Wilton, Cork 1987-2004 Dromantine, membre du staff 2004-2007 Dromantine, retiré décédé à Newry, Irlande, le 23 mars 2007 à l’âge de 73 ans

Peter Francis Devine was born at Monleek, Monasterboice, Drogheda, Co Louth, in the diocese of Armagh, in the parish of Tullyallen, on 8th September 1933.
He died in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, Co Down, on 23rd March 2007.
Peter (Doc) Devine was the second eldest of four brothers, born to Bernard and Annie (nee Leonard) Devine. At a young age he lost his father – who had a market-gardening business - to blood-poisoning. A number of years later his elder brother, the family’s main breadwinner, died as a result of an accident in the garage where he was working. Peter received his early education at the local primary school in Tullyallen. Then, after a brief period at the Christian Brothers secondary school in Drogheda, he came to the Sacred Heart College, Ballinafad, Co Mayo, where, between 1948-1953 he completed his secondary education. It was here that he was given the nickname ‘Doc’, a name that was to accompany him throughout his missionary career in Africa and in Ireland. It may have originated in the circumstance that he was the first in his class to wear glasses which gave him a somewhat scholarly appearance. After completing secondary education Peter was promoted to the Society’s ‘spiritual year’ or novitiate at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. A year later he commenced studies at University College Cork, residing at St. Joseph’s College, Wilton. Three years later he was awarded a B.A. degree, his principal subjects being Philosophy and Geography. In September 1957 Peter came to the Society’s major seminary, at Dromantine, Newry, Co Down, where he began his theological formation. Peter was first received as a member of the Society on 25th June 1954. He became a permament member on 14th June 1960. He was ordained a priest in St. Colman’s Cathedral, Newry, by Bishop Eugene O’Doherty of Dromore diocese, on 21st December 1960. He was one of a group of twenty-two ordained on that occasion, the largest class in the Society’s Irish Province’s history.
After ordination Peter was appointed to the Archdiocese of Kaduna in Northern Nigeria. The mission to the North had been pioneered in l907 when three SMA. priests travelled to Shendam where they established a mission station. From this nucleus a prefecture – titled Prefecture of Northern Nigeria – was erected in 1929. In April 1934 this jurisdiction was divided into the Prefectures of Jos and Kaduna. In 1959 the Kaduna jurisdiction was erected as an archdiocese under John McCarthy SMA while Jos became a diocese. Peter reached Nigeria in October 1961. He was to work in the Kaduna Archdiocese continuously until 1984. He ministered mainly in the education apostolate, as class teacher, school principal and zonal education officer. Among the institutions which benefited from his ministry were St. Mary’s Secondary School, Fadan Kaje, St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Zaria, Government Secondary School, Birnin Gwari, and Government Secondary School, Kachia. His educational apostolate concluded with an administrative appointment at the Zonal Office, Zaria. In addition he served as Father-in-charge at Kankada, the first station opened in southern Zaria, in 1937, by Fr Malachy Gately.
In 1983 Peter fell seriously ill and returned to Ireland for treatment, first at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and then at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin. After making a recovery he commenced a sabbatical year during which he took a course with the Redemptorists at Marianella in Dublin, visited Kaduna for a month, and acted as chaplain in the Vincent de Paul Holiday Home at Mornington, Co Louth. In September 1984 he was posted as College Bursar, to St. Joseph’s College, Wilton. He was to hold this position until August 1987 when he was transferred to Dromantine as assistant to the Superior. During his years in Dromantine he took personal pride in the development and care of the grounds. Peter’s mother, who had brought the family through difficult and tragic times with great fortitude, determination and cheerfulness, died in February 1992. Peter retired in Dromantine in March 2004. At this time his health deteriorated sharply. He had had a kidney removed some years earlier. Now the second kidney began to fail. At the beginning of March 2007 his condition worsened and he was hospitalised in Newry. Peter battled bravely, honestly and fearlessly during the many years of illness given him. During the last four or five years when a renewed onset of cancer demanded radical steps to keep it at bay, he fought with the best of alternative medicines and with conventional treatments which included dialysis or whatever else would give a glimpse of hope. He treasured life and was not going to let it go easily. At the end he surrendered gracefully and gently and calmly passed over from this life to the next.
During his student days Peter exhibited a keen interest in motor mechanics, carpentry and other practical vocational pursuits. And although he was never too academically inclined he easily achieved the required standards both at university and in the seminary. During his student days, too, he was a keen sportsman, and a tigerish opponent on the football field. His skills, no doubt, had been honed when playing with his local football club, ‘the Glen Emmets’, in the parish of Tullyallen, a team he supported passionately throughout his life. During his twenty-three years in Nigeria his practical skills blossomed. The car engine and its mechanical components held no mystery for him and his skill as a driver – he competed in car rallies – was widely acknowledged. Indeed many believed that his nickname of ‘Doc’ was an abbreviation for ‘Doctor of Mechanics’. In later life Peter liked to tell about his exploits as a rally driver. His stories were always colourful and, one suspects, not without embellishment. He had a great love for, and knowledge of, flowers and plants which served the Society particularly well when in later life he came to Dromantine. His interest in sport remained with him through life. He was noted for his knowledge of greyhounds, of Shetland Ponies and of point-to-point racing. His greyhound, Tomahawk, was successful in Cork and many of the greyhounds which had broken down and which were entrusted to his care in Dromantine were returned to their owners in mint condition. Peter liked to make the annual pilgrimage to Clonmel for the Irish Coursing Championships where he became a well-known figure over the years. It must be emphasised that there was always a pastoral dimension to such interests. Peter was a boisterous, flamboyant, open character, greatly liked by all who crossed his path. He gave the Christian faith an unpretentious face, and won the hearts of many who were fearful of too close a contact with ministers of religion. He took great pride in his origins. As a youth he was a frequent visitor to the local forge and it was there, perhaps, that he picked the art of story-telling. Later in life, as a priest, nothing gave him greater pleasure than to visit the sick of Tullyallen in their homes or in hospital or to bring communion to the house-bound.
He is buried in the cemetery attached to Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Tullyallen, Co. Louth.