Back Row L to R; Fr. Thomas Concannon, Fr. Thomas Burke, Fr. John Killeen, Fr. Gerard Mitchell, Fr. Louis Hennelly, Fr. Stephen Conneely, C.S.S.R., Fr. Thomas Morley, Fr. Malachy Eaton, Fr. James Fergus, Fr. Thomas Martin, Fr. Martin Hopkins, Fr. Thomas Eagan, Fr. George Quinn.

Front Row L to R; Fr. James Heaney, Fr. John O'Grady, Fr. Bernard Eaton, Archbhishop Joseph Walshe, Fr. Thomas Killeen, Fr. Patrick Joyce, Fr. Andrew Moran

The death occurred in Calvary Hospital, Galway on Sunday, after a brief illness of Very Rev. Fr Andrew O Morain, Parish Priest of Carraroe for almost twenty years.

One of the best known and widely esteemed Parish Priests in the West, he was born, in Newport, Co. Mayo, in 1888. He was ordained in Maynooth in 1916 and was a Curate at Keelogues, Co. Mayo, Achill Island, Headford Co. Galway, and Cornamona, before being appointed Parish Priest in Carraroe in 1938. A fluent Irish speaker he took a leading part in every movement to further the interests of the language and particularly to improve the standard of living of the people in the Gaeltacht. He never let an opportunity pass of pleading for better secondary educational facilities and constantly urged the desirability of establishing industries In those areas. Carraroe is regarded as the most flourishing Gaeltacht in the country and much of the credit for this is attributed to the work of Fr. O Morain. In his younger days he was prominent in the Nationalist movement and during the Black and Tan terror he received a number of beatings from the Tans. On one occasion a group of Tans knocked at his door and told him they were going to search the house. He refused to leave the threshold and told them they would have to knock him to get into the house. After threatening him for some time the Tans withdrew without having entered the house.

Last year Fr. O Morain completed the construction of a nine teacher national school in Carraroe. It is the largest rural national school in the country and one of the most modern. For years Fr. O Morain had repeatedly pressed the Government for the school. The previous year he completely renovated Carraroe Parish Church.

He is survived by his brothers Mr. M. O Morain, Chief Executive Officer, Vocational Education Committee, Limerick and Padraig O Morain . M.A., Mulranny, Co. Mayo, and by his nephew, Rev. Fr. Tighe O Morain, C.C. Inishere.

The remains left Galway this evening for Carraroe where interment will take place after Solemn Office and Requiem Mass tomorrow.

Speaking at the Solemn Office and Requiem Mass In Carraroe Church on Wednesday, His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Walsh, Archbishop of Tuam, said:

Is mor agus is millteach an chaill a bhas don pharaiste seo agus don dioghoise fre cheile. Cuis broin faoi leith dom fein e. Bhi aithne mhaith agam air agus e ina abhar sagairt agus ina shagart, agus ba mhor e mo inheas air ar a eirim aigne agus ar a threithe uaisle.

In gach paraiste ina ndearna se obair sagairt theasbain se go mba togha sagairt e agus fear a raibh fiorghradh aige da thir dhuchais. Ta cuimhne fos in Acaill, in Ath Cinn agus i gCor na Mona ar an obair iontach a rinne se i measc na bpobal sin. Thainig se chuig an bparaiste seo ocht mbliana deag o shoin, agus mar chruthunas ar a dhuracht mhoi d'fhag se ina dhiadh annseo sa Cheathruin Rua rudai mar an teach pobail brea seo agus an scoil nua aluinn rudai a choinneochas a chuimhne buan in bhur mease go deo.

Ach cen fath a mbeadh mise ag labhairt faoi libhse a phobail dilis-sibh-se a raibh aithne chomh maith sin agaibh fein air? Is maith a thuig sibh an obair chruaidh a rinne se, an duracht a chaith se gan sos na suaimhneas ar mhaithe leis an bpobal. Ni breag a radh go mba sagart uasal oirdhearc e. Anois ta Dia tar eis glaodhach air le n-a luach saothair a bhronnadh air, agus credim gur mor thar cuimse an luach saothair sin. Thuig sibh-se, a phobail dilis, a fheabhas de shagart pobail is bhi agaibh, agus bhi gradh agaibh do. larraim oraibh indiu bhur bpaidreacha, durachtacha fein a ofrail mar aon le iobairt bheannuighthe an Aifrinn go dtugaidh Dia na trocaire luach saothair ceatach da shagart maith fein agus go dtugaidh Se gloir na bhFlaitheas do i gcuideachtain Naomh Padraig agus naoimh eile na hEireann. Solas na bhFialtheas da anam.

Celebrant of the Mass, at which Most Rev. Dr. Walsh presided was Rev. Tadhg O Morain, Inishere Aran (nephew); Rev. T. Gibbons CC Belcarra (cousin) was deacon; and Very Rev. P. Ruane, P.P . Cnoc, Spideal, was sub-deacon. Very Rev T Canon Gunnigan, P.P., V.F., Balllnrobe, was master of ceremonies. The assistant at the Throne was Very Rev. H. Canon Curley, P.P. Claran. Very Rev. P. Prendergast D.D. Kylemore, Rev. C. Scahill St. Jarlath's College, Tuam and Rev. M. Tobin C.C, Carna, were chanters. In the choir were Very Rev D Corcoran, P.P., V.F., Clifden, Chancellor of the Archdiocese; Ven Archdeacon D. Hynes, D.D.. President Colaisde Einde Galway, representing His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Browne Bishop of Galway; Very Rev M. Canon McDonough, President, St Mary's College, Galway; Very Rev. N. Canon Donnelly, P.P. Spiddal; Very Rev. S. Killeen, P.P., Balla; Very Rev T. Killeen . P.P., Baile O _bFhiocan Very Rev. M. Hanrahan, P.P., Letterfrack; Very Rev. J. Burke, P.P., Louisburgh; Very Rev. V. P. Fitzgerald, P.P.. Moycullen; Very Rev. J. O'Reilly, P.P., Klllanin; Very Rev. L. Moran P.P., Rosmuc; Very Rev. E. O Donnchadha, P.P., Carna;

Very Rev E. Mac Fhinn, U.C.G.. Rev. C. Whelan, C.F., Dun Ui Mhaoiliosa, Galway; Rev. L. Moran, C.C.. Glasson, Athlone (cousin): Very Rev. J. Hughes, S.J., Rector St. Ignatius' College, Galway; Rev. M. Lydon, Chorley, Lancashire; Rev. J. Waldron, chaplain Franciscan Monastery, Roundstone; Rev. M. Diskin, C.C., Roundstone; Rev . J. Carter, C.C. Carna; Rev. M. O Lainn C.C., Kilmaine; Rev. T. Geraghty C. C., Knock, Spiddal; Rev. B. O h-Eoialdhe, C.C., Rosaveal; Rev. S. O'Halloran C.C., Camus; Rev. P. MacEnri C.C Fionnuighthe; Rev. T. Martin, C.C, Louisburgh; Rev. C. Kilkelly, C.C, Letterfrack; Rev. P. McDermott, C.C, Recess; Rev. M. S. Keane, C.C, Cashel; Rev. S. A. Downey C.C, Cleggan; Rev. T. Ryan, C.C., Clifden: Rev. F. Heneghan, C.C, Barna; Rev. S. O Maille, C.C, Leenane.

CHIEF MOURNERS The chief mourners were Mr. Patrick. Moran M.A. (brother); Mrs. Moran (sister-in-law) Mulranny, and their family; Teresa, nurse In Newcastle, Dymphna, Sheila, N.T., Mrs. Mary Mulchrone, Glenisland, Nora, Fintan, Kieran, B.Agr.Sc. Castlerea and Andrew, Dublin. Mr. Michael Moran C.E.O. Limerick County Vocational Education Committee (brother) and Mrs. Moran (sister-in-law) Limerick and their family; Lily, Mrs. Sheila Hehir, Limerick and Mr. Geo. Hehir (nephew in-law) and Leonard Hehir.

Mrs. Thomas Moran (sister-in law), Callowbrack, Newport and her family, Andrew, Thady, Achill Sound Paddy, B.A., Roscommon C.B.S Mary N.T., Pascal, Noel, Sheila,Conal and Seamus. Mr. Andy Moran, B.E., Clerk at Works, Tralee (nephew).

The huge attendance at the funeral included Mr. G. Bartley, T.D. representing Mr. E. de Valera, T.D.; Miss Maureen de Valera, D.Sc., U.C.G.; Alderman P. Greene Mayor of Galway; Mr. Sean O'Doherty Chief Executive Officer, Galway County Vocational Education Committee: Mr. J. Collins, B.E., representing the Galway Co. Council Engineering Department; Capt . E. Condon and Capt. J. Griffin, representing The West Galway F.C.A.; Mr. Tomas Greanan, Senior Inspector Department of Education Technical Education Branch, representing the Department;

Mr. Charles Lambe, R.H A; Garda Supt. M. Neville Oughterard. Dr. John O'Malley Bealadangan; Messrs. Matthew and Michael O'Donnell Carraroe, and Mr. Michael O'Donnell junr. Co.C, Carraroe; Mr. John Cotter, representing the Galway County Football Board; Mr Martin Treacy, representing the Connemara Glasshouse Owners' Association; Mr. J. J. Smith, building contractor, Cavan, and Mr. Jerry Patton Ballina; Mr. T. Keane, B.E., Land Commission.

At Spiddal Court, on Monday Justice T. G. Burke paid tribute to the late Very Rev. Fr. Moran Justice T.G. Burke said that Connemara had lost a great friend. Fr. Moran would be a big loss to his own people of Carraroe.

Supt. M. Neville associated himself with the Justice's remarks, and said he knew the late Fr. Moran as a very kindly person.

Mr. M. O Conghaile Court Clerk associated himself with the vote of sympathy.

Connacht Tribune 1909-current, Saturday, February 09, 1957; Page: 20