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| Joseph
Kieran Egan, the fifth of a family of seven, was born in Dunmore on
March 5th 1923. His father was Peter Egan, his mother Sarah
Josephine Glynn, known as Ciss, the eldest daughter of James Glynn (A4).
His grandfather, Edward Egan had a large farm in Carrowkeel, Ballinlass,
near Dunmore and the family would be considered well off at the time.
Peter opened a pub called The Shamrock Bar in Castle Street, Dunmore.
His mother, Ciss and her sister Bride were educated in the Dominican
Convent, Sion Hill, Dublin, one of the more expensive secondary schools
in Ireland at the time. When Ciss Glynn and Peter Egan became engaged
they knew that the Glynn family would not approve and on the night
before their wedding, Ciss left a note for her father telling him that
she was marrying Peter in Garrafrauns, Dunmore. Dean Macken, parish
priest of Dunmore performed the ceremony. For a year afterwards, until
their first child, Marion, was born, James Glynn refused to speak to his
eldest daughter. |
| Peter
Egan was a kind and gentle man. He is remembered by all who knew him as
being too soft for a life in business. The pub was not a success and
Peter spent some years working in America but he was there during the
years of the depression when work was hard to find and came home to sell
the pub in 1938. Peter and Ciss then went to England where he worked as
a salesman. Both retired to Oranmore and when Ciss died in 1966, Peter
went live with his daughter Marion in Ely, Cambridgeshire. When Marion
died tragically he went to live with his son, Bernard. He died in 1974
in the care of his daughter Sister Priscilla in the Bons Secours Home,
London. He is buried with Ciss in Oranmore. |
| Fr
Nicholas says that he always wanted to be a priest. From an early age he
knew about the Franciscans and never considered anything else. His
maternal uncle, Monsignor John Fallon was P.P. in Castlebar and before
that President of St. Jarlath’s College, Tuam. Fr Ned Egan of
Killererin parish near Tuam was another uncle. Fr Gerard Fitzmaurice,
son of Kate and brother of Jack was a cousin. Other cousins include, Fr
Gerard McGarry, Professor in Maynooth and founder of “The Furrow”,
Fr Senan (Peter) Egan O. Carm., Fr Paddy Kelly, Fr Richard Tarpey and
Brother Tommy Egan. |
| Nicholas
was educated between 1936 and 1941 in Multyfarnham College, County
Westmeath, a secondary school run by the Franciscan Order. While there
he excelled at football and was good enough to play minor football for
two years in succession for County Westmeath. The team lost in the
Leinster provincial championship to County Longford the first year and
to County Louth the next year. |
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In
1941,he went on to the Franciscan Noviciate in Killarney. Between 1942
and 1949 he was studying for the priesthood in St Anthony’s,
Newcastle, Galway and a BA in University College, Galway. He was
ordained as Fr Nicholas in 1949. Between 1949 and 1952, Fr Nicholas was
in Louvain, Belgium, studying Philosophy and was awarded his L.Ph. –
Licentiate in Philosophy. |
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He
came back to Ireland and spent the next five years as Spiritual Director
of students in his old school, Multyfarnham. He was then appointed
Assistant Lecturer in Philosophy in University College, Galway between
1957 and 1960. Once more he came back to Multyfarnham, this time as
Rector. |
| He
became Provincial Consultor of the Franciscans (Definitor) between 1972
and 1977, the province in this case being Ireland. |
| At
various times he has been Guardian in Franciscan houses in Drogheda,
Clonmel, Waterford, Merchants Quay, and Dublin. |
| While
in Waterford, he had suffered his first heart attack and came back to
the Franciscan Abbey, Galway to recuperate. He was reappointed to
Clonmel where he suffered another heart attack. After a bye pass
operation he retired to Galway where he still works. |
| Nicholas
Egan has always been a soft- spoken, gentle person, held in the highest
regard by all of the Glynn family. He has always taken a great interest
in family matters, has contributed much to these pages and has visited
many members of the family in all parts of the world. Indeed, he has
rarely missed any family occasion whether baptism, wedding or funeral. |
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Fr. Nicholas died on the 24th March 2003. |
| Note:
Katie Egan, an aunt of Fr Nicholas’ married Andrew Fitzmaurice. They
lived in Tuam and later in Cloonfad, where they had a bar/grocery
business. Their son, Jack Fitzmaurice married Rose Glynn of Williamstown
and they lived on the opposite corner of the crossroads. Andrew died at
a young age but Katie lived to be 106 in Castlemagarret Nursing Home.
According to Nicholas, she was a formidable lady and was able to say the
prayers for the dying an hour before her death. |
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