Born: 08 April 1911, Nenagh, County Tipperary
Entered: 20 April 1935, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois
Final Vows: 15 August 1945, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly
Died: 22 July 1988, Inverin, County Galway

Part of the Coláiste Iognáid, Galway community at the time of death.

◆ Irish Province News

Irish Province News 63rd Year No 4 1988 (Final Edition)
Obituary
Br Francis Bonfield (1911-1935-1988)
Br Francis Bonfield was born in Nenagh on 8th November 1911. He entered the noviceship at Emo on 20th April 1935. After his vows in 1938 he went to Manresa House, Roehampton, London, to train as an infirmarian. He returned to Milltown Park in the summer of 1939 to look after the refectory. The next year he was sent to Tullabeg as infirmarian and in charge of staff. He stayed there until summer 1952, when he was transferred to Galway, Sacristan (to the church and community chapel) and infirmarian were his principal occupations, For the first few years he also had charge of staff. So at his death “Bonnie”, as he was affectionately known by us all, was thirty-six years in Galway. He was also the last member of a large family to die: his sister preceded him before Christmas 1987.
In Tullabeg he was very popular, especially with the philosophers, as he looked after their health. He also got to know the local people over the years there. He continued to maintain an interest in them and their families, even during his time in Galway.
These were pre-Vatican II days when he came to Galway. As church sacristan, he had to be up every morning to ring the angelus at 6 am, and to have the church open and ready for the 6.50 am Mass. usually said by Fr Paddy O'Kelly († 1968). In summertime, the holiday season, you could have any number of Masses being said by visiting priests at the various altars in the church and community residence. Most of these priests would be seculars from all over Ireland. Then there were a lot of devotions: so his life was a busy one.
In those days also Fr Kieran Ward was in charge of the St John Berchmans Altar-Servers Society. The servers then continued to serve Mass up to and even during their Leaving-certificate years. Here Bonnie's charisma for making lasting friendships displayed itself. He made friends with many of those Mass-servers, and the friendships lasted right up to his death. Some would call and bring him out for a meal: others would bring him for a weekend holiday, or invite him to their weddings. He also had numerous friends amongst the people who came to the church: he was concerned about them and their families.
As sacristan, he was witness to and involved in all the changes that took place in the church and its liturgy after Vatican II.
Up to 1977 Bonnie was very active: but on 22nd April 1977 he was affected by a severe stroke. He was suffering from high blood-pressure, and did not seem to know it. He went into Merlin Park hospital, and was there for months. When he came out, after the best of medical attention, his right side was somewhat paralysed, and he had not the use of his right hand. It was noticed also that there was an impediment in his speech. With the great help of Fr Richard Butler, Bonnie made valiant efforts to deal with this handicap. Gradually, over a space of time, his speech came back to normal.
Over the years since, Bonnie has been a living example to us of how sickness can be no less a gift than health. He edified us and many others by how patiently, nay, how cheerfully he accepted this cross in his life. It meant now, for example, that such things as dressing oneself were difficult and time-consuming. He had to make a complete adjustment to his way of life. His handicapped physical condition confined him more or less to the house and church and their environs. He could not go up town or to Salthill on his own, as he was unable to travel on buses. However, he never complained.
At Christmas-time, Bonnie was faced with a problem. What would he do about sending greetings to his relatives and friends? With his usual tenacity he came on a solution to his problem. He ordered his Christmas cards like all the rest of the community. He enlisted help to draw up a list of those to whom he was accustomed to send cards, bought the required number of stamps, and so with help he continued to greet those whom he loved.
Members of the community and province had sympathy for him and helped him when possible. Bonnie often expressed his gratitude for this at community meetings. He loved a Sunday-afternoon excursion in a house-car. Part of the ritual when he went out in the car was the reminder to purchase some ice-cream. He got extra enjoyment out of it when he knew he had persuaded the driver to pay for it. He was able to get to Lourdes. He even went to at least one all-Ireland hurling final with the help of an tAthair Connla O Dúláine. Then the Brothers of the Province rallied round and took him with them on their holidays, be it to Cork, Wexford, or Donegal. Actually he died at the end of a holiday that Fr Frank Sammon had arranged for him.
One of the main characteristics of Bonnie's life was his love for people. This showed itself in the enjoyment he got out of attending parish socials, senior citizens' Christmas parties, and other functions. Another was his love for his own community. His contribution to the Galway community is enormous. Apart from his example in adversity he was always amiable, affable, and cheerful; was interested in everything, loved theological discussions, which he some times initiated, and wore his heart upon his sleeve about some things such as hurling, his native county of Tipperary, and his political affiliations. These fatter were the cause of much merriment and debate, especially as Galway are so prominent in hurling at present.
He once expressed a wish to a lay friend of his that he would like to have the Coolin played at his funeral Mass. In the circumstances of his death, and at such short notice, it was not possible to have this done. However, at his month's mind Mass, concelebrated in the church by the Rector, Fr Murt Curry, with other members of the community, there was a beautiful rendering of the Coolin on a violin.
Bonnie has died: but the love he had for the Society, and the way he lived up to the Jesuit ideal, especially with his infirmity, will remain as an example and inspiration to us all.

Born: 12 February 1904, Limerick
Entered: 23 November 1923, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly
Final vows: 02 February 1913
Died: 29 April 1931, St Ignatius College, Manresa, Norwood, Adelaide, Australia - Australiae Province (ASL)

Transcribed HIB to ASL : 05 April 1931

◆ David Strong SJ “The Australian Dictionary of Jesuit Biography 1848-2015”, 2nd Edition, Halstead Press, Ultimo NSW, Australia, 2017 - ISBN : 9781925043280 :
His early education was at Belvedere College SJ. He then studied Pharmacy and worked as a qualified Chemist in Dundalk.

1926-1930 After First Vows at St Stanislaus Tullabeg, he went to Rathfarnham as Infirmarian and in charge of the servants
1930 He became ill and was sent to Australia, stationed first at Riverview, then at Sevenhill and finally at Norwood, Adelaide, where he died.

Brother of Brendan Bracken (1901–58), politician.

◆ Irish Province News :
Irish Province News 6th Year No 3 1931

Obituary :
Br Kevin Bracken

Br. Bracken died at Norwood, Australia, on Wednesday 29 April 1931. His unexpected death, at the early age of 27, was a shock to all his friends in Ireland. Since the sad news arrived one of our Scholastics received a letter written by Br. Bracken 29 March. It is showed him to be in excellent health and as energetic as ever. Unfortunately, no details of the sad event have yet come to hand.

Br. Kevin Bracken was born 12 Feb. 1904. educated at Belvedere, and on leaving school, spent some time in the world as a chemist. For good reasons he preferred to join the Society as a Lay Brother, and began his noviceship 23 Nov. 1923 at Tullabeg. The noviceship over he get a hospital training in England that made him - when he returned to Ireland - a very efficient infirmarian at Rathfarnham. In addition to his work as infirmarian he had charge of the general up-keep of the house, and it was often remarked that under his care Rathfarnham was second to no house in the Province in neatness, and general material order. It came as a surprise to many that Br. Bracken sailed for Australia with the party that left Ireland in 1930.
Having spent a short time at Riverview he was sent to Sevenhill to nurse Fr. Fleury, and, when the patient died, was changed to Norwood to look after the material up-keep of the house. Here he died 29 April.
Br. Bracken was indeed a conscientious religious and attended as carefully to the interests of his own soul as he did to the various household duties that he discharged so thoroughly and so well. RIP

◆ James B Stephenson SJ Menologies 1973

Brother Kevin Bracken SJ 1904-1931
Br Kevin Bracken was born in 1904. His family resided first at Kilmallock and then at Templemore. He was a brother of the famous Brendan Bracken, who was Minister of Information in Churchill’s Cabinet in World War II.

Kevin was educated at Belvedere College and spent some years after school training to be a chemist. He entered the Society in 1923 as a temporal coadjutor, declining the priesthood., He was of large stature, powerfully built with a luxuriant shock of red hair, cheerful nay even gay in manner, following that dictum of WB Yeats “For the good are always the merry save by evil chance…”

He was very popular with generations of Juniors in Rathfarnham, where he acted as Infirmarian. In September 1930 Br Kevin went to Australia where, to the surprise of all, he died the following year on April 29th 1931, young in years, but rich in merit.

◆ The Belvederian, Dublin, 1931

Obituary

Brother Kevin Bracken SJ

It was only last August that Brother Bracken, full of buoyancy and health, left us for Australia. He was then in his twenty-seventh year. Bidding him farewell his many friends wished him every blessing during the long years of service that seemed in store for him under the southern skies. How great then was the shock with: which, at the end of April last, we received the sad announcement of his death. Few could have dreamt that God had destined to call him so soon from our midst. As we write, details of his death are not yet to hand. Having left Belvedere, in 1919, Kevin Bracken, the son of the late J K, and Mrs Bracken of Ardvullen, Kilmallock, and of Templemore, for some time studied pharmacy and worked as a qualified chemist in Dundalk. In 1923, however, he abandoned his position and at his own special request was admitted as a lay-brother postulant into the Society of Jesus. He did his noviceship in Tullabeg College, Offaly, and went afterwards as infirmarian to Rathfarnham Castle where he remained until his departure for Australia last August. In Australia he spent some time at St. Ignatius' College, Riverview, at St Aloysius', Sevenhills, and went finally, to Norwood in Adelaide, where he was stationed at the time of his death. He was the first Jesuit lay-brother ever attached to the house of the Society there and, as he said himself in a letter, tragically received some days after the announcement of his death, was the . cause of “a lot of curiosity”, at the time of his arrival. In his care of the sick none could be more devoted, while his previous training and experience as a chemist made him most efficient in every way. Deeply do we regret his early death; and to the sorrowing members of his family most truly offer our sincere sympathy. RIP

Born: 12 July 1808, Minorstown, County Tipperary
Entered: 13 March 1843, Ste Marie, Bardstown KY, USA - Franciae Province (FRA)
Professed: 02 February 1861
Died: 22 August 1879, Jersey City Sisters Hospital, NJ, USA

Part of the Fordham College, Bronx, New York USA community at the time of death.

Born: 23 July 1825, Thurles, County Tipperary
Entered: 14 September 1853, Florissant MO, USA - Missouriana Province (MIS)
Professed: 15 August 1864
Died: 27 May 1896, St Louis University, St Louis, MO, USA - Missouriana Province (MIS)

Born: 15 October 1806, Cloughjordan, County Tipperary
Entered: 28 August 1838, Frederick, MD, USA - Marylandiae Province
Professed: 25 March 1851
Died: 20 January 1886, Georgetown College, Washington DC, USA - Marylandiae Neo-Eboracensis Province (MARNEB)

Born: 02 May 1815, Thurles, County Tipperary
Entered: 13 February 1844, Florissant MO, USA - Missouriana Province (MIS)
Final Vows: 15 August 1857
Died: 31 March 1883, St Louis College, St Louis, MO, USA - Missouriana Province (MIS)

Born: 01 July 1814, Mortlestown, County Tipperary
Entered: 19 October 1843, Florissant MO, USA - Missouriana Province (MIS)
Final Vows: 15 August 1855
Died: 09 April 1873, St Mary’s, Kansas, USA - Missouriana Province (MIS)

Born: 17 March 1815, Monsea, County Tipperary
Entered: 07 December 1857, Santa Clara CA, USA - Taurensis Province (TAUR)
Final vows: 19 March 1868
Died: 21 May 1875, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara CA, USA - Taurensis Province (TAUR)

Born: 02 February 1816, Golden, County Tipperary
Entered: 18 August 1847, Frederick, MD, USA - Marylandiae Province (MAR)
Professed: 15 August 1858
Died: 01 July 1897, Holy Cross College, Worcester, MA, USA - Marylandiae Neo-Eboracensis Province (MARNEB)

Born 31 December 1835, Nenagh, Co Tipperary
Entered 28 March 1852, Montréal, Québec, Canada - Franciae Province (FRA)
Professed 02 February 1866
Died 28 November 1903, St Andrew on Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA - Marylandiae Neo-Eboracensis Province (MARNEV)

Born: 02 February 1796, Co Tipperary
Entered: 20 September 1827, Hodder, England - Angliae Province (ANG)
Final Vows: 15 August 1839
Died: 04 April 1870, Stonyhurst, England - Angliae Province (ANG)

Born: 15 January 1915, Portroe, County Tipperary
Entered: 24 March 1935, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois
Final Vows: 15 August 1945, Belvedere College SJ, Dublin
Died: 13 January 1977, Manresa, Dollymount, Dublin

Brother of Michael McShera - Ent 05/04/1931; LEFT 04/02/1943

◆ Irish Province News 52nd Year No 2 1977 & ◆ The Belvederian, Dublin, 1977

Manresa
Brother Tony McShera’s heart attack and death during the weekly prayer-meeting on Thursday 13th January was a great shock to our community. He had been at the retreat house door to welcome the participants in his usual hearty manner, and he had just spoken during the meeting itself when the Lord called him. He could not have died in a more appropriate setting, at prayer and in the midst of his friends.

Obituary :

Br Anthony McShera (1915-1977)

Born January 15th at Portroe, Co. Tipperary, he was educated at the Christian Brothers School, Sexton St, Limerick, to the end of his first year Inter. Certificate. He entered the Noviceship on March 24th 1935 and pronounced his First Vows on March 28th 1937.
1937-1954: Cook: Belvedere, where he pronounced his Final Vows on August 15th 1945.
1954-1969: Cook, Milltown Park.
1969-1977: Cook: Manresa House, Dollymount. Died: January 13th 1977.

The long “innings” which he had as cook in each house speaks its own praise, both as regards his work, and as regards the satisfaction he gave to his communities.

Father James Healy, now in Milltown Park, remembers him well. “Living with Brother ‘Mac’ in Milltown was a joy and a pleasure: the pleasure of eating well and the joy of knowing that his professional skill always provided plenty, wasted nothing and cost the minimum. As a scholastic I loved to watch him in the Servery, carrying and dis hing out vegetables for a Community of 80 or more; he had been up since 5.30; had given us porridge and dished out lovely hot bacon and eggs when the mob arrived in a rush for breakfast; he'd spent the whole morning preparing for this moment and for our dinner. He was proud to feed us, so quickly, so pleasantly. His joy was in our pleasure.
‘Mac’ had a wonderful way with the boys on the domestic staff. There was competition among them to get into the kitchen. Once there you served a strict apprenticeship, and you made a lifelong friend. Here was a master craftsman, respecting his tools and materials, rejoicing in his creations, expecting you to do likewise. Be clean. Be punctual. Be methodical. Learn your trade thoroughly. Join a union. I still meet Mac's protegés and they are all proud to be imitators of him, all extremely grateful to him for the formation he gave them.
Mac was still going strong when I returned to teach in Milltown. One year I noticed his room had been changed to a worse one. How come? The Minister had to change someone and knew that Mac would take it more charitably than the alternative victim.
He was never Tony to me not I Jim to him. Titles did not matter. We played golf together. Eugene Ward and Joe Conran invited Mac and myself to make a four for a golfing holiday in Newcastle, Co Down. It must have been one of the first mixed priest-brother villas. Somehow, Mac and I formed a new bond on that villa; the golf brig comes in a variety of species and ours seemed to be - opposed? - well, 'different from that of our companions. Of course the four of us were mad, fanatical. Only we laughed at different moments. Any Christian can share your sorrows. It takes a friend to smile together-– as we did, reminiscently, in later years when I occasionally met him in Manresa. The pleasures pass, the joy remains”.

Father J. C Kelly, S.J., of Milltown Park writes: “He told me, in his inimitable Limerick accent, that one day as a young fella’ he realised with blinding clarity that his vocation in life was to be a cook, He never wanted to do anything else. At the height of his powers in the late fifties in Belvedere, he was a superb cook: and his day began at five o'clock in the morning in the Dublin market buying fresh vegetables. He went to the market on his bike”.

His recreation was golf. Father Matt Meade recalls his dedication to his pastime of golf. Characteristically Brother McShera was wholehearted in his interest in his pastime, and keen to achieve and recall his successes on the Course - which were, indeed, very creditable, although far from rivalling his prowess at his real “vocation” inside the Society of Jesus: his excellence as a cook.

Born: 01 June 1814, Moyne, County Tipperary
Entered: 01 February 1855, Sault-au-Rècollet Canada - Franciae Province (FRA)
Final vows: 02 February 1865
Died: 16 January 1876, Sault-au-Récollet, Montréal, Québec, Canada - Neo-Eboracensis-Canadensis Province (NEBCAN)

Born: 01 July 1825, Gurtnahoe, County Tipperary
Entered: 23 June 1855, St John’s, Fordham, NY, USA - Franciae Province (FRA)
Final vows: 15 August 1865
Died: 25 December 1870, Fordham College , NY, USA - Neo-Eboracensis-Canadensis Province (NEBCAN)

Born: 28 February 1901, Kilsallagh, Fethard, County Tipperary
Entered: 21 October 1939, St Mary's, Emo, County Laois
Final Vows: 02 February 1950, Milltown Park, Dublin
Died: 05 March 1958, St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin

Part of St Mary’s community, Emo, County Laois at time of his death.

◆ Fr Francis Finegan : Admissions 1859-1948 - Farmer before entry

◆ Irish Province News
Province News 33rd Year No 2 1958
Obituary :
Br James O’Neill (1901-1958)
Br. James O'Neill died at St. Vincent's Private Hospital on 5th March after a lingering and fairly painful illness of nearly five months. He had been sent into hospital in October and about Christmas he. was allowed to go to a Nursing Home; but he was not restored to health. He had to return to hospital after about a week for an operation, which was not expected to make him well but which saved him from severe pain for the remaining time of his illness. For weeks he grew steadily worse and as he could take practically no food he was reduced at the end to the last stage of emaciation. But during all these weeks he displayed unfailing patience and a holy resignation to God's will. Al who came to visit him were struck by his genuine Catholic spirit; and the nurses were edified by the virtuous way in which he met his sufferings and growing weakness and especially the strong simple Faith in which he approached his death.
He was a late vocation, being thirty-eight when he entered Emo in 1939, He was born at Fethard in County Tipperary, where he owned a farm left him by his father, which he worked with the assistance of his brother. For a good length of time he had a feeling that God wanted him in religious life. He spoke of this to the curate of his parish, Fr. Meaney, a past pupil of the Crescent College, Limerick, who advised him to enter the Society as a Brother and brought him to meet Fr. Gubbins, who at that time was Rector of the Crescent. Fr. Gubbins agreed at once with the opinion of Fr. Meaney and wrote recommending him to the Provincial, Fr. Kieran. When some time after, Fr. Kieran went to Emo on Visitation, Fr. Meaney brought James O'Neill to meet him and Fr. Provincial promptly admitted him to the Society. When James left home he made over his farm to his brother.
From the first he fitted into the new life on which he had entered much older in years than the companions he found in the noviceship. Straight away he showed a real affinity with the religious life; he was humble, docile, hard working, devout. He felt that he was where God wished him to be and had from the beginning peace in his vocation. During all his life in the Society he was given the work he bad been trained for and which he liked-work on the land. In 1943, shortly after his First Vows, he was sent to Rathfarnham Castle to take charge of the farm, where he worked for nearly seven years. In 1949 he was appointed to the same office in Milltown Park. After some years his health began to fail and he was changed again to Emo in 1956, where he was appointed to help in the running of the farm. But the change did not restore his health, He found that he had not his old energy - that he quickly grew tired. These were the first unrecognised symptoms of the disease which was to be fatal. But in spite of his weakness he worked on uncomplainingly until he could work no longer. Br. O'Neill remained all his life long what he had been in his noviceship, a humble devout Religious. He was always industrious and was devoted to his work as a farmer. Wherever he went he won the esteem and liking of his lay-helpers. He was always just and considerate with them, and he set them an example of hard work. With the different communities of Brothers he was always a favourite as he was invariably kind, friendly and easy to get on with. Indeed, with all members of the communities to which he was attached he was esteemed for his humility and devotion to work, and his religious duties.
His Religious life was relatively brief, lasting only 18 years; but he showed that he had a true Jesuit vocation; be gave all he had to God and the Society. He gave the years of quiet conscientious work; but he gave something more valuable in the example of simple, unobtrusive piety and religious observance which his life presented. May he rest in peace.

◆ James B Stephenson SJ Menologies 1973

Brother James O’Neill SJ 1901-1958
Br James O’Neill was a late vocation, being 38 when he entered Emo in 1939. Born at Fethard County Tipperary, he was the owner of a farm inherited from his father. But feeling the call to follow the Lord closer, he resigned his farm in favour of his brother and became a Jesuit.

In the Society he worked on the farms attached to our houses, first in Rathfarnham, then in Milltown and finally in Emo. But ill-health overtook him and he died after a painful illness on March 5th 1958.

He was only 18 years a Jesuit, but he showed he had a genuine Jesuit vocation – he gave all he had to God and the Society, years of quiet conscientious work, and an example of simple, unobtrusive piety and religious observance.

Born: 1630, Cashel, County Tipperary
Entered: 10 July 1650, English College, Valladolid, Spain - Castellanae Province (CAST)
Final Vows: 02 February 1665
Died: 18 November 1673, Arévalo College, Ourense, Spain - Castellanae Province (CAST)

1651 A Coadjutor Novice at Valladolid
1660 At Ourense CAST
1665 “Rian” lay brother at Turiensis College
1672 At Ourense College
A James Rian was in BAE in 1655, but the Catalogue writer does not know in which College

◆ Fr Francis Finegan SJ :
After First Vows he was succesively at Logroño and Villagarcía
1660 Sent to Ourense College where he died 18 November 1673

Born: 03 April 1836, Moyne, County Tipperary
Entered: 07 September 1857, Frederick, MD, USA - Marylandiae Province (MAR)
Final vows: 02 February 1868
Died: 25 May 1902, New York, NY, USA - Marylandiae Neo-Eboracensis Province (MARNEB)

Part of the Georgetown College, Washington DC, USA community at the time of death