Freeman’s Journal, 16^th November 1871

Yesterday the mortal remains of the Very Rev. Dr. O’Hanlon, the late reverend Prefect of the Dunboyne Establishment in St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, were consigned to their last resting place in the cemetery of the great institution which he had so long adorned, and amid the prayers and sorrow of hundreds who knew and loved him during life. It is no exaggeration to say that the deceased had a larger and more extensive acquaintance among his brethren in the priesthood than perhaps any other man in Ireland. For nearly half a century he had held an honoured seat among the professors of Maynooth; during that time the vast majority of the present clergy of Ireland sat as his feet as students, and the heartiness and geniality of his nature induced him, while a wonderful memory of individuals – a characteristic singularly common among high intellects – enabled him to take every opportunity of recalling old memories and renewing old friendships. Joining the most profound knowledge of the greatest of sciences a warm heart and playful as a child’s, he was loved as widely as he was known, and hence it was that, notwithstanding the early hour, the inconvenient trains, and the inclement weather, large contingents of clergy from all the neighbouring dioceses yesterday attended at Maynooth, to pay the last tribute of respect to the memory of the lamented dead. The body of the deceased, enclosed in a handsome oak coffin, has since his death lain in state in the room occupied by him during his life, and the solemn and melancholy ceremony of yesterday opened with the transfer of the coffin from the room to the college chapel. Accompanying the coffin were the ecclesiastics present walking in procession. In the immediate neighbourhood of the coffin were their lordships the Most Rev. Dr. Nulty, Lord Bishop of Meath, and the Most Rev. Dr. Walshe, Lord Bishop of Kildare.

Then came a great assembly of clergy robed in surplice and soutane. Among those present we recognised the following:- The President and staff of Maynooth, namely, the Very Rev. C. W. Russell D.D., President ; Rev. R. Ffrench Whitehead, Vice-President; Rev, J. O’Kane, Dean; Rev. Fathers Quinn, Hammond and Hughes, Junior Deans; Rev. T. Farrelly D.D. and the following Professors – the Rev Frs. P. A. Murray D.D., G. Crolly D.D., G. Molloy D.D., W. J. Walsh, D.M’Carthy D.D, Denis Gargan D.D., F. Lennon, R. Hackett, C. M’Cauley, E. O’Brien, H. O’Rourke, and J. Tulley. The other Very Rev. and Rev. Fathers present were- Canon Burke P.P., T. Geoghan P.P., P. M’Manus P.P., E. O’Rourke P.P., Father Pius Provincial Passionists, F. Doran P.P., J. Whittle P.P., Hugh Behan R.C.A., Canon Lee P.P., Canon M’Mahon P.P., J. Hughes P.P., Walsh S.J., E. O’Reilly S.J., Carberry S.J., Mullally All Hallows, M’Carthy All Hallows, M. O’Callaghan C.M., J. M’Donnell V.G., T. O’Shea P.P., M. Nolan P.P., M. Murphy St. Patrick’s Carlow, Dr. Dixon C. M., Jno Kelly P.P., Dr. Higgins St. Finian’s Navan, M. M’Elroy V.G. P.P., T. Cassidy P.P., E. Corcoran S.J., Stephen Farrell S.J., T. Molloy S.J., Dr. Hughes P.P., M. Gogarty R.C.A., Very Rev. Dr. Kavanagh, President of Carlow College, Rev. Mr. Robinson C.C. Kilcock, Rev. Mr. O’Keefe C.C. St. Paul’s, Arran Quay, J. Flanagan C.C., M. Higgins C.C., Hampson C.C., O’Hanlon C.C., Ryan C.C., O’Reilly C.C., M’Evoy C.C., Hickey C.C., J. O’Hanlon C.C., Higgins C.C., Dixon C.C., Egan C.C., Flanagan C.C., Mullally C.C., T. O’Reilly C.C., E. Matthews C.C., Hickey C.C., Carroll C.C., Maguire C.C., McEvey C.C., Gough C.C., Downing C.C., Tighe C.C.

After the clergy came the students of the college, five hundred in number, those who had received holy orders wearing the surplice or soutane, the other students the soutane only. In the chapel were a number of the friends and relatives of the deceased, including his nephew Mr J. O’Hanlan, Mr O.C. Murphy, J.P., F. Colgan J.P., M.U. Manamara, P. Brennan, - O’Shaughnessy, E. O’Reilly, D. Dunne, Andrew Esq.., Graiguenamara, O’Donnell Esq., Graiguenamara, Wm. Murphy etc. When the coffin had been placed on the catafalque and the ecclesiastics had taken their seats in the chapel the rites of the church were then proceeded with. The solemn office for the dead having been chanted, the requiem mass was offered up by the Rev. M. J. Walsh, Maynooth, acting as celebrant, the Rev Mr. Doyle, diocese of Ferns, deacon, and the Rev. Mr. Callerey, diocese of Meath, sub-deacon. At the conclusion of Mass the absolution was given by the Most Rev. Dr. Nulty. The coffin of the deceased was then borne from the chapel and the melancholy funeral cortege formed. At its head were the two prelates, the Most Rev. Dr. Nulty in full canonicals, then came the priests and then the students. A spectacle at once more touching and imposing it would be impossible to imagine than that presented by the procession, as with slow and stately steps it swept through the beautiful grounds of the college, consisting as it did of nearly six hundred persons, marching slowly in unison with the sad cadences of the hymns of the church. The most unimaginative person could scarcely avoid being moved by the spectacle presented to him, and the scene was one seldom to be witnessed in Ireland, recalling to many the memories of the great ecclesiastical spectacles of Rome before the hand of the spoiler had been laid on the sacred city.

The procession proceeded by a circuitous path from the chapel to the cemetery, where lie the professors and students who have died in the College since its foundation. The little cemetery is a model of careful and decorous attention although, unfortunately, a recent storm has defaced one of its principal monuments. Here a grave had been prepared, and the coffin – which we have omitted to state had during the procession been borne on the shoulders of students – was lowered into its last resting place, the Bishop of Meath intoning the burial service, sprinkling the coffin with holy water, and performing the touching and significant offices which the Church prescribes. A great number of the inhabitants of the town and surrounding district, who had attended the Office and High Mass also, were present at the grave to pay the last tribute of respect to the revered and lamented deceased. There were present at the grave of the good man eminent prelates by whom he was known and loved, a host of priests who had learned from him the immortal truths of their faith, the body of students for whom he had always been so deeply concerned, and the people of the town, in whose midst he had passed fifty useful, happy and blameless years. The type and example of a true priest – at once wise and innocent, learned and kindly, dignified and genial – Dr. O’Hanlon was mourned at his grave yesterday by sincere mourners, as through his life he had been loved by friends – faithful, true and many.

Return to Notable O’Hanlons