Northern Ireland

Tributes to 'dedicated' Co Down-born missionary Fr Patrick Jennings

Co-Down-born missionary Fr Patrick Jennings died in Cork on Sunday
Co-Down-born missionary Fr Patrick Jennings died in Cork on Sunday Co-Down-born missionary Fr Patrick Jennings died in Cork on Sunday

TRIBUTES have been paid to a Co Down-born missionary who has died at the age of 95.

Fr Patrick Jennings, who was from the parish of Kilmegan in Castlewellan, where he played for Castlewellan GAC, died on Sunday at the Society of African Missions (SMA) house in Cork.

Born in 1925, he celebrated his 70th anniversary as a priest last year.

Having become a member of the SMA in 1945, he was ordained into the priesthood in Newry in 1949.

In the same year, Fr Jennings became one of the first missionaries to travel by plane from Ireland to Africa.

Previously everyone had travelled by boat from Liverpool but Fr Jennings found himself one of 15 missionaries making the first flight to Nigeria.

The Co Down cleric spent his vocation in both Nigeria and Ireland, holding various titles including Superior of the Novitiate in Galway, Provincial Secretary in Cork and assistant to the Provincial Bursar.

Requiem Mass took place on Tuesday at St Joseph’s SMA Church in Wilton, Cork with members of Fr Jennings's family watching online.

Speaking at the Mass, Fr Tim Cullinane said he had given great service to the SMA.

"The vibrant church that you have in Nigeria today is, in part, the fruit of the many seeds of priesthood that Paddy nourished during his time in the Minor Seminary in Ibadan.

"In everything he did he was a faithful servant, committed to duty, dedicated and conscientious. What a record of service to God, to the Church, to the SMA, and to Africa."

Fr Jennings was said to have embraced new technology, was "a very good singer" and a keen golfer.

"Today we say farewell to him, not in the way we and his family would have wanted to," Fr Cullinane said.

"That will come later."

Posting on its Facebook page, Castlewellan GAC also said it was "deeply saddened to hear of the passing of, our former member & past player, Fr Patrick [Paddy] Jennings".