Cork's Fr Michael Leahy celebrates 70 years in priesthood

A CORK priest and avid Echo reader and sports enthusiast is celebrating 70 years of priesthood today.

Fr Michael Leahy (94), of St Augustine’s Church on the corner of Washington Street and Grand Parade was ordained on Sunday, October 26, 1952 which he fondly remembers as a “thrilling day”.

Born and raised in Blackrock, Fr Leahy later moved to Waterford after receiving a scholarship to attend secondary school in Dungarvan.

“It was coming towards the end of my time at Dungarvan and I said I’d have a go at the priesthood,” he said with a smile while speaking to The Echo.

Following his training and subsequent ordination, Fr Leahy returned to Dungarvan where he taught for several years before being sent to Rome to work as an assistant master of students.

He would later return to Ireland to teach in Dungarvan again before serving in Cork and Galway before finally settling in St Augustine’s again.

First arriving at St Augustine’s Church in 1969, Fr Leahy explained that, back then, the church was not the grand structure it is today.

The present church structure was built in 1942, however the construction work was impacted by the second world war, Fr Leahy said, and elements remained unfinished until some years later.

This was highlighted to him by a fellow Augustinian priest ahead of his arrival in Cork.

'A CHURCH WITH TWO WALLS'

“He said you’re going down to Cork, with a church with only two main walls, two temporary walls, a temporary roof and a place to be extended.

“That’s what you’re going down to in Cork, he said, and that’s what I came down to in Cork!”

 “They had already plans for extending the church and the two stained glass windows were made in France and transported over here,” he said.

The church was extended in the 1970s and the priory was rebuilt in 1982.

Reminiscing on his 70 years of priesthood, Fr Leahy mentioned his golden jubilee which included a well-attended celebration at the former Moore’s Hotel, as one of many highlights in his life.

In his 95th year, Fr Leahy still concelebrates mass. When he isn’t doing so, he enjoys reading The Echo or watching the GAA.

“You can’t go near the television if there’s a Gaelic match on,” Fr Declan Brennan, also of St Augustine’s Church quipped, adding that the keen sports fan also occasionally tunes into rugby and soccer.