by Anton McCabe

Ireland's oldest known priest

(An edited version of this was published in the Irish Times on July 19th 2014)

Father Ambrose O’Gorman – born 24^th April 1912, died June 15^th 2014-07-16

Fr Ambrose O’Gorman, who has died in his 103^rd year at a nursing home in Belleek, Co Fermanagh, was believed to be Ireland’s oldest priest. Two weeks before his death he concelebrated the funeral Mass of a fellow resident.

He spent most of his ministry in Greater London, excepting a short spell in the Swansea area. In Greater London, he survived the Blitz. During one German air raid he hid under a chair, saying the Rosary. The Blitz affected his view of life. “I do remember saying I was never going to learn German," he later said. He also endured the food rationing of those years. Once, hearing the confession of a Donegal woman, he smelled food. The penitent produced a cooked chicken, and the pair ate it in the confessional.

The Blitz was not his only dice with danger. In 1960 he emerged unscathed when the plane carrying him crash-landed at Heathrow Airport and went on fire.

Ambrose O’Gorman was born near Killygordon, Co Donegal, fourth of seven children to Michael O’Gorman, a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and native of Co Sligo; and his wife Noreen (née Maguire), a native of Fermanagh. The family moved, first to Kilmacrenan (Co Donegal), then Strabane.

When the RIC was disbanded in 1922, they settled in Ballyshannon. There the next door neighbours were the Corscadden family. A Corscadden daughter, Hazel, was later mother of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

He began primary schooling at the De La Salle Brothers national school in Ballyshannon. However, his mother withdrew him because of the brutal regime. He continued primary education at Creevy National School. His secondary education was at Belcamp College in Dublin, run by the Oblate Fathers. By then, he felt a calling to the priesthood, but the Oblates turned him down.

However, the Salvatorian Fathers accepted his application. He studied at their seminary in England and was ordained at 28.

He retired to Ireland in the early 1990s. In the nursing home, he attended to the spiritual needs of Catholic residents. He maintained a wide circle of friends, with former parishioners from England keeping in touch. He loved to chat with visitors to the home, of all ages and backgrounds, and usually found he could make some connection.

He is survived by his nephews, nieces, and their families.