Cardinal O Fiaich to be honoured with blue plaque in Cullyhanna

The Ulster History Circle will mark the life of the Archbishop of Armagh, historian, scholar and Gael on Friday, November 3 at 12pm at ‘An Chrosbhoéthar’, 58 Kiltybane Road, Cullyhanna, Co. Armagh. BT35 OLW.

The plaque will be unveiled by the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland, Eamon Martin.

Tomas O Fiaich was born on 3 November 1923 as Thomas James Fee, the second son of schoolteacher parents, Patrick Fee and Annie Carragher.

At various times both parents taught at Cregganduff Public Elementary School.

His older brother Patrick became the doctor in nearby Crossmaglen.

As a young boy of five, Tomas entered Cregganduff School where his father was headmaster before attending St. Patrick’s College, Armagh where in 1940, he gained a scholarship to St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

He was ordained into the priesthood on July 6, 1948.

He further continued his studies in UCD and at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

Tomas was a noted scholar in the Irish language and with a profound interest in folk lore and history.

In 1953 he joined the teaching staff of St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth and whilst as a lecturer at the College, he adopted the fully Gaelic version of his name. Thomas James Fee became Tomas O Fiaich.

From 1959 until 1974, he was professor of modern history and became vice president of Maynooth in 1970. 1974 saw him as president of the college.

In spite of his academic background Tomas O Fiaich was appointed to the vacant archbishopric of Armagh and the Primacy of all ireland in August 1977. He was raised to Cardinal just two years later in 1979 and continued to follow his deep interest in Irish and local history.

In 1980, the Cardinal received the Irish American Cultural Institute Award for translating the Bible into Irish and among his publications are Oliver Plunkett, Danta and Saint Oliver of Armagh.

In the Catholic Church in Ireland, the Cardinal’s home parish of Lower Creggan has the unique distinction of producing two Cardinals, the other being Cardinal John Murphy Farley, Archbishop of New York in the early twentieth century.

Chris Spurr, Chairman of the Ulster History Circle comments, "Tomas, Cardinal O Fiaich is renowned for his dedication to the church, to Celtic history and to Irish language, and he is remembered as an inspiring leader and champion.

"On the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Ulster History Circle is pleased to commemorate the archbishop, historian, scholar, and Gael with a blue plaque at his birthplace, and the Circle is particularly grateful to Foras na Gaelige for their financial support, and to the Creggan History Society for their kind assistance."

Cardinal Témas O Fiaich died suddenly at the age of 66 whilst leading a diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes in May 1990, and is buried in the grounds of St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Armagh.

Truly a ‘Man of the People’.