Thursday, January 16, 2025

Monsignor Charles Francis Hurley - 40th Anniversary

The Mons.

Today is the 40th anniversary of the death of my grand-uncle Monsignor Charles Francis Hurley who died on 16th January 1985. I remember his funeral on a very cold day - he is buried in Deansgrange cemetery just a few hundred metres from where I live. My second name (Francis) is in honour of him.

Charles Hurley was my grandmother Kathleen's older brother. He was from Newmarket in North Cork and attended Cistercian College Roscrea. He was ordained a priest in the Irish College in Rome on 28th February 1920. Later that year he attended at the execution of Kevin Barry in Mountjoy Jail on 1st November 1920. In the photo to the right you can see that his photo is stamped by the British Consulate. It may be that the photo was for a travel document or an early passport (these were only first introduced in 1920). I can't tell if this was for the trip to his ordination in Rome - I'm sure the wide white collar means something, perhaps not a full priest yet. 

One of my favourite walks is through Deansgrange cemetery, and I often stop by his grave to remember him. I tidied it up a few days ago in advance of his anniversary - he is the only close relative that I know of buried in this cemetery. His headstone states the he was Parish Priest (PP) for the St Kevin's Harrington St parish, which is just off the South Circular Road in Dublin. He also served as parish priest in Ballybrack for many years. The VC on the headstone stand for "Vicar of Christ". I have no idea why he has this title as it seems to be mostly used for bishops. I also know that my late father was very fond of him, and that he was treated like royalty by everyone in the family anytime he visited.

Rest in peace Uncle Charlie.

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