Fr Fintan was 'a man of the people'

Obituary

Fr Fintan McKiernan (1942-2021)

No matter where he went, the late Fr Fintan McKiernan left a positive impact.

Fr McKiernan’s sudden passing on April 21, at the age of 79 years, provoked shock and deep sadness in Cavan, Fermanagh and Leitrim. Fr Fintan was very much a man of the people, an excellent footballer in his youth who was recalled as a “bricks and mortar” priest.

Fr Fintan was born on February 5, 1942, son of John McKiernan and Catherina Meehan, in Cross in Templeport and was ordained on June 18, 1967, at Cavan cathedral by the then Bishop of Kilmore, Austin Quinn.

Following Ordination, Fr Fintan was appointed to his alma mater, St Patrick’s College, Cavan, where he taught maths and science for 15 years, spending his summer holidays in the USA ministering in Holy Name Parish, Boston, a hugely beneficial learning process, which he later credited for a lot of his pastoring skills.

Moving to parish ministry in 1982, he served first in Glenfarne (1982-88), then in Glencar (1988-98), finally moving to Knockninny and then Kildallan.

Fr Fintan played at full-back on the Cavan minor team that reached the All-Ireland final in 1959, narrowly losing to Dublin. Sadly, he is the third of that team to pass away in the last two years following the deaths of Frankie Kennedy and Larry McCluskey.

“He was a very good full-back, very strong. He had two good corner-backs beside him in Hugo Cafferty and Finbarr O’Reilly, not much got past them easily,” recalled Phil ‘Lightning’ Murray, who was a star forward on that team, last week.

Keen interest in farming

During his time in St Pat’s, Fr Fintan was regarded as a very good teacher and was most popular with students. Always willing to roll his sleeves up, he took on the job of farm bursar and parts of the role he enjoyed were making silage and attending marts, haggling over prices and chatting with farmers, which was indicative of his fun-loving and warm personality.

Outside of his priestly duties, he maintained that keen interest in farming and he also enjoyed the traditional country pastimes of hunting and card-playing as well as Gaelic games.

When he arrived in Glenfarne in 1982, he threw himself into the successful running of the well-known Ballroom of Romance. Crowds came from around the country to see the top showbands and Fr Fintan enjoyed meeting people and the challenge of ensuring that the ballroom made a profit.

“While many a priest might be inclined to shy away from that scene of late nights and loud music, Fr Fintan relished it,” stated Fr Sean Mawn at his funeral mass.

“One of his great nights there in Glenfarne was the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Ballroom in 1984. He was a serious organiser and fundraiser and for this celebration, he left no stone unturned. I understand it was a very famous night indeed.

“I suppose you could say he took a business-like approach to parish projects. During his time in Glencar, a new cemetery was required and, to meet this need, he purchased a small farm, developed the cemetery, then sold the farm, making a healthy profit.”

In 1998, Fr Fintan he moved the short distance to Fermanagh, first in Teemore and later Derrylin.

In his time in Knockninny, Fr Fintan oversaw such major developments as the building of the new St Ninnidh’s Primary School, opened in 2006, carpark extensions as well as refurbishment works.

People person

Rarely absent from the parish, his favourite way of passing the time was being out among people; “this is my way of life”, he said in an interview with the Fermanagh Herald to mark the 50th anniversary of his ordination, in which it was noted that he was “especially diligent at visiting the sick, hospitals, nursing homes and at reaching out to the needy and the marginalised.”

“Whatever Parish Fr Fintan worked in – he worked very hard for the betterment of the Parish and the people,” said Fr Mawn.

“He was a man of the people - be it at Church or a family celebration, playing cards or at the mart in Dowra or Manorhamilton or at a function in the parish hall. Wherever people gathered, Fr Fintan was energised and engaged in conversation. It seems that he brought that same energy and drive to the football pitch, as to his work in the parish.

“Of course, like all of us he had his faults and weaknesses. Naturally, not everybody appreciated his directness or his robust approach to matters. As a priest, he ministered with great commitment and generosity – he was always generous with his time. Whenever a colleague needed help, he was more than willing to assist them.

“He also had a great ability to communicate with people of all ages and was particularly attentive to the sick, visiting them at home and in the hospital. I think it is a tribute to his ministry and personality, that he developed lifelong friends with many people in the parishes he served.

“He was good to people and they were good to him. He had loyal friends, like Veronica McHugh, who has been an enormous support to him in the last years as his part-time housekeeper and friend.”

“In the last years Fr Fintan has lived in the community of Kildallan. Thank you to the people of Kildallan, who have looked out for him and supported him, during this time, when he suffered health issues. His sudden death shocked us all.”

Fr Fintan’s housekeeper of 39 years standing, Veronica McHugh, said that he will be fondly remembered for his “compassion and his unique ability to listen to all he encountered during his Ministry in the different parishes".

He also had a good rapport with all his fellow priests in the Diocese, in particular Deacon Padraig Kelly.

At the end of his funeral mass in Kilnavart Chuch, Veronica sang the following lines in tribute to the man she had worked with in all the different parishes for four decades: “There’s a time for everything, a time to laugh, a time to cry, a time to reap what you have sown, a time to leave, a time to thank God.”

Tributes

A vote of sympathy was were passed at the May meeting of Cavan County Council to the Bishop of Kilmore, Martin Hayes, following the death of Fr McKiernan.

Fianna Fáil's Sean Smith said that he knew Cllr McKiernan, a native of Templeport, “well” during his life, adding that Fr Fitzpatrick had been “very well liked” in the Swanlinbar area, and known to be someone who “gave everything to the community”.

The sentiment of condolence was shared by other elected members also.

Fr Fintan's funeral mass was celebrated on Saturday, April 24 last, in St Patrick's Church Kilnavart with burial afterwards in St Ninnidh's Cemetery, Derrylin.

He was predeceased by his brothers Gerry, Eugene and Edward. Fr Fintan is survived by his nephews John (Orla) and Fintan (Jennifer); niece Carmel (Andreas); grand nephew Seán; grand nieces Alice, Louise and Eva; Bishop Martin Hayes, his fellow priests in the Kilmore diocese, relatives & a large circle of friends.

May he rest in peace.