Fr Edward McColgan RIP
Fr Edward P. McColgan
1928 - 2008
Fr. Edward P. McColgan died on 15 January 2008, in Letterkenny General Hospital, after a brief illness. Born on 4 May 1928 at Drumanail, Iskaheen, Muff, Co. Donegal, he was educated at Carnamoyle N.S. at St Columb's College, Derry. He came to Dalgan in 1946 and was ordained priest on 21 December 1952. After ordination Eddie was assigned to do graduate studies at Fordham |
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After short periods in the Silver Creek and West Chester houses, he was appointed to Fiji in 1958. He spent the next forty years in Fiji and left it only for a short four-year spell, from 1986 -1990, on the staff of the Australian Far East magazine.
His early years were spent teaching and he served as principal of Xavier College, and of Corpus Christi Teachers Training College. He served in a number of difficult parishes, Samabua, Savarekareka, Bemana, Tamavua, Yasawa and Sigatoka. He spent nine years as pastor of the Yasawa Islands. It is the most isolated of the Columban parishes, separated from the mainland by fifty miles of sea that can be rough and treacherous.
He was responsible for building many churches and schools and for helping many students to complete their education. He wrote with style and humour and many of his pieces appeared in the Columban magazines of Ireland, Australia and the US.
He retired to Ireland in 2003 and, in spite of his increasing loss of
hearing, enjoyed his last years in his native Donegal. Eddie sought justice passionately for those who were oppressed, and was always generous and kind to the needy.
May he rest in peace.