Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, pp 78-79:
James McDermott, BA

He had a sad start in life and a sad end. James McDermott was orphaned at a young age in Donegal and died in a presbytery fire at East Brisbane.

At the National University in Dublin, James majored in classics and was awarded a BA with honours while he studied for the priesthood at All Hallows College. With 'Paddy' Coleman, he was ordained in the College chapel in June 1921 and sailed for Brisbane soon after.

Early appointments were at South Brisbane and Wooloowin. Then in 1927 it was off to Gatton to relieve Fr Daniel Walsh who was on an eight month trip to Ireland. As Denis Long tells the story, Fr McDermott's claim to fame in Gatton concerned Fr Walsh's pet carpet snake. Fr Walsh kept the snake to destroy vermin around the presbytery. It lived in the presbytery and frequented a vine that grew along the verandah. Fr McDermott killed the snake and cut down the vine. When Fr Walsh received a report of the incident in a letter from a loyal parishioner he was most upset. On the day of Fr Walsh's return to Gatton, as he prepared to step from the train at one end of the platform, Fr McDermott judiciously boarded it at the other end to avoid a confrontation. No doubt words were spoken about it later on when the two met at clergy retreats or other gatherings.

During the Second World War, James was Parish Priest at Nanango, which included chaplaincy to a group from Nudgee Orphanage who had been evacuated to occupy a hotel in Goomeri. He was known as 'the walking priest' as he did all his local visitation including the nearby farms on foot.

He was also for a time Administrator of the Crypt [of the proposed Holy Name Cathedral] and lived at Wynberg. He and another priest occupied the attic which became very hot, particularly in summer.

When Archbishop Duhig was out of the house for a few days, they had a refrigerator delivered for their private 'home supplies'. There was great difficulty in getting this convenience up the narrow stairs and in the end sections of the balustrading had to be removed. They were not carefully replaced. When the Archbishop returned home he was most displeased with Fr McDermott who seemed to cop all the blame. The reason was that by this time he was quite well known as 'an elbow bender' and having the refrigerator was not going to help overcome the problem.

The problem was thought to have been a contributing factor to his tragic demise. He had been Parish Priest at East Brisbane since 1953 when, on the night of 18th October 1963, fire consumed the presbytery, started it was said by a fallen cigarette butt. Police identified Fr McDermott by the tabernacle key found in the pocket of his trousers.

The fire brigade was late getting there. The lady who lived opposite the presbytery phoned, but as Gresham St was mistaken for Deshon St, it was off course. It is said that Fr McDermott always had a great dread of fire, so much so that he always accompanied the altar boys outdoors after Benediction to make sure the burning coals in the thurible were doused with water.

After Requiem Mass at the Cathedral, celebrated by Mons. Leo Carlton, he was laid to rest at Nudgee.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)

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Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Rev J McDermott, Unknown date of death

Pugh's list him as serving in Oakey in 1929 and at South Brisbane in 1920 and 1929.
(Ref. Pugh's)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.