Mgr. A. Kelly dies at Ayr, Catholic Leader, Brisbane, 10 December 1964, p 7:

The Right Rev. Monsignor Kevin Joseph Hanley Kelly, parish priest of Ayr, in the Townsville Diocese, who died on Wednesday of last week after a long illness, was one of the best known priests in North Queensland.

The brother of Monsignor Francis Kelly, Vicar-General of the Townsville Diocese, he had served the Church in North Queensland for over 44 years.

Monsignor Kelly had been in failing health for a lengthy period, following an accident at the Ayr swimming baths when he fell and broke a hip, about 18 months ago, while supervising school children during a swimming lesson.

He was born in Rockhampton on August 14, 1888, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Francis Kelly.

He was educated at the Christian Brothers' College at Rockhampton and Nudgee and then proceeded to St. Columba's Seminary, Springwood, N.S.W., to begin his philosophical studies for the priesthood.

After completing these he was selected by the then Bishop of Rockhampton to go to Rome to do his theological studies at Propaganda College. He was ordained to the priesthood in Rome on June 2, 1917.

Late in Rome he qualified for his doctorate in Sacred Theology and his bachelorate in philosophy.

One of his first missions as a young priest was to act as a chaplain to the first A.I.F. during the latter part of World War I. In World War II he again acted as chaplain with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

As Dr Kelly, the late Monsignor was posted as parish priest of Ingham, when he returned to Australia in 1920.

He ministered there for 10 years until his appointment as administrator of St. Mary's, West End, Townsville, when Townsville was set up as a separate diocese, in 1930.

In 1932 he was appointed as parish priest of Ayr and retained that position until his death.

In 1951 the then Dr. Kelly was honoured by Pope Pius XII by being created a Domestic Prelate, with the title of Monsignor.

Monsignor Kelly always had a most keen interest in youth and for the past 30 years was Director of Catholic Education in the diocese.

For a long period he also held the position of director of Catholic youth organisations. He inaugurated the weekly Catholic Radio Hour broadcast in North Queensland.

Helped Migrants
He did much to promote migration to the Ayr district and some years ago was given a special award by the Italian Government for the work which he had done in assisting to settle Italian migrants in Australia.

During his pastorate in Ayr Monsignor Kelly did much to advance the work of the church in that district.

He saw new churches and schools established and was responsible for the bringing of the Marist Brothers to Ayr to establish a boys' college there.

In 1955-56 he accompanied the Bishop of Townsville, Bishop Ryan, on his ad limina visit to Rome.

Monsignor Kelly was buried in Ayr following a Requiem Mass in his parish church, the Church of the Sacred Heart, at 3 p.m. last Friday. R.I.P.