Rev Eugene Cunningham
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Eugene
Middle Names:
Aidan
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Cunningham
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Co Longford
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Hobart TAS
Country of Ordination:
Australia
Ordination Diocese:
Hobart
Seminary:
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Launceston TAS
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Glen Dhu, Launceston TAS
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Circular Head/Stanley | Linane Vol 2 | |||||||
| Hobart | Launceston | Jul | 1897 | Jun | 1904 | Linane Vol 2 |
Biographical Notes
Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 2: Biographies of Priests on the Australian Scene up to 1900, 1980, p 113:
Cunningham, Eugene A., Irish
Experienced Christian Brother Joins Priesthood
Probably the difficulty of obtaining a dispensation from vows accounts for a fewer number of Christian Brothers becoming priests in the pre-1900 period as compared with those in this century. Eugene, who was born in County Longford, had taught in schools in Dublin, Lismore (Eire), London, Cork, and Gibraltar. He studied for the priesthood at Baltimore, U.S.A. Arriving to give service in Hobart he was ordained by Bishop Murphy on 9 September 1888. First appointment was to the Circular Heads — Stanley Mission where he remained for eight years. He began the construction of a brick church at Stanley which was incomplete when transferred to Launceston in July 1897. Apparently the money and support of laity were not forthcoming. Archbishop Patrick Delany wrote in his Diary, 22 April 1894: "Drove to Circular Head with Father Cunninghame (sic! — the Directories give this spelling also). Old wooden church quite dilapidated; presbytery very unsuitable, damp, too many rooms and too far from the church. Private oratory used for Mass and keeping the Blessed Sacrament. Very bad arrangement. Father Cunningham doing his best and preparing for a new church ..." So the Christian Brother ordained a priest started his priestly ministry as a Pastor and ended as a curate, serving the none-too-considerate a master in Launceston, Dean Beechinor. He was assigned to the long-driving jobs to the country churches. On one of these Sunday assignments he was tragically killed when the horse bolted and he was thrown from his buggy. This happened on 6 June 1904. The age was 62. I haven't gone back on the other 400 odd biographies but, if the memory is correct, this is the second fatal riding or buggy accident recorded. The other was a Father Michael Barron in the Maitland Diocese.
(Footprints, Vol. 3, No. 4)
Information: Fr. W.T. Southerwood, Author of: Planting a Faith in Tasmania.