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 P Walsh, Unknown date of death

Pugh's list P Walsh as serving in Toowoomba from 1896-97. No further reference found.
(Ref. Pugh's)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.

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Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, pp 180-181:
Fr Richard Walsh

Richard Walsh was the son of Richard and Margaret, nee Dunphy, Walsh. He was born at Ballamountain via Carrigeen in Co Kilkenny Ireland on 10 April 1868. He began his education at the local National school before attending the Christian Brothers College in Waterford. His priestly education was at St John's Ecclesiastical College in Waterford. Fr Richard Walsh was ordained on 30 July 1892.(1)

In October that year he arrived in Brisbane.(2) His first posting was to assist Fr Thomas O'Connell in Toowoomba, from 1893 to 1896. In 1897 and 1898 he was curate to Fr Mimnagh in Bundaberg followed by three years as curate to Fr James Enright in Beaudesert, 1899 to 1901. In 1901 and 1902 he assisted the ailing Dr Patterson at Southport.

Late in 1902 Fr Daniel Walsh the parish priest of Gatton left on a trip to his native Ireland. Fr Richard Walsh was appointed administrator of the Gatton mission. He remained there until the return of Fr Daniel in April 1904. There was some confusion in parish and newspaper reports with one Fr Walsh replaced by another Fr Walsh. Many of the old parishioners referred to Fr Richard as Big Father Walsh, as he was big man in contrast to the small stature of Daniel Walsh. When Fr Richard was leaving the parish a group of his friends gathered at Wilmot's Hotel where they presented him with a gift of 32 sovereigns.(3)

Fr Richard was appointed to South Brisbane and later to Fortitude Valley. Fr Francis Dunham who was ministering to the Holy Cross Lutwyche community had a stroke in 1899. While resided in his own home in Inwood Street Wooloowin until his death in March 1905, Fr James Byrne, residing at St Patrick's in Fortitude Valley, cared for Holy Cross from 1899. For seven years he carried out this duty often travelling from the Valley to Wooloowin by train. When the administrator of the Cathedral, James Duhig, was appointed bishop of Rockhampton on 7 November 1905, Fr James Byrne was appointed to succeed him at St Stephen's. Fr Richard Walsh replaced him as the priest ministering to Holy Cross. On being appointed priest-in charge of Lutwyche upon the death of Fr Dunham, he continued to live in the Valley presbytery often travelling by train to his parish for nearly ten years until a presbytery was opened in Chalk Street Wooloowin in 1914.(4)

In his panegyric at Fr Walsh's funeral in 1927 Archbishop Duhig made reference to the extent of the parish when Fr Walsh arrived. By the time of Fr Walsh's death Wilston, Windsor, Kedron and Clayfield had been made separate parishes, leaving Holy Cross Wooloowin as the remanent of the original Lutwyche mission. In 1915 Archbishop Dunne consented to establishing canonical parishes with the priest in charge being referred to as the parish priest.

In his twenty-two years as pastor of Wooloowin Fr Walsh was involved in many building projects. He continued the construction of extensions to the Holy Cross school which had been commenced by Fr Byrne. They were completed a cost of £876.(5)

In 1911 Fr Walsh decided to extend the fine parish church designed by Stombuco and opened in 1882. He commissioned the well-respected architects Hall and Dodd's to design the extension. The contract for the work was awarded to E Duhig. A foundation stone was laid on 8 July 1911 and the extensions were blessed and opened on 12 March 1912.

With the assistance of parishioner Frank McDonnell MLA a property in Chalk Street was purchased and once again Hall and Dodd's were engaged to design a new presbytery which, when constructed, Dean O'Leary described as a model parochial residence. It was opened by Coadjutor Archbishop Duhig in April 1914. This was the parish of the Duhig family. As a young man James Duhig had resided in Stoneleigh Street in Holy Cross parish, involving himself in parish life as a member of the St Vincent de Paul Society and as catechist preparing young people for confirmation.(6)

On 30 July 1917 parishioners and friends gather in a school room at Holy Cross to celebrate the silver jubilee of ordination of Fr Walsh. Reference was made then to the poor health experienced by Fr Walsh for some time prior to the celebration. In appreciation he was presented with a gift of £215.(7) reply Fr Walsh:

The accompanying cheque was, indeed, only endorsement of many other acts of kindness, which had received from friends in Wooloowin, and which would forever remain embedded in his memory. He had much pleasure in handing it over to the presbytery building fund, but that would in no way detract from the spirit in which it was offered and received. The Children of Mary and the school children had presented him with a very fine high-gemmed monstrance and a gold standing pyx.(8)

Fr Walsh suffered from auricular fibrillation resulting in poor health for some years. Two months before his death he was admitted to the Mater Misericordiae Public Hospital. Cardiac failure brought on his death there on Wednesday 29 June 1927.(9)

The archbishop presided at the Requiem Mass in St Stephen's Cathedral on 30 June, which was attended by forty four priests. In a panegyric Archbishop Duhig said,

the Archdiocese had been deprived of a priest beloved by his fellow priests because of his largeheartedness and generosity of soul. His daily attention to the sick of his parish could be described as the great characteristic of his life.(10)

It was reported that the principal mourner at the funeral was Mrs H Taylor a sister of the deceased who was the informant of his death. Following the Requiem Mass Fr Walsh was laid to rest in the priests' section of Nudgee Catholic Cemetery.

Footnotes
1. Catholic Press, Sydney, 14 Jul 1927, p. 4.
2. Ibid.
3. Denis M Long, In the Vineyard – 100 years of Catholic Life in the Lockyer Valley 1886-1986, 1986 p. 75.
4. Catholic Press, Sydney, op. cit.
5. Age, Brisbane, 18 Feb 1911.
6. Denise Sweeney, BA, Holy Cross 1886-1986, for Holy Cross Centenary Committee.
7. RBA, inflation calculation. equivalent to $21,000 in 2019 values.
8. Catholic Press, Sydney, 2 Aug 1917, p. 23.
9. Queensland Death Registration, 1927/B1555.
10. Brisbane Courier, 1 Jul 1927, p. 15.

Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.