Rev John Hegarty
Title:
Rev
First Name:
John
Middle Names:
Preferred Name:
Surname:
Hegarty
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Kilrea, Co Derry
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ireland
Ordination Diocese:
Brisbane
Seminary:
St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Brisbane QLD
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Nudgee, Brisbane QLD
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane | Brisbane | 1890 | 1892 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | |||||
| Brisbane | Red Hill | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | |||||||
| Brisbane | Wooloowin | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | |||||||
| Brisbane | Dalby | 1910 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | ||||||
| Brisbane | Crows Nest | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | |||||||
| Brisbane | Esk | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 | |||||||
| Brisbane | Helidon | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | |||||||
| Brisbane | St Lucia | Chaplain, St Leo's College | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | ||||||
| Brisbane | Enoggera | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar | |||||||
| Brisbane | Cannon Hill | 1933 | Toowoomba Prayer Calendar; Priests of 1928 |
Biographical Notes
Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, p 108:
John Hegarty, BA
John Hegarty looks a broken man and probably was. He had a good start in his priesthood. Being born in Co. Derry, he went first to St Malachy's College in Belfast and finished at Maynooth in Dublin where he also attained his BA. A contemporary there was Daniel Mannix. About ordination time, June 1890, Archbishop Dunne visited Maynooth and spoke on the need for priests. John volunteered to come out to Brisbane.
He took on the administration of Red Hill where he soon had a new school built, added to the property and, in 1894, established the first branch in the Archdiocese of the St Vincent de Paul Society. Its work was much appreciated then in the aftermath of the great flood and bank collapses of the 1890s. He also espoused the cause of Catholic education and many letters of his appeared in the daily press.
But the demon drink began to take its toll. He was sent 'on a trip' to Ireland and America which was only of temporary benefit. Neil Byrne writes how Archbishop Dunne 'had sworn Fr Hegarty to total abstinence several times but to little effect. By December 1910, the people of Dalby had become so upset at the sight of their priest saying Mass drunk that 'they sought intervention'. He was moved to Esk, then Childers, and then to Cannon Hill, by which time his health had failed to the point where he was in and out of the Mater Hospital.
He died in the Hospital on 22nd January 1943 yet he had made 82. Nudgee burial followed Mass at St Stephen's.
(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 John Hegarty, died 22 Jan 1943
John Hegarty was born at Kilrea, Co.Derry, Ireland, on 6th November 1861. He was educated at St Malachy's College, Belfast. Seminary studies were undertaken at Maynooth (Archbishop Daniel Mannix was a classmate) and on their completion he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Brisbane on 24th June 1890. During this time he also obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He arrived in Brisbane in 1890 and subsequently served in the following places: Brisbane (1890-1892); Red Hill; Wooloowin; Dalby (1910); Crow's Nest; Esk; Helidon; Chaplain St Leo's University College; Enoggera; Canon Hill (1933). As with many early priests, drink proved a problem. Several times he was sworn to total abstinence by Archbishop Dunne, he was sent on an extended holiday in Ireland and America in the hope that a change of surroundings might help. On his return he was appointed to Dalby. By December 1910, the people there were so fed up with his saying Mass while drunk that they had him transferred. He was sent to Esk, where worse followed. The sorry tale continued at Childers then Canon Hill. He died in the Mater Hospital, Brisbane, on Friday 22nd January 1943 and was buried in Nudgee cemetery.
(Ref. Brisbane Archives, Linane H7, Pugh's)
Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.