Irish birth record, https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1890/02404/1896763.pdf: "Superintendent Registrar's District Newcastle, Registrar's District Feenagh. Births Registered in the District of Feenagh in the Union of Newcastle in the County of Limerick. No. 371. On 4 October 1890 at Drumcollogher, birth of Denis, male, father Michael Ahern of Drumcollogher, baker, mother Mary Ahern formerly Sheahan; informant: Hanora Kiely her mark, present at birth, of Drumcollogher; 17 October 1890; John F. Madigan, Registrar."

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Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, p 169:
Denis Ahern

From its foundation in 1928 until 1972, Windsor had only one Parish Priest - Fr Denis Ahern.

Denis did not arrive in Australia for some time after his ordination, due to World War I. He was ordained for Brisbane in June of 1917 but it was two years before he set foot in the Archdiocese. He had begun his studies at Mt Melleray and seems to have been ordained at St Kieran's Seminary in Kilkenny.

Annerley was his first appointment, followed by Goondiwindi, then Enoggera. The next 44 years were spent at Windsor.

It is difficult to paint a picture of Denis Ahern. The nearest we can get, and perhaps the reason why, might be the words of Archbishop O'Donnell who said: 'He was a sensitive man who kept himself aloof, and as his friends died, he retired more and more into himself. There was a trait of shyness in his character that made him shun all publicity. His generosity was lavish and he bore ill-health with exemplary Christian fortitude. During the depression years, he laboured to build up Windsor parish, which included a beautiful Church, 'his material achievement.'

Fr Ahern died on 15th June 1972. He was laid to rest at Nudgee Cemetery.

Some years later, Windsor, Wooloowin and Kalinga were combined to form the parish of Lutwyche.

(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 Denis Ahern, died 15 June 1972

Denis Ahern was born at Drumcollogher, Co. Limerick, Ireland. There is some ambiguity as to when this occurred: his grave in Nudgee cemetery gives 17 September 1890, while Archbishop O'Donnell was reported in the "Leader" as saying it was 4 October 1891. Similar confusion exists about the location of his seminary training: one account says it was St Kieran's, Kilkenny, while the other gives the claim to Mt Melleray. (Perhaps he attended both places.) All accounts are agreed, however, that he was ordained priest on 11 June 1917 (probably at St Kieran's) and that he arrived in the Archdiocese of Brisbane in 1919, beginning some 54 years of ministry here. The early years were spent as assistant priest in several places: Annerley (1919), Bundaberg (1920), with brief periods at St Stephen's Cathedral, South Brisbane, Bulimba, Wynnum, Coorparoo and Beaudesert. Between 1921 and 1925 he was appointed to the parish of Goondiwindi; which at the time also included the centres of St George and Dirranbandi. Returning to Brisbane in 1926, he was appointed Parish Priest of Enoggera until February 1928, when he was transferred to the parish of Windsor, which had just been detached from the parish of Bowen Hills. He was to remain its pastor for the rest of his priestly ministry. The Great Depression was just beginning at the time of his arrival in Windsor, but Denis Ahern did what he could, in his own unobtrusive way, to ease the hardship of the needy and further the interests of his Church. In 1930, he introduced the Sisters of St Joseph to the parish. June 1942 marked some of the darkest days of World War II; but it also marked his Silver Jubilee of ordination. This was celebrated in as fitting a way as possible, given the circumstances, with Archbishop Duhig presiding. Denis Ahern had a rather shy disposition which expressed itself in a certain appearance of aloofness. As the years passed and clerical friends, such as Monsignors Prout, English and Lynch [qq.v.], died, Denis Ahern retired more into himself. Ill-health now became a companion, which he bore with fortitude. Early in 1972, he was admitted to Mt Olivet Hospital and he died there on 15 June 1972. He is buried in Nudgee Cemetery. Archbishop O'Donnell said of him at his funeral: "His life can be summed up in this: he learnt from the great priests who went before him, and he has passed on a great heritage."
(Ref. Rev Dr. Chris Hanlon ( Brisbane Archdiocesan Historian)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.