Sandhurst dioc, Vic; Gunnedah, NSW

English Shipping. Passengers, The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 November 1873, p 6, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13326888:

Per William Duthie, for Sydney: Rev. D. English, [...]

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Shipping. Arrivals, The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 January 1874, p 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13329290:

William Duthie, ship, 960 tons, Captain Thompson, from the Downs 21st September. Passengers [...] Rev. Mr English [...]

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Presentation to Father D. M. English, Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 8 April 1882, p 14,http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111314738:

On Thursday week a great number of people assembled at the School of Arts, Gunnedah, to witness the presentation of an address and purse of sovereigns to the Rev. D. M. English, who is about to leave the district. Evidence of the rev. gentleman's extreme popularity was demonstrated by the fact that the hall was filled with friends and well-wishers, and it was noticeable that there was a number of people present who, though not members of his flock, yet seemed as anxious as any to testify their respect and esteem for one who has for so many years worked in the district. The following gentlemen were on the platform:—The Rev. Fathers English and Mealey, and Messrs. F. Bacon, T.E. Nash; D. Meagher, Dr. Read, P. Hurley, A Bacon, and J.E. Higgins. The chairman, Mr. F. Bacon, said he felt pleasure at seeing so many persons present to do honour to the rev. gentleman. Father English had been in the district for over nine years, and during that time he had worked most conscientiously and energetically for the Church. He had to rough it during the early days of his pastorate; since that time the evidences of his energy were to be seen on every side. The church, presbytery, and convent in Gunnedah owed their existence to his indomitable perseverance and energy. (Cheers.) Father English, during his stay amongst them, had earned the respect and good will of not only the Roman Catholics, but of all members of the community without regard to sect. The chairman then read the address which had been prepared, after which Mr. Bacon, amid the cheers of those present, handed the address and a purse containing nearly 200 sovereigns to Father English. Father English said that during the time that he had been in Gunnedah he had carefully avoided giving expression to anything which could possibly create sectional differences. (Cheers.) For his part he could not understand why people, even though they differ on certain points, should not live peaceably together. He could say that he had discharged the duties of his office without interfering with anyone. If it pleased God and his ecclesiastical superior that he should return to Gunnedah, he would gladly do so, for there he had been treated with much kindness. He trusted that the people would exhibit the same generosity and kindness to his successor as they had to him.

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T.W. Campbell, The Priests of the Diocese of Armidale: A Necrology, Braddon ACT, 2005:
English, Denis M

Date and place of birth in Ireland unknown. Details of education unknown. He studied at St Patrick's College Thurles. He was ordained at Thurles on 8 June 1873 by Archbishop Leahy. There is a suggestion he may have gone for a brief time to New Zealand and worked in the Canterbury province before arriving in the Maitland diocese. He was the first priest appointed to Gunnedah when it was established as a mission station on 1 August 1875. 'Father English had been in the district [ie, Gunnedah] for over nine years, and during that time he had worked most conscientiously and energetically for the Church. He had to rough it during the early days of his pastorate; since that time the evidence of his energy were to be seen on every side. The church, presbytery and convent in Gunnedah owed their existence to his indomitable perseverance and energy.' He remained in Gunnedah until 16 February 1882, when he took leave in Ireland. After return to Ireland he became parish priest of Clerihan, Clonmer (1901), and then Golden, Cashel, Co Tipperary. He died on 25 April 1910 in Golden. He is buried in Cashel.
(Sources: FJ 25 Mar 1882 p 16, 2 Apr 1882 p 16, 8 Apr 1882 p 14, 13 May 1882 p 15, Doody, Campbell, MDHC A-Z E13).

(Reproduced by permission of Tom Campbell.)