Rev John McCann

Title:

Rev

First Name:

John

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

McCann

Order:

Date of Birth:

13-Dec-1879

Place of Birth:

Mullanacross, Errigal Trough, Co Monaghan

Country of Birth:

Ireland

Date of Ordination:

24-Jun-1906

Place of Ordination:

All Hallows, Dublin

Country of Ordination:

Ireland

Ordination Diocese:

Sale

Seminary:

All Hallows College, Drumcondra, Dublin, Ireland

Date of Death:

18-Apr-1956

Place of Death:

Brisbane QLD

Country of Death:

Australia

Date of Burial:

Apr - 1956

Place of Burial:

Nudgee, Brisbane QLD

Country of Burial:

Australia

Find A Grave URL:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183393184

Appointments Table

Diocese
Place
Role
Start Day
Start Month
Start Year
End Day
End Month
End Year
Source
Sale BairnsdalePriests of 1928
Brisbane MaryboroughPriests of 1928
Brisbane Fortitude ValleyPriests of 1928
Brisbane NudgeeChaplain, Nudgee CollegePriests of 1928
Brisbane Dutton ParkPriests of 1928
Brisbane NorthgateParish Priest19331947Priests of 1928
Brisbane BrisbaneChaplain, Canossian Sisters' HospitalPriests of 1928
Items per page:
0 of 0


Biographical Notes

Irish birth record, https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1879/02894/2060473.pdf: "Superintendent Registrar's District Clogher, Registrar's District Aughnacloy. Births Registered in the District of Aughnacloy in the Union of Clogher in the Counties of Tyrone & Monaghan. No. 36. On 13 December 1879 at Mulnacross, birth of John, male, father Murtagh McCann of Mulnacross, schoolmaster, mother Annie McCann formerly McKenna; informant: Annie McCann her mark, mother, of Mulnacross; 27 December 1879."

---

Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, p 234:
John McCann

After working for 20 years in the Victorian Diocese of Sale, John McCann transferred to a warmer climate.

John was born in 1879 at Emyvale in Co. Monaghan. His schooling began at the Killyboone National School. He then entered St Macartan's Junior Seminary in Monaghan before moving to All Hallows. Here he was ordained for the Diocese of Sale in 1906. Several years were spent at Bairnsdale.

For health reasons, 'in the hope that the warmer climate of Queensland would benefit him,' John migrated north, arriving in Brisbane in early 1927. He supplied briefly in Maryborough prior to St Patrick's in the Valley for three years. He was Chaplain at Nudgee College until, after a short stay at Dutton Park, he was appointed Parish Priest of St John's, Northgate, where he remained for 14 years, 1933-1947. Perhaps it was due to failing health that soon afterwards he was appointed Chaplain to the Canossian Sisters' Hospital on Gregory Terrace. He became a patient there himself and that was where he died on 18th April, 1956.

He was buried at Nudgee after Requiem Mass at the Cathedral. 'In a very graceful compliment to Fr McCann, Archbishop Duhig recalled that "he was a noted mathematician, an accomplishment of which he was very modest. He was highly esteemed for his piety and his genial disposition, and he has left a memory that will long be treasured by those who knew him."'

There was a story that a priest had assisted with some of the mathematical calculations in connection with the construction of the Story Bridge: would it have been Fr John McCann? One wonders too, since he arrived in 1927 and lived at the Valley, if he was engaged by Archbishop Duhig to do some of the engineering 'sums' required for work on the Holy Name Cathedral.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)