Diocese of Armidale, Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 21 April 1894, p 18, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115545764:

[...] The Rev. Joseph Loughlin Ahearn (writes a correspondent) leaves Armidale for Walcha this week to be the first resident priest in that place. The Catholics of Walcha have built a beautiful church and a presbytery in that place, and now they will have the happiness of having a resident priest amongst them, Father J.L. Ahearn will be the right man in the right place.

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Death of Monsignor Ahern, of the Diocese of Lismore. A Prominent Priest, Catholic Press, Sydney, 20 June 1912, p 21, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105008289:

After an eventful life of 64 years, the Right Rev. Monsignor Joseph Loughlin Ahern, of Casino, who was one of the noble band of pioneer priests on the North Coast, died on Wednesday evening at Parramatta, where he had been staying with his cousin, Mr. D. L. Ahern. He was born on September 20, 1848, in the mountainous district of Meclin, County Cork. Canon Morrissey, now the P.P. of Banteer, taught him classics, and after a few months in a little school in Castleisland, he matriculated in All Hallows, on the same day as the late Bishop Doyle and the present Bishop of Armidale. Cleveland diocese, Ohio, U.S.A., was chosen as the scene of his future labours, and on St. Patrick's Day, 1871, he arrived there to continue his studies at the Diocesan College. On Independence Day, July 4, 1875, he was ordained priest, and almost immediately got charge of the parish of Alliance. Seriously broken down in health after four years' energetic work, he returned to Ireland to die early in 1879. But his health improved in his native city, and meeting Dr. Redwood in 1880, he agreed to give seven years' service in New Zealand. At the first National Council of Sydney, in 1885, he met his old All Hallows classmate, Dr. Doyle, who had just been nominated Bishop of Grafton, and agreed to join his diocese at the expiration of his New Zealand engagement. Accordingly, in November 9, 1888, he arrived in Lismore, on the Richmond River, and took up duties in the little pro-cathedral. Only two other priests and the Bishop attended then to the whole Richmond and Tweed district. On October 13, 1889, he got charge of Casino, and on February 15, 1891, crossed the Night Cap Mountain to attend to the people of the new parish on the distant Tweed. In July, 1893, he sought a change of clime, and, after a year with his class-mate, Dean (now Bishop) O'Connor in Armidale, he travelled through Western Australia in the early days of the goldfields. In 1895 he travelled through New Zealand, and was induced to remain in Auckland Diocese by Bishop Luck. During seven years he had charge of the important parishes of Gisborne and Pukekohe, until the year 1902, when he returned to the Lismore diocese, and took charge of South Grafton. On May 14, 1904, on his transfer to Ballina, he became Vicar-General of the diocese, vacant since the death of Father McCambridge, in 1902. On January 12, following, he succeeded the late Dean Walshe in Casino, and there he remained seven years exactly, until January 12 of this year, when he had to give up work and prepare for death. During the years 1908, when Dr. Doyle was in Rome, and 1909, when the diocese was vacant, he was sole administrator, and the work of the diocese went on smoothly. At the third National Council in 1905 he represented the priests of the diocese, receiving for that position the majority of votes. He was a very intellectual priest, possessing a fine collection of books, knowing French and German and Irish well. At the St. Patrick's Day banquet in Maclean in 1903 he proposed the toast of the day in Irish, and the following year preached in Lismore in the old Gaelic tongue. He had a wonderful command of the English language, and had all the humour of the Celt. He was a good musician, and in his day had an excellent singing voice.

During his illness Monsignor Ahern was attended by the Very Rev. Fathers T. O'Reilly, P.P., V.F. (Parramatta), and P.B. Kennedy (Commissary Provincial of the Franciscans), Rev. Father H. McGuire, and other priests. He was nursed by a Sister from Lewisham Hospital, and visited by the Sisters of Mercy.

A Solemn Office was chanted, and a Requiem High Mass celebrated for the repose of his soul in St. Patrick's Church, Parramatta, on Friday, 15 priests being present. The remains were interred in the portion of Rookwood Cemetery reserved for priests, the Very Rev. Father O'Reilly officiating at the grave, assisted by seven priests. The chief mourners were Messrs. S.J. and J.C. O'Sullivan, of Dannevirke, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand (nephews), Mr. and Mrs. D.L. Ahern, Mr. Loughlin Ahern, Miss Eileen Ahern, Mr. and Mrs. P. Scanlan (Maitland), Mrs. H. Doohan and family (Newcastle), and Messrs. M.T. and D. Doohan. Amongst others at the graveside was Mr. J.J. Kissane, of Casino, an old friend of the late Monsignor.

On Tuesday at St. Mary's Church, Casino, Bishop Carroll of Lismore presided at the chanting of the Office of the Dead, the ecclesiastical choir being led by Father Barry. His Lordship was assisted at the throne by Dean Kiely and Father S. McDonnell (who is in charge of Casino). The celebrant of the Requiem High Mass for the repose of Monsignor Ahern's soul was Monsignor McGuire, V.G., the deacon being Archpriest Walsh, and the sub-deacon, Archdeacon Quinn. Father Conway was master of ceremonies. Amongst the priests who assisted were Fathers M.J. Battle, D. Lawton, R.H. Williams, O'Sullivan and J. O'Reilly. There was a large congregation representative of the whole district.

The late Monsignor Ahern had been ill about two years, and five months ago he obtained from Bishop Carroll a year's leave, it being his intention to take a trip to Ireland. He went to the Blue Mountains for a time, but his condition not improving he returned to Parramatta, where he died. The Monsignor leaves two sisters—one in New Zealand, Mrs. J. O 'Sullivan, of Dannevirke; the other, Mother Augustine, of the Order of St. Benedict, St. Joseph's Convent, St. Mary's, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Three cousins are priests on the foreign missions, and Sister M. Gertrude, of St. Joseph's Convent, Lochinvar, is another cousin.—R.I.P.

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Important Man in Lismore Diocese
Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 1, 1979, p 16:

b. Co. Cork 1848; ed. All Hallows, Cleveland (Ohio); Ord. 1875; served in Cleveland; invalided to Ireland; served at many places in Wellington and Auckland Dioceses, N.Z. (Blenheim, Nelson, Hokitika etc.); arr. in Lismore-Grafton Diocese 1890 (circa); P.P. in Casino etc.; Vicar General, Diocesan Secretary to Australasian Catholic Congress 1909; d. 17.7.1912; age 63; buried Rookwood.
Ref.:
Auckland Cathedral Archives (per Rev. E. R. Simmons, Archivist); Mrs Sheila Tearle, 12 Queen St., Hurstville.

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Kevin Condon, CM, The Missionary College of All Hallows 1842-1891, Dublin, 1986. Appendix: Matricula 1842-91:

No. 1233. Loughlin Aherne, 1870, Mr McCarthy's, Castleisland. Of Jeremiah and Mary Nolan, Cloyne diocese, b. 21.11.1846. Left. Ord. in Cleveland, 0., in 1875. (Toledo in 1878.) Later to New Zealand and (about 1890), to Lismore, NSW. PP and V.G. in Casino. Died, 17.7.1912 (Linane, I, p. 16.)

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T.W. Campbell, The Priests of the Diocese of Armidale: A Necrology, Braddon ACT, 2005:
Ahearn, Joseph Laughlin

Spelt as 'Ahern' in various places in Kelly, and in the NSW Probate register. Born Newmarket, Co Cork, Ireland on 20 September 1848. Studied at Maynooth in the same class as P J O'Connor and J J Doyle. Went to the USA before ordination and joined a priest uncle, and was then ordained in the USA. Remained in the USA for some time, then returned to Ireland, then went to New Zealand with Bishop Redwood. About 1884 he came to New South Wales and participated in the first Plenary Council held in Sydney in 1885 as a theologian (at which Council the creation of the diocese of Grafton was proposed). He returned to New Zealand after the Council but then transferred to the Grafton diocese at the invitation of former Maynooth classmate Bishop J J Doyle. Served at South Grafton, Casino, Ballina and Murwillumbah. Then spent a brief period of time in Armidale with Bishop Torreggiani, at Walcha, from where he returned to Auckland as Administrator of the Cathedral. Next returned to Lismore and was appointed Vicar General on the death of Abbe Schurr. His final appointment was to Casino, during which time he was made a Monsignor (1908), and rebuilt the church and built a new presbytery. In early 1912 he retired to Parramatta, Sydney, and died 12 June 1912 in Lewisham Hospital, buried Rookwood. NSW Probate records show the date of death as 12 June 1912, despite a number of other dates (including 1913) appearing in various publications. A very heavy man (he weighed 22 stone) he was renowned as an after dinner speaker and raconteur.
(Sources: Footprints, Vol 1, No 1, Jan 1971, FJ 20 Jun 1912 p 22 (includes portrait), Bulletin 20 Jun 1912 p 18, G&S, Kelly, MDHC A-Z A6).

(Reproduced by permission of Tom Campbell.)