Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 25 June 1862, p 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115760117:

Letters by the mail announce that the Rev. Mr. Duigan, lately ordained for the archdiocese was to have sailed for Sydney early last May, so that he may be expected the latter end of July.

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The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, 19 March 1864, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article264153575:

We are informed that his Grace has decided to make the following changes amongst the clergy, and that instructions have been issued to each to proceed with as little delay as possible to their respective destinations:—The Rev. Dean Sumner to Sacred Heart, in place of Father Sheridan, who goes to Lyndhurst, to take charge of that establishment. Father Corish takes charge of Bathurst, and Father Timothy McCarthy supplies Father Corish's place in St. Benedict's. Father Donovan, of St. Benedict's, goes to Orange, and Father Athy returns to Sydney. Father Duigan, of St. Patrick's, goes as assistant priest to Father O'Brien, of Braidwood. Father Conway, of Sacred Heart goes to St. Patrick's; Father O'Neill, from Tumut to Carcoar, in place of Father McCarthy. We believe there will be other changes, but the above are the only ones yet decided upon.—Freeman's Journal.

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Fatal Accident, Goulburn Herald and Chronicle, 21 May 1864, p 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104609289:

[...] The deceased Mr. Flannagan has been thrice married, and is stated to be 72 years of age. His remains were interred yesterday in the cemetery of St. Bede's, the funeral obsequies being performed by the Rev. Father O'Brien assisted by the Rev. Father Duigan and Dean O'Farrell. [...]

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Catholic, The Wynyard Times, Tumut, 30 June 1864, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article283319726:

The Rev. Father Duigan, who has been stationed a short time at Braidwood, has been transferred to Deniliquin, to replace Father Foley, appointed to Tumut.

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Catholic, Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 6 July 1864, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128802606:

The Rev. Father O'Connor has arrived in Yass to assist the Very Rev. Dean Hanly. The Rev. Father Duigan, recently from the southern coast district, has been in Yass some few days, on his way to Deniliquin, of which district he will take charge.— Ibid.

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Roman Catholic, The Wynyard Times, Tumut, 8 August 1864, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article283316286:

The Rev. Father Duigan arrived safely at the seat of his future labours (Deniliquin) on Saturday, July 23. He will reside at South Deniliquin.

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Roman Catholic, Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 14 October 1865, p 647, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115452981:

We are requested to make known that the Rev. Father Duigan is lying seriously ill at Sandhurst, and that such will prevent his attendance at Deniliquin to-morrow, as an announcement we published last week promised. Should the illness continue, we understand that the Rev. Father O'Dwyer may be expected to reach here about the 11th instant to officiate in his stead.—Deniliquin Chronicle.

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Clerical Changes, The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express, 12 October 1867, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article264160814:

His Lordship the R.C. Bishop of Goulburn has decided that the Rev. R. Duigan, of Deniliquin, will for the future be stationed at Yass. The Rev. Father Laffan, who has hitherto ministered at Burrowa, is to be the second clergyman of Albury.

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Presentation to the Rev. Father Duigan, Yass Courier, 15 July 1868, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article263994874:

On Monday afternoon one of those interesting events which it is always a pleasure to journalists to record, evidencing as it does a proper and kindly feeling between pastor and people, took place at the Presbytery, Yass, when the young men attending St. Augustine's Church presented the Rev. Fathor Duigan with a handsome hogskin saddle, bridle, &c. The deputation who waited on the rev. gentleman consisted of Messrs. McJannett, Conlon, and Whitehair, and Mr Conlon, in name of the subscribers, requested the Rev. Father Duigan's acceptance of the gift. The rev. gentleman stated that he had the greatest pleasure in receiving the present, and addressed a few words to the deputation, in which he fully recognised the kindly feeling which had prompted the giving of the saddle, &c. The saddle was a very handsome one, and was beautifully worked. It was made by Mr McJannett, saddler, Yass.

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Murrumburrah, Yass Courier, 30 October 1868, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article263994472:

Last Sunday the Rev. Father Duigan, of Yass, paid his usual monthly visit, and celebrated mass at Mr Murphy's hotel. Shortly after mass he conferred with the working committee regarding the erection of the Catholic Church here, and the Catholic school also came in for a share of the rev. gentleman's attention. If the people cooperate, as they should do, with the Rev. Father Duigan, it will not be long before an additional and very much needed ornament will be given to the town, by the erection of the church. The site is a very suitable one, and I sincerely hope the building will be speedily erected. The people of this township and district are also much indebted to the Rev. Father Duigan for the strenuous efforts he is making to place within their reach the means of having their children properly educated, and in this matter also I wish him all the success he desires.

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Death of the Rev. Father Duigan, of Yass, Yass Courier, 28 June 1870, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article263997962:

It is with feelings of very deep regret, joined in, we are sure, by all classes of our townsmen, that we record the unexpected demise of this respected, energetic, and much- beloved clergyman. During a period of over three years the late Rev. Father Duigan has laboured assiduously in the performance of the duties of his sacred calling in the large and scattered district of which he had the clerical charge, and in all states of the weather, whether by day or by night, in storm or sunshine, in town or in the solitary bush, the reverend gentleman was at the call of his parishioners, on occasions even when a due consideration of his own health—at all times delicate—might well have justified him in deferring many long, weary, and lonely journeys, often in dreary weather and by night, in the bush, even though for the purpose of affording the consolations of religion to the sick or dying. On Friday, the 17th instant, the rev. gentleman left Yass to hold religious services at Jugiong, the weather at the time being both cold and wet. On reaching the inn at Five-mile Creek he was drenched and weary, and felt unequal to proceeding further. He remained in his wet clothes, and to this may be attributed the origin of the fatal illness which has deprived the Catholics of Yass and surrounding district of a warm-hearted and zealous priest. Father Duigan, not to be deterred by threatened illness, and sacrificing self, as was his wont, completed the duty which he had started from Yass to accomplish, and on the following Friday evening returned to town by the mail, thoroughly prostrated, but certainly not anticipating that the great fatigue endured was the forerunner of serious indisposition. Very shortly after reaching the Presbytery that evening he retired to rest, in the hope that next morning he would awake refreshed and able to resume his parish duties. This, however, the Almighty willed was not to be. He lay in pain all Saturday and Saturday night, and it was not till a quarter-past three on Sunday morning that Dr. O'Connor was called in to see the sufferer, and then he was beyond the aid of the most skilful medical assistance—death was close at hand—and about four o'clock Father Duigan breathed his last. At an early hour the melancholy tidings circulated, and a feeling of deep sorrow prevailed throughout the community—the solemn knell of the great bell most listless that a heavy loss had been sustained by the town and district. By eight o'clock on Sunday morning the church had been draped in mourning, and the body (in priestly vestments) was placed on a bier in front of the altar. From the time the church was opened, and all night long, on Sunday as well as last night, crowds of those connected with the Catholic Church have viewed the remains of their much-loved priest, and have bent the knee in prayer in the presence of death.

The late Rev. Richard Joseph Duigan was born in the town of Kilbegan, Westmeath county, Ireland. He was born, we believe, in 1836, and was a son of Dr. Duigan, the leading physician in the county. His brother, Dr. Charles Duigan, is at the present time practising his profession at Mullingar, in the same county ; and another brother is resident in Melbourne, having some time since been admitted to the bar in that colony. The deceased was educated at All-Hallow's College, near Dublin, and in consequence of delicate health, he was recommended, on the completion of his education, to take a sea voyage. He was ordained to the priesthood shortly before leaving Ireland, having selected the Sydney mission as the scene of his future labours. He arrived in Australia about nine years ago, and for two years was one of the most popular priests ever attached to St. Patrick's, in Sydney. In February last, years after the deceased had quitted Sydney, we heard him there spoken of with love, reverence, and respect; and the success of his clerical labours warmly extolled. He was then, we believe, removed to the Braidwood district, where he remained for about six months, and was thence transferred to Deniliquin, where he officiated for about two years and a half. On the retirement of the Very Rev. Dean Hanly from the Yass district, Father Duigan was appointed administrator of this parish—Yass having been selected as the Bishop's parish on the formation of the diocese of Goulburn. For a period of about three years the deceased laboured with zeal and ability in this town and district, and to- day his mortal remains will be consigned to the tomb in presence of a sorrowing multitude of his people and friends, the latter including persons of all religious denominations.

The Vicar-General (the Very Rev. Dr. McAlroy), the Rev. Father Twomey (of Tumut), and the Rev. Father Riordan (of Burrowa), have arrived in town, and a number of clergymen are expected from Goulburn to-day to take part in the funeral solemnities. High Requiem Mass will take place in St. Augustine's this morning at ten o'clock ; and about two p m. the mortal remains of the much-loved pastor will be removed to their last resting-place, a spot in the church ground having been chosen for the purpose. A large number of persons have already arrived, anxious to join in the funeral, and we doubt not that all places of business will be closed at two p.m. to-day.

The following evidence touching the death of the late lamented gentleman was taken yesterday at an inquest which was held at the Catholic Presbytery before the district coroner (Dr. Blake):—

Mr. C. J. Dease was present, representing the next of kin to the deceased.

Ann Harrison deposed : I was house- keeper to the Rev. Father Duigan ; I was in his employment between five and six years ; he left Yass on last Friday week to go to Jugiong to perform mass ; he returned last Friday in the evening at about five o'clock ; he then complained to me of being unwell ; he looked very bad when he came home ; the deceased remained up for about an hour after his arrival ; he then had his foot bathed in hot water and went to bed ; deceased never ate anything from the time he came home until he died ; on Saturday morning he got up and had a hot bath ; I also put a mustard poultice on the deceased, as he complained very much of suffering pain ; I remained with the deceased all Saturday night; he was in bed all day on Saturday and until he died ; deceased complained very much of pain in his stomach and in his liver; he took two spoonfuls of tincture of rhubarb at different times on Saturday—one in the morning and one at night ; deceased died at about four o'clock on Sunday morning; I called up the Rev. Father Finnegan at about one o'clock on Sunday morning to assist me in putting the deceased into his bed, which he had had occasion to leave and to which he was too weak to return with only my assistance ; I also called Michael Heaney, the priests' servant ; both of them helped to put deceased into his bed ; the Rev. Father Finnegan said if anything got worse that I was to send for the doctor ; after that I occasionally moistened the mouth of deceased with water ; I then sent for the doctor ; deceased was occasionally wandering in his head before he died ; he was not wandering until put back again into his bed; the reason why I sent for the doctor was when I found deceased was wandering ; the reason why I did not send for the doctor previously was because I thought that the deceased was only exhausted and would recover ; I also put on deceased a hot bran poultice ; deceased complained of pains in the head and I frequently bathed it with vinegar. To the foreman: Since I knew the deceased he always appeared to me to be very delicate ; deceased complained to me of being unwell while he was away from home between last Friday week and last Friday; he told me he had got wet on his way to Jugiong.

Henry Finnegan deposed : I am a Catholic clergyman stationed at Yass ; I knew the deceased ; he went from Yass last Friday week to say mass at Jugiong ; he arrived home last Friday ; I was not at home at the time ; I came home immediately after him ; I think he remained up with the intention of seeing me ; I did see him ; we chatted together for a little while ; he told me he was so fatigued with his journey during the week, that he thought he would go to bed directly ; I cannot recollect if I saw him again that night; I went on Saturday morning to the room of the deceased for the purpose of telling him I was going to Binalong ; he then feelingly asked me to remain in Yass, as he was somewhat unwell ; I visited him two or three times that day ; he seemed worried and exhausted on each occasion ; at about half-past nine o'clock on Saturday night I saw the deceased before I went to bed ; he was then complaining of debility; I consoled him by saying that he would be better after he had obtained a night's sleep ; about half-past one o'clock on Sunday morning I was awoke by the last witness ; she told me that she thought it was necessary for me to see the deceased ; I got up and went to his room ; I found him lying on the side of his bed ; he was partially in the bed; I assisted the servant man to put deceased into his bed ; I also assisted in placing the clothing about him ; I looked at him for a short time and concluded that there was no danger, imagining the sickness to be arising from exhaustion and fatigue ; I spoke to the housekeeper and told her if the deceased got any worse to send for Dr. O'Connor; I told her if the doctor thought it necessary that I should rise again to see deceased that I should do so ; I then left the room and returned to my own bed, remaining awake to hear the doctor's decision; Dr. O'Connor, sometime after that, came into my room and said that he thought the deceased was very ill ; I asked the doctor to go up to the room of the deceased to see if there was any necessity for my going there in my capacity as a clergyman ; the doctor went and came back to me and advised me to rise at once in order to administer the sacrament to the deceased ; I did so ; deceased died immediately afterwards. To the foreman : On each occasion I went to see the deceased on Saturday I found him in his bed ; he never left his room from the time he went to bed on Friday last until he died. To a juror: The deceased told me that he had caught a severe cold on the Friday he started for Jugiong and that he had suffered great hardship on the journey.

Morgan O'Connor deposed: I am a duly qualified medical practitioner, residing at Yass ; on Sunday morning last, at about a quarter past three, I was called to see the deceased ; I was at his bedside within ten minutes ; he was in bed and talking incoherently ; he was unconscious; I immediately applied a large mustard poultice to his stomach and heart ; I put fomentations to his head and hot bricks to his feet ; on examining his pulse I found him pulseless ; on applying the stethoscope to his chest I could not discover the action of the heart ; I administered some brandy ; I was shown by the housekeeper who was in the room some matter that the deceased had vomited up ; I knew from its character that death was close at hand ; I called up the last witness, who administered the last rites of the Church ; deceased died a few minutes before four o'clock ; the cause of his death was gastritis ; the matter he had vomited assured me it was gastritis ; I have attended deceased very frequently since he has been stationed in this town for an affection of the stomach and liver, from which he was suffering; he told me that he had been under treatment for the same affection during his college career and afterwards in Dublin, Sydney, and Melbourne; of late deceased had those attacks mostly every month ; I last saw the deceased in my medical capacity about three weeks before his death.

The jury immediately returned a verdict that the deceased died of gastritis.

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The Funeral of Father Duigan, Freeman's Journal, Sydney, 9 July 1870, p 10, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115293034:

On Tuesday, 29th June, at ten in the afternoon, High Requiem Maas was celebrated at St. Augustine's by the Very Reverend the Vicar-General (Dr. McAlroy) for the repose of the soul of the late Father Duigan, and was most numerously attended. Shortly before two o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, the hour appointed for the funeral solemnities, people from all directions were thronging to the church, which before half-past two was crowded, numbers remaining outside from sheer want of standing room. The town at this time appeared deserted, the shops and all places of business were closed, and in almost every instance continued so for the remainder of the day. Before three, the crowd in and around the church was immense, persons of all ages, conditions, and creeds testifying by their presence to the universal respect in which he whose obsequies they had that day met to celebrate had been held. Amongst those present, not of the Roman Catholic persuasion, we noticed the Ven. Archdeacon Lillingston, Dr. Campbell, J.P., and Messrs. T. Laidlaw, J.P., T. Barber, J.P., W. McBean, J.P., Allman, Cottrell, T. Colls, J. Colls, J. Greaves, Grovenor, Turner, H. S. Hayes, R. C. Mackintosh, R. W. Pearson, J.G. L. Williams, J. J. Roberts, &c., &c. Shortly before the solemn rites were commenced, the weather, which during the early part of the day had been exceedingly boisterous, temporarily lulled, causing hopes to arise for a few minutes that the outdoor portion of the ceremonies might be performed in sunshine—hopes, however, not realised. At about three o'clock the funeral service commenced. By that hour the gallery, nave, and chancel were filled to overflowing, the eyes of all being concentrated on the coffin, which, standing as it were in the very centre of the edifice, covered with candle- sticks ablaze with light, and surrounded by the priests who had arrived to take part in the proceedings, contained all that remained to earth of Father Richard Joseph Duigan. After the usual offices for a priest deceased had been intoned, a procession was formed to bear the body to its last resting place, and the crowd was so dense that the Vicar General had to beg those present to make room in order to allow of its passage to the grave. The pall-bearers were Dr. O'Connor, and Messrs. C. J. Dease, P. Goold, J. Lehane, J. A. Murphy, J. Sheahan, M. Cassidy, and M. Doyle. At the moment the coffin was lifted from the position it had occupied in the nave, a great number of those present burst into tears, many being violently affected with grief. Before the coffin, in order, two and two, headed by the Rev. Father Finnegan bearing a massive cross of silver, marched the priests present on the occasion, chanting the customary office. On reaching the door the procession turned to the north, and made the circuit of the church ground until, having reached the site selected, a spot some few feet distant from the south eastern angle of the sacred fabric, the coffin was deposited on the edge of the grave. Those present were then asked to kneel and say together the Lord's Prayer, a request complied with by all ; and it was, the sad occasion apart, no unpleasing sight to witness so many, of conflicting opinions as to doctrine, bending uncovered in the wind and rain beside the open grave of the departed pastor, before his and their God. The ceremonial being finished the body was lowered into the grave amid the sorrowful wailing of many present—indeed, when the heavy sound of the clay clods was heard as they fell on the coffin lid, the weeping of many was loud and bitter. When the excavated earth was all replaced above the coffin, and a mound formed to indicate the spot, until a fitting monument can be erected, the meeting gradually and sorrowfully dispersed. The priests who assisted at the service were the Vicar-General (Dr. McAlroy), and the Rev. Fathers Finnegan, O'Brien, Twomey, Riordan, and Dunne, the latter gentleman having arrived on the same morning by coach in order to be present. — Yass Courier.

Monument to the late Father Duigan

The Southern Argus states that a meeting of Catholics was held in St. Augustine's school- room, Yass, after mass on Sunday last, for the purpose of taking the necessary steps to erect a monument to the late Father Duigan. A subscription list was opened, which was headed by Father Finnegan with £10, Dr. O'Connor £5, Mr. T. A. Rudd £5, Dr. Blake £3 3s. Other subscriptions then kept coming in until the amount reached the handsome sum of upwards of £70. This amount at the first meeting only foreshadows what will be done by the people throughout the district when they will have lists sent to them for the contributions they all seem so desirous of giving. Before the meeting closed, Dr. Blake was appointed treasurer, and Dr. O'Connor secretary.

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Kevin Condon, CM, The Missionary College of All Hallows 1842-1891, Dublin, 1986, p 306:
Richard Duigan, 1854, Mr Hogan's Mullingar. Of Samuel and Anne Vaughan, Kinnegad, Meath; b. 7.7.'37. Ord. in All Hallows for Sydney, 1862. First priest to say Mass in Wentworth. Died, 26.6.1870; buried in Yass church-yard.

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Catholic Parish of St Augustine, Yass, Priests who have served in the Parish of Yass, July 2018, https://staug-yass.org.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/priests_list.pdf, accessed on 24 December 2025: "Rev. Father Richard Duigan, 1868-June 1870."

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Catholic Parish of St Augustine, Yass, History, available from https://staug-yass.org.au/wp/about/history/, retrieved on 10 November 2025: "Rev Richard Duigan (1868-1870)"