Rev Joe McDonnell
Title:
Rev
First Name:
Joseph
Middle Names:
Alphonsus
Preferred Name:
Joe
Surname:
McDonnell
Order:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Rathscanlon, Co Mayo
Country of Birth:
Ireland
Date of Ordination:
Place of Ordination:
Carlow
Country of Ordination:
Ireland
Ordination Diocese:
Port Pirie
Seminary:
Carlow College, Carlow, Ireland
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Country of Death:
Australia
Date of Burial:
Place of Burial:
Port Pirie SA
Country of Burial:
Australia
Find A Grave URL:
Appointments Table
Diocese | Place | Role | Start Day | Start Month | Start Year | End Day | End Month | End Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Pirie | Renmark | 1940 | 1942 | Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants | |||||
| Port Pirie | Port Augusta | 1944 | Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants | ||||||
| Port Pirie | Morgan | 1944 | Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants | ||||||
| Port Pirie | Waikerie | 1947 | Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants | ||||||
| Port Pirie | Cummins | 1964 | Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants | ||||||
| Port Pirie | Minnipa | 1972 | Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants | ||||||
| Port Pirie | Renmark | 1974 | 1981 | Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants |
Biographical Notes
Fr Frank Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants: Recalling the Spirit of the Deceased Priests of the Diocese of Port Augusta and Port Pirie 1888-2008, 2008:
McDonnell, Joseph A
Born: 29/12/1909 in Rathscanlon, Co Mayo, Ireland.
Ordained: 11/6/1939 in Carlow, Ireland.
Arrived in Diocese 1940. Worked in Renmark 1940-1942; Port Augusta 1944; Morgan 1944; Waikerie 1947; Cummins 1964; Minnipa 1972; Renmark 1974-1981 . Retired to Port Pirie by 1982.
Died: 8/7/1993 in Nazareth (later St Joseph's House), Port Pirie.
Big tall man. Darby Walsh used to call him the 'High Priest.'
"Father Joe was well known for his enormous appetite. Some Priests used to become frustrated waiting for him to fill himself up, especially when they were travelling with him. However my mother had a different attitude. She used to say what a pleasure it was to cook a meal for Father McDonnell because he really appreciated what ever she gave him to eat". Frank Cresp.
by Father Paul Bourke
Paul Bourke reflects on some Irish Priests from his childhood to his early days as a Priest.
Joe McDonnell
As a lad growing up he was the Parish Priest next door to Cummins and I gleaned his serious, no-nonsense style. As a young priest in Port Pirie, I lived with him for three years when he retired back to being an Assistant Priest. Stubborn and unbending, he was a lot of fun in his humble, kind humanity. A daily visitor to homes and the sick and awkwardly compassionate because of his huge size, strong accent and direct manner: He had an enormous appetite and could take over the kitchen at snack time. Just so ordinary.
(Reproduced with the approval of Sister Mary Cresp RSM)