Bowraville, Coraki, Stratford, etc, NSW

Into the Silence for 40 Years
Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 1, 1979, p 16:

b. Co. Tipperary 1858; ord. for Bathurst Diocese; on loan to Grafton-Lismore (Bowraville etc.); alcoholism in family, hence the long silence before regeneration by a fellow priest. d. 16.6.1931; buried West Terrace, Adel.
Ref.: M.D.H.C. files (Torquay) which holds letter of historian, the late Rev. O. Thorpe CP telling a sad life story.

Death of Father Ahern
News, Adelaide, 18 June 1931, p 7, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129043172:

Rev. Father Patrick Ahern, who has died at the Calvary Hospital, North Adelaide, at the age of 72 years, was born in Ireland. He was educated at Dublin. He arrived in the Commonwealth 53 years ago. For a time he lived in New Zealand. He had no relatives in South Australia. A service will be held at St. Laurence's Church, North Adelaide, to-morrow morning.

Death of Rev. Father Aherne. A New Zealand Pioneer Priest. By Rev. M. McCurtin
Southern Cross, Adelaide, 26 June 1931, p 7, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167054963:

At about 11 a.m. on the 19th inst. the death occurred of Very Rev. Patrick W. Aherne at Cavalry [sic] Hospital, North Adelaide. Born in Tipperary, Ireland, seventy-two years ago, Father Arerne [sic] was educated in Mount Melleray College, and ordained at St. Patrick's College, Carlow at the age of twenty-two. Had he lived but six days more he would have celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the Priesthood, an event he had been eagerly looking forward to for the past twelve months. Indeed, during the week before his death he had received letters from friends conveying to him their good wishes for the happy occasion.

After his ordination Father Aherne labored in New Zealand for many years. The country was then in its pioneer stages, and the many stories he related of his early experiences reveal the heroic spirit and unselfish disregard for comfort which those first settlers always displayed, and without which, humanly speaking, the colonisation of those islands would have been well-nigh impossible. We who live in the days of motor cars, aeroplanes, telephones and wireless can scarcely picture to ourselves the trials and hardships of the early days. To mention just a solitary example, Father Aherne used to relate that for weeks together, he would be in the saddle day after day, visiting the outback parts of his mission, and as often as not sleeping under the starry heavens because there was no house in sight when darkness set in, and further progress through the scrub was impossible. Little wonder that his health, although at first robust, gave way and that for the past nine years he has been more or less an invalid in Calvary Hospital.

Up to about three weeks before his death Father Aherne was able to say Mass at least on Sundays. On the 12th inst., the Feast of the Sacred Heart, he would have liked very much to offer the Holy Sacrifice, but on the advice of the Sisters decided to conserve his failing strength for his golden jubilee, which was but a few days off, as he then thought. He was conscious up to within an hour or so of his death. Since he came to the hospital he endeared himself to each and every one of the staff. Both the Sisters and the nurses were always eager to pay him a visit when passing by, and have a pleasant word with him. He knew all of them by their Christian names. Little wonder then that they vied with each other in an endeavor to make him happy. It was very touching, during his last moments, to see so many Sisters and nurses kneeling at his bedside, and even outside in the corridor, saying the prayers for the dying, whilst many of them were visibly moved even to tears. Very Rev. Prior Doyle, O.P., was in attendance up to the last.

At 8 p.m. on the evening of his death the remains were removed from the hospital to St. Laurence's Dominican Church, North Adelaide. The Sisters and nurses formed a guard of honor from the hospital to the hearse. At the church the Dominican Fathers, who had shown him every attention during his illness, received the remains.

Requiem Mass and Funeral.
Next day at 10 a.m. Solemn Requiem High Mass, according to Dominican rite, was offered up for the repose of his soul, in the presence of a very representative congregation. As many of the Sisters, nurses, and staff as could be spared were present. The Celebrant of the High Mass was Very Rev. Prior I.M. Doyle, O.P., the Deacon Rev. W.V. Candler, O.P., and Sub-Deacon Rev. P.J. O'Doherty, O.P. In the Sanctuary were Right Rev. Mgr. M. Hourigan, V.G., Goodwood; Rev. C. Thompson, Adm., St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral; Rev. C.B. Crowley, Gawler; Rev. F.J. Gatzemeyer, Lower North Adelaide; Rev. E.A. Robertson, P.P., Brighton; Rev. P. Carolan, St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral; Rev. J. Kelly, St. Patrick's, West Adelaide; Revs. V. Barry and Father Bayard, Parkside; Rev. Wilfrid Ryan, S.J., Norwood; Rev. F.M. Bartolo, O.C.C., Port Adelaide; Very Rev. Father Stanislaus Cross, C.P., and Rev. Fathers Ignatius and Le Mesurier, C.P., Glen Osmond; Rev. R.C. Oxenham, O.P., North Adelaide; Very Rev. E.J. Drohan, M.S.C., Superior, Brompton, and Rev. J.M. Reynolds and R. Lopez. M.S.C. The cantors were Very Rev. Father Stanislaus, C.P., and Rev. Father Lopez, M.S.C. The burial, which took place immediately after the High Mass, was conducted at West Terrace Catholic Cemetery, and was attended by the above-named clergy. Very Rev. Prior Doyle, O.P., read the prayers at the graveside. May he rest in peace.