Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 2: Biographies of Priests on the Australian Scene up to 1900, 1980, pp 104-105:

Creagh, John, Very Rev., Irish
Colourful Career in Redemptorist Order
"How my hand trembled the first time I opened the Tabernacle and touched Our Lord in person. May it always tremble ..." Such is one expression that the writer recalls from a Retreat given at Manly College about the year 1933. "Daddy", as we called the grey-headed Father John, was regarded by some students as screwy, but he certainly portrayed and conveyed a strong faith in the Eucharistic Presence.

He was born at Thomondgate, County Limerick on 19 August 1870. Education for the priesthood and the Redemptorist calling was obtained at the CSSR House in Limerick, at Bishop Eton and Teignmouth, Order Houses in England. Profession was pronounced on 15 October 1888 and Ordination conferred on 1 September 1895. First years appear to have been employed as a teacher of history at Teignmouth and at Clonard in Belfast. In the early 1900's he was engaged in parochial and missionary duties in Limerick. Highlights of his stay in that City was his successful directorship of the Holy Family Confraternity, and of his involvement in trouble with the city's Jews whom he was alleged to have attacked. In 1905 or earlier he was posted to the Philippines where through a feverish zeal he suffered a nervous breakdown. So in poor shape he came for a year to Waratah, NSW, recovered his zeal and balance, and went to Wellington, N.Z. There his missionary activity became a household word. Returning to Australia he was appointed Rector of the Perth House, remaining at the post from 1914 to 1916. No doubt he became closely associated with Archbishop Clune, a fellow Redemptorist. Fr. Sam Boland CSSR takes up the story of the Creagh appointment as Vicar-Apostolic of the Kimberleys:

"John Creagh's appointment was occasioned by some alleged reports of indiscreet talk by some of the German Pallotine missionaries. The Australian Army and Government took it seriously during World War 1 and made a formal complaint to the Church authorities, mainly to the Apostolic Delegate and Archbishop Clune of Perth. What the Government requested eventually was that a Superior be appointed who was a British subject. The request was submitted to the Vatican Secretariat of State, which asked that Clune make an appointment. Creagh was the choice. John took up his position in 1916 and remained until 1923. It was a peculiar nomination, as he was given the title of Pro-Vicar Apostolic of the Kimberleys and Superior of the Pallotines. He resided at Broome, visiting his huge region as much as the duties of parish priest of Broome permitted. He was meticulous in visiting the missions at Beagle Bay and Lombadina, and during the season the meatworks at Wyndham. He did all he could to ease the severe isolation of the Pallotines, even to the extent of procuring German newspapers for them whenever possible. His kindness to the John of God Sisters is described by eighty-year-old Sister Ignatius who recalls his time in Broome. On his first visit to Lombadina he came to the convent after breakfast after his Mass and found the Sisters drinking out of jam tins. "Glory be to God, will you look at the goblets!" was his comment. He took up their case with the Government and succeeded in gaining an increase in the pittance given to them for Aborigine care, not enough to spoil them by luxury, but sufficient for them to live more like human beings.

Most of his time was spent in Broome. He was proud of his choir of Filipinos. With the help of the Sisters he ran night schools in English which attracted the Japanese divers, bringing them to attend the classes in Christian Doctrine. His converts among the Japanese were one of his happiest memories of Broome. A delightful letter from one of them tells of the convert's bringing ten of his friends to the priest at Thursday Island. It was only in 1923 that the Kimberleys Mission was handed over to the Salesians. John left his post with a great deal of justified satisfaction ..."

Taking up the movements from there we find him listed as acting Parish Priest of Bunbury from 1923 to 1925. Then came an overseas visit and holiday. From 1926 to 1930 he was stationed at Pennant Hills. Next station was Waratah and it was there that he suffered a paralytic stroke. But an eventual recovery meant more active years of preaching missions and retreats both in Waratah and in Wellington, N.Z. And there the chapter of 76 years and a golden jubilee of priesthood closes. He died on 24 January 1947 at Lewisham Hospital, Wellington, and was interred at Karori. And perhaps the hand was still "trembling" as he knocked on the Door above.
(Footprints, Vol. 3, No. 2)
Information: The late Fr Wm. Packer CSSR, Redemptorist Annalist, & Fr S. Boland CSSR, Historian, Oxford Park, Queensland.