The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
An tAth Ó hIceadha celebrates 70 years as a priest
AN tAth Tomás Ó hIceadha, whose name has become synonymous with drama and Paróiste an Fheirtéaraigh, had the altar as his stage last week when he celebrated reaching the remarkable milestone of 70 years in the priesthood.
An tAth Ó hIceadha grew up in Dingle and attended ‘the Monastery’ before completing his second level education in The Sem in Killarney, getting private tuition along the way in Greek, which was required for students entering Maynooth at the time. The Greek he learned then still stands to him. An tAth Ó hIceadha told The Kerryman this week that he sometimes finds the official translations of passages from the Gospels not entirely satisfactory so he goes back to the original Greek texts and does his own translation for the benefit of the faithful in Paróiste an Fheirtéaraigh.
He was ordained in June 1950 and because “we had so many priests in Ireland that we were falling over each other” he was soon dispatched to the Diocese of Motherwell, which encompasses Glasgow. It was an eye-opener for the young cleric from rural Ireland.
“I was thrown into this strange world without any preparation for it. Maynooth offered no training for the world outside of it… We weren’t in touch with reality, we were spoiled clerical students,” he said.
However, he gradually found his feet in Scotland, “learned the lingo [Glasgow dialect] and learnt about life”. Even though it was during the time of ‘the ban’ and he had played Munster Colleges football with the Sem, he also learned a love of soccer and remains to this day an ardent fan of Glasgow Celtic.
After a couple of years in Scotland An tAth Ó hIceadha returned to Kerry where he was “carrying the bag and moving from parish to parish” before he got a permanent posting. He served in 14 parishes throughout Kerry before moving to Baile an Fheirtéaraigh in 1989 where he has remained since, serving both as cleric and for 15 years as parish priest.
In West Kerry he is well known and admired for his involvement in theatre – a passion he has shared with the people of every parish in which he has served. His love of drama goes back to his childhood when his parents brought him to the theatre, and pantomime became a particular fascination. Later on he staged plays in the Phoenix cinema in Dingle, sharing the stage with the likes of Padraig Lynch and Theresa Sheehy who famously terrified audiences in her role as a possessed child.
In the world of theatre An tAth Ó hIceadha has won acclaim as a playwright, actor and director, but mostly he hopes that he “did some good by straightening out fellas who couldn’t walk or talk”.
“I persuaded myself I was doing good by teaching them drama. They were able to present themselves better and it gave them confidence,” he says.
Although he will celebrate his 96th birthday next week he has more to offer: “If I’m needed I’ ll come.. only catch me by the ear gently.”
An tAth Ó hIceadha’s good friend and fellow thesbian Bosco Ó Conchúir adds:
Bhí Aifreann buíochais i Séipéal Bhaile an Fheirtéaraigh i rith na seachtaine ag ceiliúradh na hócáide sin. Páirteach san Aifreann leis an Ath Tomás, bhí an sagart paróiste, an tAth Eoghan Ó Cadhla, an tAth Pat Ahern agus a dheartháir sin an tAth Dan Ahern. Ní raibh pobal an pharóiste ná a chairde iomadúla i láthair de bharr rialacha sábháilteachta Cóvid-19.
Luaigh sé ag Aifreann an Domhnaigh go gcreideann sé go láidir, má tá tallann, cumas agus scil ag duine, go bhfuil dualgas agus freagracht orthu an bhronntanas san a roinnt ar dhaoine eile. Dhein sé é sin i rith a shaoil.
Seachas a ghairm mar shagart, bhraith sé go raibh tallann ann féin chun aisteoireachta agus léiritheoireacht stáitse. Ghlac sé air féin an scil sin a roinnt. Chun snas a chur ar an bhféith sin ann, thug sé bliain i Londain sa Central School of Speech and Drama. Roinn sé an taithí sin ar phobail éagsúla sna paróistí ina raibh sé. Dá bharr, bhaineadar Gradaim Náisiúnta amach le feabhas a gcuid drámaí i mBéarla agus i nGaelainn. Creideann sé gur chun maitheasa an duine agus na bpobal é, a bheith páirteach sna healaíona cruthaitheacha. Músclaíonn na healaíona féin-mhuinín, misneach - go speisialta sna daoine óga.
Is cinnte go bhfuil sé ag súil leis an gcéad cheiliúradh eile, an mhí seo chugainn, nuair a bheidh sé 96 bliain d’aois. Go maire sé an céad i sláinte coirp, intinne is anama.