The late Very Rev. John Joe Curran There is widespread regret in his native Drumreilly and surrounding areas at the death of Very Rev. John Joe Curran, Pastor of Wichita, Kansas, USA, which occurred at the Priests Retirement Centre, Wichita, Kansas following a brief illness. He was a native of Drumreilly, the oldest of a family of three girls and three boys. He was born to Pat Curran and Rose Anne Kenny, Ardra, on May 14th 1929. He received his primary and secondary education in Gortahoose NS and Moyne Latin School respectively. He studied for the priesthood in St Peter's Wexford and was ordained to the priesthood there on June 6th 1954 and took up his first appointment in St Patrick's parish, Wichita. During his 45 years of fruitful ministry in various parishes, including St Andrew's independence, St Patrick's Parsons, St Joseph's Yates Centre, Mary Queen of Angels, Fort Scott, St Mary's Chase and St Anthony's Garden Plain. He retired in 1999 but continued in pastoral duties in carious parishes. He celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his Ordination in June 2004. Despite a busy schedule in attending to his pastoral duties he always found time for health giving activities, and among his hobbies were fishing, golf, quail shooting, cycling and reading. He played with his native Drumreilly GAA team in the late 1940s and had an abiding interest in the successes of the club. He made many summer visits to his family and was always heartened by progress in the community through the contstruction of St Mary's Church, the building of the new school and community centre and the opening of the new GAA pitch in Carrickmakeegan, the advances in farming methods and the erection of new homes. He will be fondly remembered for his innate sincerity and humble disposition. He was a man of prayer and we trust that his life long devotion to our Blessed LAdy helped him to bear his cross with equanimity in the final weeks of his almost four score years of life. His remains were laid to rest following his funeral after a concelebrate Mass in St Elizabeth's Church in which his Bishop was the chief celebrant assisted by his fellow priests in Wichita Diocese. Coinciding with his burial, Mass for the repose of his soul was concelebrated in his native St Mary's Church, Drumlea by Very Rev Denis Murray PP, assisted by Very Rev Denis Murray PP, assisted by Very Rev Charles Heerey PP, Very Rev Peter McPartland, PP, Rev John McMahon CC, Very Rev Canon Ml. Kelly, Very Rev. Cathal Faughnan PP, Aughavas and Fr Comiskey, Frogheda. Sympathy is extended to his sister Mrs Rose Conefrey, Corrawallen, Carrigallen, Mrs Molly Lee, Aughavas, Mrs Josephine Ward, USA nephews and nieces and a large family circle. Courtesy of the Leitrim Observer 11 May 2007 Tweet

Most Read Stories