Leo Donovan OP (1942 - 2024) - an obituary

Dominican priest Leo Donovan

died in Kiltipper Woods Care Centre, Tallaght on Saturday morning, February 17. Leo had been over two years in the nursing home.

Just as Donal Roche and Jordan O’Brien walked into his room at 12.40 yesterday Leo died.  Jordan is the last surviving member of Leo’s group still in the province, and Donal is prior in St Mary’s Priory, Tallaght.

Leo was born in Limerick on February 2, 1942, attended the local CBS school and joined the Dominican Order on completing his Leaving Certificate in 1960. Made his first profession the following year in St Mary’s Priory, Pope’s Cork, studied philosophy and theology in St Mary’s Priory, Tallaght and was ordained a priest in Clonliffe College by Archbishop John Charles McQuaide in 1967.

After priestly ordination he did post graduate studies at the Pontifical University of St Thomas in Rome obtaining his licence in theology.

Leo spent 50 years in Trinidad, where he worked as a parish priest in several parishes in the country, including Mayaro, Arima, Mons Repos, Curepe and parishes in Port-of-Spain. 

In 1974 there were approximately 60 Irish Dominicans in Trinidad and Tobago.

His early parishes involved working with many people of colour, where Leo found himself at home. Indeed, in the five to six years since his return to Ireland he regularly received calls from people in the various parishes where he lived. He had not been forgotten.

He obtained a BA from the University of the West Indies, where he majored in the history of the West Indies. It was important to him that he was well versed in the history of the country if he was to work in Trinidad.

On obtaining his BA he was nervous that he might be sent teaching in the Dominican-run Holy Cross school. It never happened and he spent his priestly life working in parishes.

He was dedicated to preaching, indeed, on completion of his studies in Tallaght he wrote a  dissertation on preaching as a sacrament. He had a strong voice and was a big strong man. A fellow Dominican described him as a diligent priest who gave attention to his preaching.

Leo spent the academic year 1985/'86 in Chicago, studying pastoral theology.

He was involved for many years with the charismatic   movement.

He had two uncles in the province, Aengus Byrnes, who joined the Order in 1921, and Con Roche, who joined in 1938, and like Leo, both men spent many years in Trinidad. He had one cousin a religious sister and three cousins priests.

Two of his cousins were Spiritans Jack and Aengus Finucane.

Working as young priests during the famine in Biafra in 1968, Aengus and Jack joined forces with Kay and John O'Loughlin-Kennedy, who had founded Africa Concern as a response to the crisis.

In recognition of the work the two men did a bench and sculpture were erected in their home city of Limerick in 2022. The commemorative structure is situated on the River Shannon at Barrington’s Pier.

The former CEO of Concern Worldwide, Dominic MacSorley said of the two men at the unveiling: “The Finucane brothers are giants of men, what they achieved was extraordinary."

Leo was fond of animals and for a number of years had two dogs, Cara and Shannon.

He liked living on his own, putting his feet under his own table. A fellow Dominican, who spent many years in Trinidad, said about Leo: “ He was a most hospitable and welcoming host.”

In his initial years in Trinidad he discovered golf and played every Monday with fellow Dominican, the late Paddy Brennan. He was proud of getting three holes in one, which made Paddy Brennan very jealous of him. Any time Pat Lucey went to Trinidad he was obliged to play a round of golf with Leo and Paddy. But it is said about him he was a 'slow learner’ of the sport.

When he came home on holiday he went directly to Limerick and stayed with his brother. On the death of his brother, approximately 10 years ago, he made the priory in Glentworth Street his home.

Leo was a reserved, indeed, diffident person but that did not stop him speaking his mind, especially if he was annoyed or frustrated by empty and meaningless words.

At a provincial chapter in the late 1980s he became frustrated, stood up and spoke his mind, announcing to the assembly that it was all an empty talking shop. Leo used more colourful language to express his annoyance.  At that, he stood up, left the meeting and was driven straight to Heuston Station by a fellow Dominican, who had also worked in Trinidad. He took a train back to his Limerick home from home. Heuston Station is called after 1916 veteran John Heuston, whose brother, Michael John Heuston(1897 - 1984) was a Dominican, an eccentric man, a genius, who was years ahead of his time.

Leo was a kind man, gentle too and was always willing to listen. He had that lovely ability of making one feel at home in his company, while at the same time expressing his own views and opinions.

Before moving to Kiltipper Leo was a member of the Dominican community in Tallaght where he was lovingly attended to by the caring team, under the management of Patricia Slamon and the prior, Donal Roche.

May he rest in peace.

Leo's body will be lying in state in the large parlour in St Mary’s Priory, Tallaght, Dublin 24 tomorrow, Tuesday, February 20 from 1.30pm. Removal later, arriving in the church at 5.30pm. Funeral Mass in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Tallaght at 11.30am on Wednesday. Burial afterwards in the cemetery at St Mary’s Priory, Tallaght.