following year and was ordained a priest on December 20, 1958.
Séamus' father was a member of the Defence Forces, based at the Curragh. Séamus spent his early years in Newbridge and attended secondary school at Newbridge College.
He spent most of his life outside Ireland, working in Trinidad, South America, and the United States of America. He also ministered as a priest in Sligo and spent the last number of years back in County Kildare, as a member of the Dominican Community at Newbridge College.
In August 1969 the Irish Dominicans founded a priory in Paraná, having moved from Recreo in 1967, which was when they first went to Argentina.
The move happened in March 1967 after Raymond Collins arrived in Argentina from language school in Lima, thus allowing Damian Byrne and Tim Cathal Manley to move to Paraná where they lived initially in Archbishop Tortola's bishop's house.
Séamus Collins was one of the first members of the community. With him were Diarmuid Clilfford, Joe Moran, Tim Manley, Malachy O'Dwyer, Ross McCauley, Kieran O'Shea and Pat Burrows. All but Diarmuid Clifford have died.
While in Argentina Séamus spent a number of years as an army chaplain.
He never lost his interest in Argentina, kept in touch with people he knew there and enjoyed practising his fluent Spanish.
I first met Séamus in 1987 when we were both living at Holy Cross Priory in Sligo.
We have stayed in touch ever since. Only two weeks ago Séamus phoned me and it was agreed that as soon as Covid restrictions were lifted we would meet in Newbridge for a meal. Since his moving to Newbridge we had met on occasions for lunch in Eason in Dublin.
Séamus was full of fun. He had the good sense to be able to laugh at many aspects of the establishment but he was always a most respectful person, who treated others with dignity.
Séamus well knew my views on the state of the Irish church and the Irish Dominicans, respected it but had that great ability to humour me, smile and never allow me to know exactly what his views were.
He spent 20 years working in the United States, including a number of years as an assistant pastor at St Michael the Archangel in Port Richey, Florida.
In the early 1990s I spent two summers working in a parish in West Palm Beach in Florida. At the time the pastor was Fr Michael O'Flaherty, a brother of the late Dominican Christy O'Flaherty.
While there, to my great surprise, Séamus travelled from St Petersburg on Florida's gulf coast to pay me a visit.
He was a priest to his fingertips. He always gave me the impression that it was the work and the life he always wanted to lead.
While spending many years away from priory life he was genuinely at home as a Dominican, indeed, he was proud to be a member of the Order of St Dominic.
On his final return from the US he was assigned to Newbridge College. He was extremely happy and content in Newbridge and always made sure to tell me that he felt very much at home in the community. He'd point out that he was getting old and that he was receiving great care from his Dominican brothers.
And he well deserved it. He worked hard all his life, kept in touch with the contemporary world. He read his theology and was adept at unfolding the Christian message. He was an excellent preacher and people listened to him.
He was an accomplished photographer and he used his computer skills to enhance his photographic expertise.
While he was not a young man, his sudden and unexpected death has greatly saddened me.
Séamus was a loyal friend, he was someone you could turn to in moments of difficulty and you would be assured of his wise counsel.
Through his own suffering from depression, he was in a strong position to advise and guide others, thereby bringing a sense of wholeness and meaning to their lives.
Séamus Collins was a kind man. He was honourable. His Christianity was infectious. Any conversation with him would cause one to keep asking him more questions about his own faith, his living the Christian life and indeed his priesthood.
Open to correction - he is survived by a brother, who is a medical doctor in the United States. Séamus and he were very close. Up to very recently Séamus would travel to the US to visit his brother, whom I think has been ill of late.
Séamus died in Tallaght Hospital yesterday, October 21 on the anniversary of the death of Dominican Austin Flannery, who died in Dublin in 2008.
May he rest in peace.
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