Fr Peter Joseph McEntire C.S.Sp., Dublin and Carrigallen, Co Leitrim RIP

Fr Peter McEntire C.S.Sp. Aged 89, died peacefully on Sunday 30th April 2023 in Nazareth House.

The last surviving Spiritan from Co Leitrim, Peter was born in Corglass, Carrigallen on 23rd November 1933 to Catherine (nee Sheridan) and James McEntire.

He completed his secondary studies in St Patrick's College, Cavan.

He entered Kilshane Novitiate in 1952 and was professed the following year. In the period 1953-1963, he did three years of Philosophy and four years of Theology in Kimmage, separated by three years in Trinidad as a prefect.

Ordained in 1962 in Clonliffe College, one of some two dozen confréres in that Ordination Year, Fr Peter was appointed to the District of Kenya where he initially studied Kiswahili in Giriama and Chonyi; he went on to be a very fluent Swahili speaker.

He served on the island of Pemba until he was seconded to the District of Kilimanjaro to teach at St James' Seminary in the Diocese of Moshi, where he would spend much of the next decade.

He taught Latin for the Cambridge Exams, as well as Physics and Chemistry, Bible Studies and Maths, and he did weekend ministry in one of the local parishes.

A very kind and generous person, always willing to help, Fr Peter got on very well with people.

He was highly regarded as a referee for school soccer matches when he was in Tanzania.

Returning to Ireland in 1975, having completed a short course in Glenart and an M. Rel. Ed. in Ottawa, Canada, he was appointed to Willow Park school where he taught until 1981.

He subsequently worked in the Promotions Office and was Assistant Bursar in Kimmage Manor for a decade.

He retired in 2000 where he remained active in the Kimmage Community – not least chopping firewood whenever he could.

He was appointed to Nazareth House in June 2022 and was one of nine confréres who had their Diamond Jubilees of Ordination last year.

We offer our prayerful sympathies to his family, relatives, Spiritan confréres and friends.