Fr Anthony Boran OFM Cap

Last week we laid to rest out dear brother, Anthony. Here is a short reflection on a long life, well lived. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Remembering
Brother Anthony Boran OFM Cap
Br Anthony was born in Clogh,
Co. Kilkenny on 22nd May 1923, the
son of Peter and Margaret (Darcy) and
was baptised Peter Anthony in the
parish church in Castelcomber. He
came from a large family, four of
whom became religious sisters and
one brother was a Spiritan priest. His
father and his forbearers earned their
living working in the coal mines at
Castlecomber, where they lived. His
school days over,Anthony worked for
fourteen years in the offices of
Kilkenny County Council, where he
learned many of the skills he was later
to put to good use in his life as a friar.
During those years he became a
member of the Third Order in the
friary in Kilkenny.

Anthony entered the Capuchin novitiate in Rochestown friary, Cork, on 3rd
October 1956 and made temporary profession a year later in the same place.
Following his philosophy studies in University College Cork, he made
perpetual profession inArd Mhuire friary inDonegal on the 4th October 1960
and on completing his theological studies was ordained priest by Bishop
McNeely of Raphoe on 23rd May 1963, also in Ards friary.

The next forty-five years saw Anthony busy in roles which included
administration, formation and leadership in the Province. In 1970 he was
elected Vicar Provincial and then Provincial three years later for three years,
while at the same time taking on the role as Provincial Bursar, which position he occupied until 1982, as well as being Secretary of the Missions for part of
that time too.

Then it was off to Carlow for three years, followed by a return to the friary in
Kilkenny, where he was Master of Novices for three years, and then, for
another three years he served as Guardian and Director of Postulants, from
1988 to 1991, inCarlow. He was Vicar in Holy Trinity,Cork, for the following
three years before being transferred to Halston Street, where he worked as
Provincial Secretary for seven years until 2001, when he was once more
appointed Mission Secretary. At long last his journeys ended with his arrival
in the friary in Raheny in 2010.

Anthony was well known for his great sense of humour and fun – he was never
too far away from a well selected pun. He will be missed.