JOHN J. WALSH

Very Reverend John Walsh was born at Thomastown, Kilkenney, Ireland on 9 May 1842; ordained at St. John's on 10 September 1871; died at Renews on 30 Nevember 1912 at age 70. He often signed his name Walshe in the parish records. He was the Parish Priest of Renews for almost 40 years: 1872-1912. He baptized all of the children of Michael O'Brien and Emma Conway.

 

WILLIAM PETER DOUTNEY

Dean William P. Doutney was born at St. John's 9 June 1846, ordained at St. John's 29 June 1871, died at Renews 13 July 1919 at age 73. After John J. Walsh, Dean W.P. Doutney assumed the parish. Poor health forced Doutney to move to St. John's, but he returned to Renews shortly before his death of heart failure on July 14, 1919. At 74, he was the oldest Catholic Priest in Newfoundland at that time. He is buried in Belvedere Cemetery in Saint John's.

 

CHARLES A. MCCARTHY

Doutney's successor was Dean Charles McCarthy who remained the resident priest until 1957. He was born at Feenagh, Ireland in 1878; ordained at St. John's on 29 September 1903; died at St. john's on 21 October 1957 at age 79.

Father Charles McCarthy, later Monsignor McCarthy, an Irish priest who came to Renews in 1920 and remained until his death in 1957. He built the Grotto, a replica of the shrine at Lourdes, France. The free labor of rhw men of Renews built the shrine and once it was completed in 1928 every man in the harbor planted a tree. The tradition of the Mass Rock was fostered by Father McCarthy, an Irishman sensitive to English wrongs. In a letter regarding the Grotto he related that a man named Michael Kane, who was born in l867 told him of the secret Masses that were held on that spot. This man had never attended a Mass at the Rock but had heard of them.

 

JOHN MCCARTHY

Father John McCarthy was born at

 

The name O'Brien in Ireland is among the ten most frequently found in the country. The name derives from the tenth century King of Ireland, Brian Boru and there were a number of Septs, the largest of which were based in Counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. It is in these Counties that the majority of our ancestors and their descendants can still be found.

Spelling variations include: O'Brien, OBrine, O'Brion, O'Bryan, O'Bryen, McBrien, McBrine, Brian, Briand, Briant, Brine, Brines, Briens and many more.

In Newfoundland our ancestors were known as Brien. When they came to the US in the early 1900s they were always known as O'Brien.

Motto: Lamh laidir an Uachtar.

Motto Translated: The strong hand from above.

Crest: An arm holding a sword, issuing from a cloud.