Dossier 18 - Letter Book

John Moynihan, the son of Thomas and Mary Moynihan, was born on 24 November 1900 in Castlegregory, County Kerry. He was educated at Aughacasla National School (eight years) and at St. Brendan’s Seminary, Killarney (four years) and he matriculated in June 1918. He studied at All Hallows College in Dublin from October 1918 to March 1919. He joined the Irish Capuchin Franciscans in September 1920 taking the religious name of Senan. He took his final vows in 1925 and he was ordained a priest in 1928. Shortly after his ordination in 1928 he was appointed editor of ‘The Father Mathew Record’, a popular monthly publication of the Irish Capuchins which promoted the Order’s overseas’ missions (particularly in Africa) and carried articles supporting the cause of total abstinence. Fr. Senan strove to create a higher grade, more literary publication. He was acquainted with many well-known Irish writers and artists and he secured permission from the Order’s leadership to publish an ‘Annual’ in 1930. ‘The Capuchin Annual’ was published from 1930 to 1977. The publication was very much the work of Fr. Senan and he remained its editor until 1954. In 1955 a decision was made at the Capuchin Provincial Chapter to remove Fr. Senan from the editorship of the ‘Annual’. Soon afterwards he travelled to Perth at the invitation of Archbishop Redmond Prendiville (1900-1968), a fellow Kerry man. Fr. Francis Moynihan, a brother of Fr. Senan, had also been resident in Australia and was parish priest of St. John’s, Clifton Hill, in Melbourne. Fr. Francis was also the editor of ‘The Advocate’, a leading Catholic newspaper in Australia. Fr. Senan arrived in Perth in 1959. He was incardinated into the Perth Archdiocese on 1 April 1959 (as a diocesan priest having left the Capuchin Order). On arrival he took up a position as chaplain to religious sisters at St Anne’s Hospital, Mt Lawley (now Mercy Hospital). He did not, however, act as a chaplain to the patients. Archbishop Redmond Prendiville appointed him the first archivist of the Archdiocese of Perth in July 1962. Fr. Senan died in Perth on 26 July 1970. He is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth.

He was born in Kilmichael in County Cork, Ireland on 14 July 1858. After graduating at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Cohalan was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Cork on 25 July 1882. His first pastoral appointment was a curate at Kilbrittain, County Cork from October 1883 to January 1884. He briefly resumed his post-graduate studies at St Finbarr's Seminary (now College), Cork from January to November 1884. His second curacy was at Tracton, County Cork from November 1884 to September 1896. Cohalan returned to St. Patrick's College, Maynooth as a professor of Theology from 7 September 1896 to 7 June 1914.

He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cork and Titular Bishop of Vaga on 25 May 1914. Cohalan was consecrated bishop at St Mary and St Anne's Cathedral on 7 June 1914 by John Harty, Archbishop of Cashel-Emly. Two years later, he was appointed Diocesan Bishop of Cork on 29 August 1916.

Cohalan was an outspoken critic during the Irish War of Independence, condemning acts of violence on both sides. In particular, he denounced the policy of reprisals. In July 1920, he pronounced an interdict on the killers of an RIC sergeant, shot dead in the church porch in Bandon. He declared that anyone killing from ambush would be excommunicated. On 12 December 1920, Cohalan, issued a decree saying that "anyone within the diocese of Cork who organises or takes part in ambushes or murder or attempted murder shall be excommunicated". In turn, his life was threatened by the IRA. In August 1928, he condemned the British government which had allowed Terence McSwiney to die on hunger-strike in 1920.

He died in office at Bon Secours Hospital, Cork on 24 August 1952, aged 94 years old.

Originally buried at St Finbarr's College, Farranferris, he was reinterred in the grounds of St Mary and St Anne's Cathedral, Cork in 1996.

His nephew of the same name, Daniel Cohalan, was Bishop of Waterford and Lismore from 1943 to 1965.