By Julieanne Doorley & David Lynch
Fr. Paddy, tell us a little about your background?
I was born in Limerick city in October 1944. I’ve two sisters, one of whom is a nun in Limerick and the other is married and living in Dublin. My mother was a Limerick woman and, my father was from Kilkenny. I was an altar boy in the Redemptorist church near my home and that brought me into contact with many priests whom I admired. So I went to a seminary and I was ordained in 1970. After that I was sent to the Philippines. When my mother died in 1976 I came back and settled into working as a priest in Ireland. I had a few different jobs before getting involved fulltime with Travellers.
Did you come across Travellers before you became a Priest?
The only contact I had with Travellers in my school-going years was when they’d come to our door at home. But when I was in the seminary in the late 1960s I used to go out on placement to a Traveller camp on the Southside. That was my first real introduction to Travellers.
What was it like for you at the beginning?
My goodness, it seems so long ago now! In the very early 80s I got to know Sr. Patricia from St Joseph’s Training Centre in Finglas. When I got permission to work with Travellers Sr. Patricia kindly offered me a job. Through the girls centre in Finglas and the boys centre in Glasnevin I gradually began to get to know Travellers right across the Northside.
What have you enjoyed most about working With Travellers?
‘Enjoy’ is the right word because I’ve really enjoyed the past 24 years with Travellers- and please God it’ll continue that way! I see it as a great privilege to be able to be with people and share so closely in the high and low points of their lives. That’s why celebrating baptisms, weddings, funerals, people at home, in hospital or in visiting prison, supporting people in times of personal crisis and all that are things that I value. As well as that certain things stand out through the years as particularly satisfying for me. One has been my time in the Finglas and Glasnevin Training Centres. And then you had the National Travellers Pilgrimages of the late 80s and early 90s. Another thing that I got great enjoyment from was the all-Travellers Gaelic Football team we had here on the Northside in the 90s.
Many People call you the ‘Traveller Priest’. How do you feel when you are called that?
I’m quite happy about it really. Except I wouldn’t like people to think that I’m the only priest working with Travellers. I know there are lots of other priests around the country who have great time for Travellers and do great work. So I’m not the only one!
Is it good to have priests working fulltime with Travellers?
Yes I think it is. Needless to say I’d love to see some Traveller men becoming priests but until that happens Travellers will have to put up with the likes of me! By and large Travellers have great time for the priest. But a lot of priests don’t really understand Travellers or their ways that well. To do that you need to spend time with Travellers, get to know their customs, issues and concerns.
What, if any, are the particular religious needs that the Traveller community have in contrast with the settled community?
Travellers, I believe, should get involved in the church or parish where they live. But I think there are times when Travellers should be encouraged to worship in ways more appropriate to their culture. And there are specific needs that the ordinary priest taken up with parish duties may not have time for or may not understand the value it holds for Travellers. Things like the months mind, anniversary mass, the blessing of the graves, specific pre-marriage courses, group pilgrimages, blessings, funeral services for babies and the like.
Are there things you will not do as a priest working with Travellers?
I have the best of time for Travellers but there are things that I just couldn’t go along with. Just take for example the feuds that divide Travellers and poison the minds of children and young people especially. Or take the drug culture that is destroying so many individual Travellers and ruining families. Things like that are wrong and Travellers are beginning to face up to that. As for things I won’t do! Well I will not marry anyone under the age of 18. To decide to get married is a huge decision and I believe that most of those under 18 are not really ready or mature enough yet to make that decision. Anyway that’s the rule here in Dublin and I agree with it.
In your experience, has the role of the Catholic faith changed within the Travelling community in the same way as it has with the settled community?
Oh, I think it has- but not as much as in the settled community. I think Travellers still have a good sense of God- even though it’s weakening among the younger ones. And I often think there is a big gap between their belief and the way they live their ordinary lives. But then that’s not specific to Travellers. And I know some fantastic Travellers out there who have a very deep faith, a faith that has impressed me greatly and strengthened my own.
And what of the future for you?
I’ve made so many friends over the years. I know my energy isn’t the same as it was 24 years ago but I hope to go on working with Travellers as long as I’m able and as long as Travellers are able to put up with me!
