James Francis Leahy - Brother Kenelm (painting by K Leahy)
Brother Kenelm was but a small part of the life of Jim Leahy yet it was one he chose to make account of before he died, and for that reason I have documented it in his honour. (Anthony James Leahy Jan 2012)
James Francis Leahy was born in Tipperary Eire in 1926 the first born of Patrick and Margaret Leahy. He entered into the Novitiate in Cork from 1944 to 1945, where he was known as Brother Kenelm.
A certificate exists stating that he entered the Brothers of Charity of his own free will.
Following profession in 1945 he took the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
He was based at Lota from 1946 to 1947, Belmont Park, Waterford and from 1947 to 1948, then at Lota Lodge an annex of Lota.
The gates of the monastery at Lota The Chapel at Lota
He was engaged in a care and teaching capacity both at Lota and Lota Lodge and went to Waterford to study Psychiatric Nursing.
He made an application to Pope Pius X12 for dispensation to be released from his vows when his mother died aged thirty nine. James aged twenty two the oldest of fourteen, felt a need and responsibility to support his family.
He was a member of the order Brothers of Charity who were operating a psychiatric hospital in Belmont Park, Waterford, when Our Lady of Good Counsel, Lota was founded in 1938 as a school catering for children with learning disabilities at the monastery at Lota in Glanmire.
The first patients being in residence at Lota the following year.
The Monks Cells of the monastery at Lota The Chapel at Lota
The motto of the Brothers of Charity is ‘Deus caritas est’, God is Love.
Their mission is ‘caring for people whose human dignity is threatened through disability, age, poverty etc’.
James Francis Leahy relocated to Warwick in England and worked as a nurse for a short time at Hatton near Warwick following on in from his vocation for people with need of Psychiatric care.
He met Yvonne Malin, also employed at Hatton and they were married at Hampton On the hill. They moved to Leamington where they had four children; Margaret, Christopher, Anthony and Walter. They had seven Grand Children, Maria, Tobias, Sonia, Christopher, Amber, Kelly and Adam.
James known as Jim was employed as a foreman at Leamington Spa Plating in the electro plating industry for the majority of his working life.
Left - Patrick, Yvonne, Jim and Brendon Leahy - Centre Patrick, Jim and Margaret Leahy - Right Jim and Yvonne Leahy
In James Francis Leahy's (Jim) Own Words
My name is James Francis Leahy, I was born on 24th August 1926 in a small little town in Ireland called Tipperary. As a young boy I roamed the hills, went to the woods, picked the hurts and sold them on my way home to get enough money for a trip to the seaside at Tramore.
I was educated at the Christian Brothers School on the hills of Tipperary. After passing my primary leaving certificate I worked at Kelly & Company with my father for about a year and a half. During that period I felt a calling to the religious life. I wrote to the Brothers of Charity who were in County Cork. I had an interview with the Novice Master Father Emanuel. The end result was that I was accepted.
I left home February 3rd 1944 and joined the Brothers of Charity as a postulate. Following a six months trial period of prayer and abstinence I was accepted into the initiate, where I received a religious habit in the presence of my mother and father. I entered an enclosed order taking the religious life very seriously. After only a year as a novice I was accepted into, the Brotherhood the Brothers of Charity.
On the 15th August 1945 I took the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for a period of three years. Life was very happy for me then, in prayer to a closed life. Following my act of profession I was sent to Waterford where the brothers educated mentally deficient children. In the capacity of a male nurse. I lived and worked there for twelve months. At the end of that period I was sent to the Brother of charity’s institution for the mentally afflicted at Belmont Park Waterford. It was during that period that my mother who was then thirty nine died. This was a tragedy that I could not face. The great loss of someone I loved so dearly left me very distressed. The end result being that the vocation I cherished, I began to lose.
Eventually I wrote to Pope Pius 12th for dispensation from my vows which through the his Secretary of State Cardinal, was refused in 1947. After a period of six months I again wrote to his holiness for dispensation from of my vows as I felt I couldn’t carry on.
In August 1948 I received word from Rome that I could leave the order which I duly did with much sorrow.
The above is a transcription by Anthony James Leahy from a barely audible audio cassette tape account by James Francis Leahy.
Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely
Tiobrad Arann
Greeted by the breeze
as it fiercely kissed my cheek
I could feel Tiobrad Arann
as it flowed through my veins;
clouds holding back the tears,
offering a much needed
refreshment for life.
Standing on the cup and saucer
breathing in the green
and tasting all it had to offer,
I drank from its well.
Ara had satisfied my need;
whilst cleansing my heart
it gave clarity to my soul,
anointing the continuance
of my journey to Lota.
Lota photographs taken and Tiobrad Araan written by Anthony Leahy in June 2001 (the day of the Killer Whale visit)
Left Patrick Leahy, Margaret Leahy, Maire Leahy, James Francis Leahy (Standing centre) Edmond? Leahy - Right RIP Patrick and Margaret Leahy
Thanks to Brendon Leahy for his hospitality in 2001 and for the above image (Left)
A Single Branch From An Ever Growing Tree
Patrick Leahy - Margaret Leahy (Murphy)
James Francis Leahy - Yvonne Dorothy Leahy (Malin)
Margaret Leahy - Christopher Leahy - Anthony Leahy - Walter Leahy
Maria Leahy - Sonia Leahy Christopher Leahy - Tobias Leahy Amber Leahy - Kelly Leahy Adam Leahy
(Maria) Keshia, Jordon, Amie, Jack - (Sonia) Laura - (Chris) Connor, Max - (Tobias) Luna - (Kelly) Shannon, Luke, Matthew - (Adam) Thomas, Skye
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Poetry Anthony Leahy |
Paintings Anthony Leahy |
Art & Photography Anthony Leahy |
A Major Arcana Kathleen Forrest |
The Drumroom Anthony Leahy |
Rediscovering the Gelatine Factory Introduction |
The Gelatine Factory A comprehensive account 1899 from Round About Warwick
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George Nelson |
Nelson's Emscote Mills 2009
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T B Dale |
Charles Nelson's Cement Works at Stockton |
The Nelson Brothers |
William Nelson |
George H Nelson |
Sir E Montague Nelson |
A Visit to Messrs. G. Nelson, Dale & Co. 1880
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Nelson Works Tomoana New Zealand |
Guy Montague Nelson |
Nelson Village Charles St, Warwick |
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The Lawn at Emscote
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Nelson's Lozenges packaging & adds |
Nelson's Club |
Isinglass Wars Swinborne v Nelson |
Nelson's 1950's Warwick Advertiser account 1953
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Descendants of George Nelson |
George Wyatt A city trade jubilee
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Nelson's Heritage Walk |
Gelatine and its uses |
Davis Gelatine |
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SMITH V NELSON 1904-5
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Home Comforts |
Mary Hooper
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Mary Hooper Letters |
Mary Hooper Book Collection |
Nelson's Home Comforts Mary Hooper |
Wives and Housewives Mary Hooper |
Little Dinners Mary Hooper |
Cookery for Invalids Mary Hooper |
Every Day Meals Mary Hooper |
Hints on Cookery Mary Hooper |
Good Plain Cookery Mary Hooper |
Handbook for the Breakfast Table Mary Hooper |
Weekly Telegraph Cookery Book Mary Hooper |
Our Dog Prin Mary Hooper |
Ways & Tricks of Animals Mary Hooper |
Lily's Letters from the Farm Mary Hooper |
Charles Wentworth Wass |
Round About Warwick |
Fleur De Lys The Pie Factory at Emscote |
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Nelson Story In Brief |
Nelsons Story DVD |
Cookery & Home Comforts Mrs Wigley |
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Poetry Anthony Leahy |
Paintings Anthony Leahy |
Art & Photography Anthony Leahy |
A Major Arcana Kathleen Forrest |
The Drumroom Anthony Leahy |
3 The Butts
Sky Blue Heaven