Seventieth anniversary of Westmeath man martyred in Korea
Saturday marked the 70th anniversary of a Westmeath man martyred in Korea.
Fr Patrick Reilly, a Columban priest born in Drumraney, died on August 29 1950
The website of the Columban Order states that he was killed by Korea soldiers near Mukho, his parish, not far south of the border.
States the website: “He had gone to hide in the house of a catechist on June 28 or 29, when the North Korean army occupied Mukho. The catechist’s house was about 5 miles northwest of the town.
“After 26 days the North Koreans discovered Paddy’s whereabouts. He was arrested and taken to the police station in Mukho. The exact details of his death are unknown. His body was found on a mountain path by an old man gathering wood. He had been shot through the chest.
“Paddy was 35 years old.”
Born on October 21 1915, Paddy was educated in Drumraney NS from 1920-1929, and St Finian’s College, Mullingar, from 1929-1934.
He joined the Columban Order at Dalgan Park in 1934 and was ordained there 1940.
Between n1941 and 1946, Fr Paddy did pastoral work in the diocese of Clifton, England before being posted to Korea from 1947.
He is buried at Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral , Gangwon-do, South Korea/.
Seven Irish Columban Fathers were killed during the Korean War, and in 2013 a monument was unveiled in Korea honouring their memory and that of an Irish Anglican missionary sister who also died there.
Among the seven there was also a young Roscommon priest, Fr John O’Brien who was killed in Taejon on September 24 at the age of just 31.
Born in Donamon, Co Roscommon (Elphin diocese) on December 1 1918 and educated at Kilalla NS 1924-1925; Ballinrobe NS 1925-1931; St Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen 1931-1936, he then went to Dalgan where he was ordained in 1942.
Fr O’Brien served as a British Army chaplain 1943-1948 and went to Korea in 1949.
He was taken into custody with two other Irish Columans attached to the Columban Mission in Mokpo, in the south of the country. According to the Columban Order, they were taken to Taejon prison and are presumed to have perished in the general massacre of prisoners there on the night of September 24 1950. Their bodies were never found.
https://columbans.ie/about-us/columban-martyrs/