| Dr. John J. Ahern |
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The "Catholic Advocate," Brisbane, of Saturday, March 9th, contains interesting obituary notices of
Dr. John Ahern, whose demise recently at Gympie, Australia, occasioned very deep and general regret in this, his native, county. It
reproduces a copy of the illuminated address presented to him by the priests and people of Carrignavar on the occasion of his departure
for Australia with his wife, nee Miss K. Barry, of Gympie, Australia. In speaking of this address the Gympie correspondent of the "Advocate"
says :—Before leaving Ireland the doctor was presented by the people of Carrignavar and Glenville with a strikingly handsome and
beautifully illuminated address, which, mounted in a rich, massive frame, occupied a prominent place in his surgery at Gympie. He was known
to be very proud of this token of esteem, which includes photos of the doctor and Mrs. Ahern, Blarney Castle, and Blackrock Castle, and
signed by James Canon Hegarty, P.P., John O'Leary, P.P., and several other representatives of the people there at the time.
Dr. Ahern was an out and out lover of his native land, and was always a prominent figure whenever there was a question of advancing
the cause he loved. When the Irish delegates, some few months ago, Messrs. Redmond and Donovan, were in Gympie, it was in his home
that they experienced that joyous hospitality that he was delighted to extend to them. How dear he was to people of his adopted town may
be gathered from the vast concourse of all creeds and classes that followed his funeral. The Church, too, by every visible expression of
sorrow, paid all respects to the mortal body once so full of life and energy.
Dr. Ahern was a man of splendid physique and of a kindly disposition, that won the esteem and affection of those who knew him. His
nature was generous and his manner straightforward, his mind aimed at lofty ideals. He loved sport for the sake of sport, and saw that
recreation must share in the life of a hard-worked professional man. With great promise before him of a brilliant career, it will be said that
it was hard to leave this world at the early age of 42, but he never complained and the strong constitution seemed during his last illness to
assert itself and grapple even with the inexorable angel of death.
The "Gympie Times" says—Since 1903 he practiced his profession in Gympie and by his skill quickly earned a high reputation as being
a man of wide knowledge and great ability. His sterling qualities of heart and mind likewise made him a good citizen, and in healthy, manly
sport his patronage, advice and assistance were ever available. From these facts it will be patent that his loss to the general community
will be greatly felt, but by none will his loss be so greatly felt as the Catholic and Irish people and Irish descendants, by whom he was held in
particular respect. In matters of faith and fatherland he was staunch, sincere and practical. When the Irish envoys were recently here, they
remarked that in their tour of Australia they had found no more hospitable, large-hearted, sincere advocate of Irish Nationalism than the
doctor. Quiet spoken but genial, kind in heart and charitable in deed, the doctor's familiar commanding figure will be sadly missed from the
community, and his untimely demise will cause sorrow in many homes where his professional skill and personal kindness had given hope and
health to the afflicted and relief to the distressed. To the grief-stricken wife and two children, who mourn the loss of an affectionate husband
and father, the sympathy of the community is extended. |
| THE CLERGY'S TRIBUTE |
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| At the 8 o'clock Mass the Rev. Father Horan, P.P., made announcements regarding the obsequies, and in asking the prayers
of the congregation for the soul of Dr. Ahern, referred to his memory. Dr. Ahern, continued the Rev. Father, was very good natured, and
good hearted, a practical Catholic, a man of great faith, who openly professsed his religion, and an Irishman who took a pride in his
nationality, and he well deserved the honour which is being shown. At the 11 o'clock Mass the Rev Father P. Murphy also made very kindly
reference to the deceased doctor. |
| THE FUNERAL |
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The church bell was tolled at 3 o'clock, when already there was a large number of people there. The Rev. Father Horan briefly
addressed the people; the Rosary was recited, and after the blessing and incensing of the remains, the coffin was carried through the
church, the sad strains of the Dead March in Saul being played on the organ. Lined then on either side of the walk from the main
entrance were the members of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic benefit society to the number of 120 in reglia, who subsequently took
their places in the lead of the funeral procession of the deceased, who was a member of the society. Following these came the priest in a
buggy immediately preceding the hearse, following which was an immense procession of footmen, then vehicles of every description, and
horsemen bringing up the rear. The chief mourners were the late doctor's wife, son, and daughter, and his only other relative in Australia,
a first cousin, Mr. J. J. Ahern
It was an immense concourse of people, fully representative of all sections of the community, which althogether showed unmistakeable
evidence of the respect and esteem in which the deceased was held, and which was all the more marked by the fact that heavy rain fell
all day, and continued throughout the course of the funeral procession to
the Two-Mile Cemetery, and throughout the burial service, at which
the Rev. Father Murphy officiated. The floral tributes were very numerous. |
| THE ENVOY'S VISIT TO GLYMPIE — DR. AHERN'S HOSPITALITY |
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On Sunday, September 24th, last year, two of the Irish envoys, Messrs Redmond and Donovan, visited Glympie to unveil the
monument to the late John Flood, of Chester Castle fame. The envoys, unfortunately, missed the early morning train to Gympie on the
Saturday, and taking the afternoon train they did not arrive in Gympie till midnight. Although it was so late in the year, it was a fairly bleak
night, but there were at that hour patriotic Irishmen present at the station in hundreds to give Ireland's representatives a cead mile failthe.
One stalwart, massive, athletic form stood out prominently in the crowd as the envoys alighted and received from the big-bodied and big
hearted man a grip that told them that it was no sham patriotism which caused the proud gleam in his kindly eye as he towered over the
visitors. That man was the genial Dr. Ahern, and to-day it is hard to believe that he is no more.
The visitors were driven in motors to the city, where a welcome repast was prepared by a worthy hostess. The chair at that function was
taken by Mr. O'Connor, who has received the highest honour which the Hibernians of Southern Queensland can confer on a confrere—that
is the district presidency. Dr. Ahern was one of the group, and there was no happier man present than that genial Corkman. His words of
welcome came from him quietly and simply, and it was evident that he was thrilled with patriotic feeling at having the privilege of assisting at
the welcome to his country's young ambassadors.
Before the little gathering dispersed Dr. Ahern invited the visitors to dine with him on the following evening at his happy home "Glengariff."
The kindly manner of invitation was irresistable, and when the envoys attended at his house they were overwhelmed with hospitality. The
"Glengariff" which nestles at the foot of the Sugarloaf in the west of County Cork never saw greater warmth of hospitality than that
bestowed on Ireland's envoys by Dr. Ahern and his good wife in "Glengariff" on Gympie Goldfield. The place was decorated in honour of the
visitors. The menu cards were souvenirs which shall long be treasured by those who were fortunate enough to receive an invitation. They were
hand-painted with exquisite taste. The frontpiece of one in the possession of the writer is marked by the Australian coat-of-arms with a border
of shamrocks and bears the motto "Australia helps the Old Land in her noble fight for freedom." That was a memorable night in the happy
home of a patriotic exile, and now that death has thrown its shadow there none will feel more poignant grief than the Irish envoys.
In writing an appreciation of the late Cardinal Moran for the "Catholic Advocate," Dr. Ahern said, "The grand old oak has withered at last."
To-day a stalwart young oak has been snapped off unexpectedly. We can ill afford to lose men of his stamp. Australian soil has enfolded
the remains of many a fine man from Cork. Close by John Flood and Dr. John J. Ahern are sleeping their last long sleep. May their souls
rest in peace. |
| — The Cork Examiner 24 April 1912 |
|
