TN-CATE-0671

Record Date: 
12 August 2013
Graveyard: 
Church Avenue
Exact wording of epitaph: 

IN LOVING MEMORY

OF

REV. LOUIS GLEESON

BORN CLONOULTY 1925

ORDAINED MAYNOOTH 1950

C.C. 1950-'56

WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND

C.C. 1936-'66

DRANGAN TIPPERARY

C.C. 1966-'77 TEMPLEMORE

DIED NOVEMBER 27TH 1977

Memorial Type: 
Headstone
Grave location
County: 
Tipperary
Latitude: 
52.795356388889
Longitude: 
-7.8276863888889
Number of people commemorated: 
1
People commemorated: 
Title: 
REV.
Name: 
LOUIS
Surname: 
GLEESON
Date of birth - year: 
1925
Date of death - day: 
27
Date of death - month: 
November
Date of death - year: 
1977
Address: 
TEMPLEMORE
Notes: 

Father Gleeson is fondly remembered in Templemore. He was a devoted priest and had a great interest in church liturgy. His visitation of homes, hospitals, schools and the Garda College was one of the hallmarks of his ministry. He visited businesses and factories and other workplaces in his efforts to know his flock. His trusty bicycle was his main mode of transport. He was a man of boundless energy who gave of his organisational ability to many clubs and societies in the town. He was instrumental in founding a Liturgy Group, The Legion of Mary, Clonmore Choir,  Boy Scouts and Cubs, Girl Guides and Brownies, The Templemore Mentally Handicapped Association and the Senior Citizens' Committee. He introduced the Community Games to Templemore and was the first chairman of the Senior Athletic Club. He was keenly interested in Killea Comhaltas and was actively involved in Killea Macra na Feirme.

Many of Templemore emigrants appreciated 'Whisperings', a monthly newsletter, first  published by Fr. Gleeson in 1968. He had reporters in all quarters of the parish and he himself meticulously compiled each edition. It was eagerly awaited by parishioners and  over 420 copies were sent to former parishioners in all corners of the world.

A lasting memorial to Father Gleeson was his work on  the preservation of the ruins of the old church and moated graveyard in the town park. He with his dedicated crew of workers and advisors resurrected this iconic Teampall Mor from a tangled mass of briars and stones to some semblance of its former glory.