Death of well-known Inishowen priest
Community sadness at passing of Fr. Kieran McIvor
There was widespread sorrow in Inishowen following news of the death of Fr. Kieran McIvor in South Africa earlier this month.
Fr. McIvor was a member of the well-known Inishowen McIvor family who have connections in Burnfoot, Muff, Derry and Dublin.
Originally from the Quigley’s Point area, he died in Durban on August 9 after a short illness.
He was buried last week after Funeral Mass in the Church of the Resurrection, Byranston in Johannesburg on Monday, August 18.
Fr. McIvor, who was in his 94th year, was a member of the Passionist Brethren and had been based in South Africa from soon after his ordination.
He always maintained his links with Inishowen however and returned to Ireland every year until his ninetieth year when the journey simply became too much for him.
On his visits home he would first visit the Passionists in Dublin then hire a car and travel around Inishowen visiting his extensive family connections.
A big-hearted cleric, he did a lot of charity work in South Africa and set up his own charity, channelling money from this part of the world directly to needy projects in South Africa and Botswana.
He is survived by his sister Marie (Murphy), his brothers Sean (formerly proprietor of the Foot Inn in Burnfoot) and Neil, and his numerous and much-loved nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and a wide circle of friends in Ireland and in Africa.
He will also be sorely missed by his Passionist Brethren, both here in Ireland and in South Africa.
A Memorial Mass for Fr. Kieran McIvor will be celebrated at St. Columba’s Church, Drung, Quigley’s Point on Saturday, September 27 at 11.00am.
