Life-size Fr. Browne statue to be unveiled in Kilbride parish today

A life-size memorial statue of the much-loved Fr Raymond Browne will be unveiled in Four Mile House later today, Sunday.

A much loved and highly regarded priest, the late Fr. Browne was an active participant in community affairs throughout his life.

Fr. Browne, who passed away in November 2020 at the age of 92, spent a total of 34 years in the parish of Kilbride, 29 as parish priest and five as Pastor-Emeritus (or ‘grandfather’) of the parish.

A special Mass, celebrated by the Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran, will take place in St. Brigid’s Church, Fourmilehouse at 12 noon today before the unveiling ceremony. 

“This will be a a fitting tribute to a great man and the incredible support for this project shown by the community is a reflection on how much people loved him,” said Tim Donnelly, chairperson of the Fr Raymond Browne Memorial Committee.

The memorial committee commissioned Feelystone to make the lifesize marble statue of the popular priest, which will be located within the vicinity of St. Brigid’s Church in Fourmilehouse.

The statue will be unveiled by Mary O'Connor from Fourmilehouse and Kathleen Tully from Derrane who were very close friends of the priest.

Bishop Doran will bless the statue along with new public seating, which will be installed close to Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Derrane in memory of Fr. Browne.

“This will be a day of great celebration of his life. We are looking forward to the Bishop’s visit, to the many priests who will be in attendance, and to the community turning out from our parish, surrounding parishes and beyond.

“Fr. Browne would be very happy that the event is on September 8th, the feast day of Our Lady, as he had great devotion to her. This statue will be a lasting monument to a remarkable man,” said Mr Donnelly.

Following the formal ceremony, refreshments will be served in the local community centre.

Earlier this year, a community fundraising drive was launched to raise funds for the statue.

Fr. Browne was born on September 1st, 1928 in Sligo, and served most of his 65 years in County Roscommon.

In April 1986, he became parish priest of Kilbride, spending a total of 34 years there, 29 as parish priest and five as Pastor-Emeritus (or ‘grandfather’) of the parish.

While he was, theoretically, in retirement for the last five years of his life, Fr Ray didn’t know the meaning of the word, and continued to exercise an active pastoral ministry and, like many priests, adapted to the use of modern technology during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before he came to Kilbride, his ministry took him to Drumboylan for 14 years and Roscommon Town for 14 years. Following his ordination, he spent four years in Nigeria. While there, he compiled a catechism which is still being taught in the African country.

After completing his secondary education at Summerhill College, Ray went to St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth in 1947 and, on completion of his formation, was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Elphin in 1954.

Like many newly ordained priests at the time, due to the very large numbers of ordinations for Irish dioceses, Fr Browne spent his first years as a “guest priest” overseas. In his case, it was in Calabar, Nigeria, which must have seemed very far away in the 1950s. He worked in three teacher-training colleges in Uria, Ediene and Anua.

On returning to Ireland in 1958, he was appointed curate at Drumboylan in the parish of Ardcarne, where he remained for 14 years. 

From there, he worked as a curate for the Sacred Heart Parish, Roscommon Town, where he served for another 14 years. His next move was just a short distance – four miles – to Fourmilehouse, in April 1986, when he became parish priest of Kilbride, spending almost 35 years there until his death in 2020.

Though small in stature, Fr Browne had a big heart and this was demonstrated time and time again in his commitment to community development, both in his own parish and far beyond. His interests extended from housing for the elderly to the care of people with disabilities.

He was national chairman of Muintir na Tíre from 1963-1967. He was awarded an Honorary Masters in Community Development from NUIG in 2009. He always took a particular interest in encouraging the active engagement of young people in the life of the parish.

He was a regular participant in the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, and at the age of 90, during one of the hottest summers for many years, he led a pilgrimage from Kilbride to Fatima.

He died following a short illness on November 25th 2020, and following his Funeral Mass celebrated by Bishop Doran, he was laid to rest in the grounds of St Brigid’s Church, Four Mile House.

During Fr Browne’s Funeral Mass, Bishop Doran said that through his 65 years of priestly ministry he had touched the lives of a great many people, often possibly without even knowing it.

“He was a preacher and a sacramental minister, but he had a deep life-long commitment to building community.

“In my own experience of him, Fr Ray had a habit of gliding gently into the middle of a gathering, but you always knew he was there. He was a small man, but a big presence,” said Bishop Doran.

*The committee is still accepting donations for the project. There are several ways to donate: online via idonate.ie/fundraiser/FrRaymondBrowneMemorial, or donations can be handed into the local shop or church, or to any committee member.