Paddy Ferry Remembers his friend Fr Brian Logue RIP
There has been great sadness both at home in Donegal and here in Scotland since the announcement by the Diocese of Motherwell last Sunday that Fr. Brian Logue had sadly died. Brian was a friend whom I had known since I was a child and one of the finest priests I have ever known. He was a native of Kincasslagh, just a few miles from my home townland of Keadue, and he was ordained to the priesthood on 4th June 1961 in Wexford. He had studied for the priesthood in St. Peter’s Seminary in Wexford.
I remember well as a child on 4th June 1961 how we all gathered to welcome the new Fr. Logue home to Kincasslagh. Two bands from the parish also turned out to greet him, the Mallaghduff Band and the Keadue Band from my own townland. Welcoming home newly ordained priests was such a big thing in those days. I was the child triangle player in the Keadue Band.
Though Brian spent all his priestly life serving the people in the Diocese of Motherwell, he would always return home to Kincasslagh for his summer holidays. He would celebrate Mass in our local parish church, St. Mary’s Kincasslagh and, my God! what a breath of fresh air he always was. He could always relate the gospel of the day to everyday life. I think this must have been a new experience for me and I found it inspirational. Since then that has always been my benchmark for a good homily/sermon.
Though he would spend all of his priestly ministry serving the people in various parishes in the Diocese of Motherwell, he became most closely identified with the parish of St. Francis Xavier in Carfin where he was parish priest from 1985 until 1996 and Brian became very closely identified with the Carfin Grotto. My friend, Fr. Jim McGarry, a Salesian, who was parish priest here in St. Paul’s in Edinburgh, once told me how he had served his local parish in Motherwell as an altar boy when he was a child and Brian was the assistant priest – I don’t think they use the term curate over here – and Fr. Tom Winning was the parish priest.
At the Silver Jubilee celebration of Brian’s ordination in Motherwell, Tom, now Cardinal Winning speaking in tribute, referred to Brian as the finest priest he had ever known.
Despite spending most of his life in Scotland he would always feel close to his Donegal roots and Donegal culture and traditions. He often referred to his Keadue ancestry. His maternal grandfather, Andy Óg Sharkey was a Keadue man and, in fact, had his home next door to our family homestead.
Marching bands have been a part of Donegal tradition and culture and in the Rosses flute bands, in particular, have played a major role in our musical tradition. Our local Keadue Flute Band was formed in 1888 and as part of its centenary year celebrations in 1988 we decided to research the history of the band and we then published a book, The Story of the Keadue Band 1888-1988.
I asked Brian if he would share his memories of the band as an exile by writing an epilogue to the book and he told me that he would be honoured to do so. I now share Brians memories of the Keadue Band.
The Diocese of Motherwell has now announced the funeral arrangements for the late Fr. Logue.
The Requiem Mass will take place at 12.30 pm on Friday, November 6th
in St. Francis Xavier’s Church in Carfin.
Fr. Logue’s remains will be received at the beginning of Mass.
Mourners will then leave for Donegal on Saturday morning
and on Sunday, November 8th, Mass will be celebrated
in St. Mary’s, Kincasslagh at 10.00am
followed by interment in the church graveyard
where Fr. Logue will be laid to rest with his parents.
May his soul rest in the peace of the Lord.