Remembering Diarmuid O Casaide, Howth (from Louth)
(RIP 14/11/2020)
Diarmuid was a noble gentleman.
A duine uasal
Good at the Irish and the singing.
Full of wisdom about our ancient culture
and full of stories and sayings.
full of soul and prayer
and with a kind heart and a cheerful manner.
A great family man.
I enjoyed playing music with him for Charlie Mc Dermott
He blew a mean harmonica.
Ceart go leor
Eamon Doogue Remembered
(21/9/2017)
I really did not know Eamon very well
but he was always at the RDS Divine Mercy Conferences
and Sr Briege’s big Masses in Phibsboro.
I really only bumped into him.
But he was always cheerful. A gentleman.
With a soft and crinkly face and smiling eyes.
And i remember his beautiful playing of the violin.
I always felt i had a friend in Eamon.
In prayer and in faith-filled music.
God, he stuck it well.
A great ad for the healing power of spiritual songs.
He never missed a Conference until he was well into his 90’s.
The stuff of legends. Dublin legends.
Carlow legends.
(You can see Eamon with Br Aloysius in the photo of one of the first Conferences. I am only 30 years old in this photo)
Brother Mary Aloysius C.S.S.P.
(Andrew Montgomery- September 23rd 1926- May 31st 2005)
From 1992, the very first conference, to 2003, Br. Aloysius helped greatly in the work of the Annual Divine Mercy conference in the RDS, Dublin, in the careful preparation of the adoration chapel and in liturgical services.
He was based for many years at Blackrock college where he was sacristan as well as heroically helping the older, more feeble members of the Spiritan community. He previously had served as bursar and was in charge of staff.
He loved Our Lady deeply and loved to pray very, very much.
Like his young patron saint, St Aloysius, he cared especially for humility, charity, chastity and penance. He was concerned very much about young people today and was well aware of their real difficulties and temptations these days.
He did not care what anyone thought of him. He pursued his own rigorous program of lots of prayer, sacrifices, fasting and hard work regardless of those who saw this as excessive. He suffered much misunderstanding from people because he refused to compromise his own highly dedicated way of life and devotion. This constant rejection never deterred him, however.
He stood up to be counted on pro-life issues. He promoted devotion to the Two Hearts and True Life in God and the Rosary, Fatima and Medugorje.
He struck one as always cheerful and joyful with a boyish sense of humour.
Everyone loved him but his high expectations of personal holiness made it a little uncomfortable to be with him. It was like being in a sauna to be near him. Cleansing and very refreshing but a little too hot to bear!
It broke his heart when people did not live up to Gospel standards as he so wanted to please Our Lady and felt keenly her sorrow at sin and ungratefulness.
He had the ability to laugh at little human weaknesses and enjoyed poking fun at the pretentious. His spiritual individuality made him popular with many because he was like a breath of fresh air. He was a character. He had good friends and was a good friend to many. The death of his friend Fr. Michael O’Carroll, a member of the Blackrock community and brilliant Marian theologian, really knocked the stuffing out of him in 2004.
It would be easy to give examples of his exceptional acts of virtue but the main thing about him was his beautiful love of Mary and of Jesus in the Eucharist. He spent hours and hours in Adoration. His last call to me was to console us about Chris O’Dowd, our beloved head steward from Balgaddy, who died just before him
His devotion to the Divine Mercy left him with little fear of judgement. As he said himself, he looked forward to running up to his Mother Mary and embracing her forever.
“Unless you change and become like a little child…” (Matthew 18:3)
Br Aloysius is dressed in white in the photo
Br Aloysius was a legend.
Following is a tribute to him
Mercy Our Mission 