Denis Faul
Encyclopedia
The Right Rev. Monsignor Denis O'Beirne Faul (14 August, 1932 – 21 June, 2006), was an Irish
Roman Catholic priest
and civil rights campaigner best known for his role in the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike
. At his death, he held the senior rank of Monsignor
within the Catholic Church.
Born on 14 August 1932 in the village of Louth, County Louth, in the north of the Province of Leinster
, he was the son of Joseph and Anne Frances Faul. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Armagh, and thereafter studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth
, where he was ordained in 1956. After a year studying Theology in Rome
, he joined the staff of St Patrick's Boys' Academy
in Dungannon
, Co Tyrone, to teach Latin
and religion. He was appointed principal in 1983.
in 1968, participating in marches. He protested vigorously against civil rights abuses by the British army
and Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC). He railed against killings perpetrated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA).
He also campaigned for the release of the Birmingham Six
and the Guildford Four and Maguire Seven before their causes became well-known and vindicated.
prison, Monsignor Faul played a decisive role in ending the hunger strike. He tried to persuade families of the Hunger strikers in July 1981 that the campaign would not change the minds of Margaret Thatcher
and her ministers and nothing could be gained by more deaths. The families spoke to the prisoners, resulting in two prisoners (Paddy Quinn
and Pat McKeown) being moved to the hospital wings where they could be fed. By 6 September, four other participants had joined them and the remaining prisoners agreed to end their campaign on 3 October. The IRA referred to him as Dennis the Menace
at this time.
In 1993 he described his role in the hunger strikes for a BBC "Timewatch" documentary
in 1995. This entitled him, henceforth, to be styled the Right Reverend before his name. Following his retirement from the Academy in 1998 he became Parish Priest of neighbouring Termonmaguirc (Carrickmore
). Monsignor Faul died of cancer in Dublin on 21 June 2006, aged 73. Former hunger strikers and prisoners, Republicans and senior members of Sinn Féin
attended the large funeral at St. Colmcille's Church, Carrickmore, many having come to respect the work carried out by Faul over his lifetime.
He criticised integrated education
, insisting that Catholic parents were required by Canon law
to send their children to Catholic schools and also claimed the schools were a "dirty political trick" inspired by the British Government.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and civil rights campaigner best known for his role in the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike
1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
. At his death, he held the senior rank of Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
within the Catholic Church.
Born on 14 August 1932 in the village of Louth, County Louth, in the north of the Province of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
, he was the son of Joseph and Anne Frances Faul. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Armagh, and thereafter studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth is the "National Seminary for Ireland" , and a Pontifical University, located in the village of Maynooth, 15 miles from Dublin, Ireland. The college and seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. The college was officially established as the Royal College...
, where he was ordained in 1956. After a year studying Theology in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he joined the staff of St Patrick's Boys' Academy
St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon
Saint Patrick's Academy , a voluntary grammar school in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, was formed on September 1, 2003 when the two single-sex Saint Patrick's Academies, which coexisted on the same site as two distinct and separate institutions, were merged as one.Founded in 1891, St...
in Dungannon
Dungannon
Dungannon is a medium-sized town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the third-largest town in the county and a population of 11,139 people was recorded in the 2001 Census. In August 2006, Dungannon won Ulster In Bloom's Best Kept Town Award for the fifth time...
, Co Tyrone, to teach Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and religion. He was appointed principal in 1983.
Civil rights movement
Mgr Faul (being known simply as the Rev. Fr. Faul at the time) became actively involved in the Northern Ireland civil rights movementNorthern Ireland Civil Rights Association
The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was an organisation which campaigned for equal civil rights for the all the people in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
in 1968, participating in marches. He protested vigorously against civil rights abuses by the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC). He railed against killings perpetrated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA).
He also campaigned for the release of the Birmingham Six
Birmingham Six
The Birmingham Six were six men—Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker—sentenced to life imprisonment in 1975 in the United Kingdom for the Birmingham pub bombings. Their convictions were declared unsafe and quashed by the Court of...
and the Guildford Four and Maguire Seven before their causes became well-known and vindicated.
Irish hunger strike
In 1981, as the Catholic chaplain of the MazeMaze (HM Prison)
Her Majesty's Prison Maze was a prison in Northern Ireland that was used to house paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from mid-1971 to mid-2000....
prison, Monsignor Faul played a decisive role in ending the hunger strike. He tried to persuade families of the Hunger strikers in July 1981 that the campaign would not change the minds of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
and her ministers and nothing could be gained by more deaths. The families spoke to the prisoners, resulting in two prisoners (Paddy Quinn
Paddy Quinn (Irish republican)
Patrick Quinn was a volunteer with the 1st Battalion, South Armagh Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike.-Early life:...
and Pat McKeown) being moved to the hospital wings where they could be fed. By 6 September, four other participants had joined them and the remaining prisoners agreed to end their campaign on 3 October. The IRA referred to him as Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace (UK)
Dennis the Menace, later called Dennis the Menace and Gnasher and now Dennis and Gnasher, is a long-running comic strip in the British children's comic The Beano, published by D. C...
at this time.
In 1993 he described his role in the hunger strikes for a BBC "Timewatch" documentary
Later life
Father Faul was elevated by the Church to the rank of MonsignorMonsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1995. This entitled him, henceforth, to be styled the Right Reverend before his name. Following his retirement from the Academy in 1998 he became Parish Priest of neighbouring Termonmaguirc (Carrickmore
Carrickmore
Carrickmore is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies in the heart of the county on an raised site colloquially called "The Rock"; between Cookstown, Dungannon and Omagh. It had a population of 612 in the 2001 Census.-History:...
). Monsignor Faul died of cancer in Dublin on 21 June 2006, aged 73. Former hunger strikers and prisoners, Republicans and senior members of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
attended the large funeral at St. Colmcille's Church, Carrickmore, many having come to respect the work carried out by Faul over his lifetime.
He criticised integrated education
Integrated Education
The Integrated education movement in Northern Ireland is an attempt to bring together children, parents and teachers from both Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions: the aim being to provide a balanced education, while allowing the opportunity to understand and respect all cultural and religious...
, insisting that Catholic parents were required by Canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
to send their children to Catholic schools and also claimed the schools were a "dirty political trick" inspired by the British Government.