John Creagh
Encyclopedia
John Creagh was an Irish Redemptorist priest who is best known for delivering anti-Semitic sermons in Limerick in 1904 which led to riots against the small Jewish population in the city.
In 1906, in the Philippines where he had been sent as a missionary, he had a nervous breakdown. A year later he was posted to Wellington. By 1914, he was in Australia and, in May 1916, when he was rector of the Redemptorist monastery in Perth
and when the German Pallotine missionaries had been interned, was appointed vicar apostolic at Broome
in the Kimberley region. He was parish priest at Bunbury
(1923-5), Pennant Hills (1926–30) and Waratah
where he suffered a stroke. After recovering from the stroke, he spent the rest of his life conducting retreats and preaching. He died at a monastery in Wellington.
While at Broome, Creagh and his brother acted against the white-oriented racial politics of Western Australia. In 1915, A. O. Neville
, Chief Protector of Aborigines argued that the Catholic mission at Lombadina should be closed because the property of 20,000 acres (8100 hectares) belonged to a Filipino
from Manila
, Thomas Puertollano, who was married to an Aboriginal woman and was technically employing the Aborigines. This was a breach of regulations as ‘Asiatics are not allowed to employ Aborigines’. When Creagh was appointed to the Kimberley region, his brief included safeguarding the mission from threats from the Department of Aborigines and Fisheries and Immigration. Creagh’s brother and a partner bought the land for £1100 and the lease was transferred from Puertollano to Creagh’s brother. Creagh thought highly of Puertollano, writing that he was "a man to whom I am under the greatest obligations. He was the former owner of Lombadina and for years he kept the Mission there going".
Creagh officially opened and blessed the Church of Christ the King in Beagle Bay, south of Lombadina, on the feast of the Assumption in August 1918. He was also involved in supporting the work of the St John of God Sisters in the Broome area. He obtained regular salaries for the Sisters at the Japanese Hospital and had the Sisters put on the staff of the District Hospital where they undertook night duty. Creagh also built a beach house for the Sisters at Broome, located a few miles from town where there was a good water supply. A vegetable garden was planted and goats and poultry were kept, tended by a family from Lombadina. This small farm enterprise helped to supply the convent with fresh produce. In the early 1920s, before leaving Broome, Creagh authorised the Sisters to launch an appeal to purchase more land and build a new convent.
In 1906, in the Philippines where he had been sent as a missionary, he had a nervous breakdown. A year later he was posted to Wellington. By 1914, he was in Australia and, in May 1916, when he was rector of the Redemptorist monastery in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and when the German Pallotine missionaries had been interned, was appointed vicar apostolic at Broome
Broome, Western Australia
Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
in the Kimberley region. He was parish priest at Bunbury
Bunbury, Western Australia
The port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
(1923-5), Pennant Hills (1926–30) and Waratah
Waratah, New South Wales
Waratah is a north-western residential suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district and bounded on the north by the Main North line. Waratah station was opened in 1858 and is served by CityRail's Hunter line.- History :Waratah was once a major...
where he suffered a stroke. After recovering from the stroke, he spent the rest of his life conducting retreats and preaching. He died at a monastery in Wellington.
While at Broome, Creagh and his brother acted against the white-oriented racial politics of Western Australia. In 1915, A. O. Neville
A. O. Neville
Auber Octavius Neville was a public servant, notably Chief Protector of Aborigines, in Western Australia.-Early career:...
, Chief Protector of Aborigines argued that the Catholic mission at Lombadina should be closed because the property of 20,000 acres (8100 hectares) belonged to a Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Thomas Puertollano, who was married to an Aboriginal woman and was technically employing the Aborigines. This was a breach of regulations as ‘Asiatics are not allowed to employ Aborigines’. When Creagh was appointed to the Kimberley region, his brief included safeguarding the mission from threats from the Department of Aborigines and Fisheries and Immigration. Creagh’s brother and a partner bought the land for £1100 and the lease was transferred from Puertollano to Creagh’s brother. Creagh thought highly of Puertollano, writing that he was "a man to whom I am under the greatest obligations. He was the former owner of Lombadina and for years he kept the Mission there going".
Creagh officially opened and blessed the Church of Christ the King in Beagle Bay, south of Lombadina, on the feast of the Assumption in August 1918. He was also involved in supporting the work of the St John of God Sisters in the Broome area. He obtained regular salaries for the Sisters at the Japanese Hospital and had the Sisters put on the staff of the District Hospital where they undertook night duty. Creagh also built a beach house for the Sisters at Broome, located a few miles from town where there was a good water supply. A vegetable garden was planted and goats and poultry were kept, tended by a family from Lombadina. This small farm enterprise helped to supply the convent with fresh produce. In the early 1920s, before leaving Broome, Creagh authorised the Sisters to launch an appeal to purchase more land and build a new convent.
External links
- Ann Dolan, Irish Lives: John Creagh, Irish Times, 17 April 2010
- Catholic Diocese of Broome
- Deborah Ruiz Wall, "The Pigram Brothers: a top Aboriginal band talk about their Filipino heritage", Kasama 21(2), April 2007
- Regina Ganter, "Mixed Relations: Asian Aboriginal Contact in North Australia", University of Western Australia Press, ISBN 1920694412, 2006
- Dampier Peninsula Parish
- Heritage Council of Western Australia, Register: St John of God Convent (fmr), Broome, 26 August 2009