Item 332 - Br James O'Grady SJ

Born: 18 October 1858, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 05 January 1879, Milltown Park, Dublin
Final Vows: 02 February 1891, Clongowes Wood College SJ
Died: 15 December 1943, Clongowes Wood College, Naas, County Kildare

◆ Fr Francis Finegan : Admissions 1859-1948 - Had a brother a scholastic in the Missouri Mission

◆ Irish Province News
Irish Province News 4th Year No 2 1929
Jubilee :
Br. O'Grady celebrated his Golden Jubilee in the Society on Jan. 10th. He spent 42 out of the 50 years in Clongowes, intimately connected with that important department on which, in great measure the material, and, to some extent, the spiritual progress of a Community depends. On the 10th a big crowd of his Brother friends assembled at Clongowes to wish him many more years of health, holiness and active service.

Irish Province News 19th Year No 2 1944
Obituary :
Brother James J O'Grady SJ (1858-1943)

On December 14th a very peaceful death brought to a fitting end the long and saintly life of Brother O'Grady. He was born in Dublin on the 18th October, 1858, and was educated by the Christian Brothers. After a short time in business he entered the Society at Milltown Park, January 5th, 1879. Immediately after his noviceship he was sent to Clongowes where, with the exception of three years (1895-6 and 1903-5) in St. Ignatius College, Galway, and one year (1896-7) in Tullabeg, he was to spend the rest of his life. He was cook and dispenser there until a couple of years before his death, and during that time it would be impossible to estimate his value to the College, whether as an exemplary religious or an efficient and painstaking official. Those who served under him, cooks and servants, had the highest esteem and regard for him. He was always most courteous and even-tempered in his dealings with them, and always most anxious to help them in every way, and many who afterwards got good positions in hotels and elsewhere owned that they owed their success to what they had learned from Br, O'Grady in Clongowes.
As a religious, Brother O'Grady was a model, being always most regular in his observance of rule, most hardworking and most charitable when speaking of others. Clongowes feels that it has in Br. O'Grady a most eloquent advocate before the throne of the Master whom he served so long and so loyally. R.I.P.

◆ The Clongownian, 1944

Obituary

Brother James O'Grady SJ
In “The Clongownian” of 1910, under “Choir Notes”, there is the following item, dated May 25th : “At 5.30 our less fortunate companions went to the study to discuss wall building with old Balbus or feast on Algebraical factors. We remained below to enjoy the fine menu provided by Br O'Grady. The table was very artistically decorated by Br Brady, who left nothing undone that could conduce to our comfort”.

There is something especially pathetic in this entry of thirty-three years ago, as both those mentioned have this year gone to their reward after lives spent in just those occupations that are mentioned in the entry.

With the exception of four years, Br O'Grady had been continuously in Clongowes from 1882 until his death last December. In spite, however, of that long connection of over sixty years, he was but little known to the boys of the school, though many, at least of the older generation, will remember him on the ice as a graceful and accomplished skater. His work was confined mostly to the kitchen and its environments where he laboured unostentatiously, but most efficiently, during all those years. With the preparation of how many “feeds” he must have been connected! How many enjoyed the good things that he prepared without, perhaps, giving a thought to the hand that had prepared them and the care that had been lavished upon them ! But it was not for the thanks of those who benefited by his work that Br O'Grady laboured. He was a true religious and worked for a Master Who never fails to reward His faithful servants. Clongowes and its interests will be better served by Br O'Grady in heaven even than they were when he lived and worked amongst us.

Br Brady's connection with Clongowes was very much shorter than that of Br O'Grady, but it brought him into closer con tact with the boys, as he was for many years in charge of the refectory. He took a deep interest in them and in everything connected with them, even their games, especially the Line Matches. He possessed a great sense of humour, and a joke was ever ready to his lips.

Many will remember how his answer to the question “What second-course to-day, Brother?” was invariably “Plums”, whether or not these dainties were to appear ! For many years before his death he suffered from deafness, but that did not affect his cheerfulness, nor did even the ill-health of his last few years which he bore with great patience and resignation to the will of God.
May they rest in peace.