Henry Feeney

Henry "Harry" Feeney (4 March 1889 - 15 April 1945), was an Irish priest and nationalist.

Biography
Feeney was a native of Twomileditch in the parish of Castlegar, outside Galway. He was ordained a priest in 1914 and was serving as curate of Clarenbridge at the time of Easter Rising of 1916. An associate of Liam Mellowes, Feeney wrote to his parish priest stating that he was resigning to become chaplain for the volunteers.

Clarenbridge April 25th - 16

Dear Fr. Tully

I am going as a chaplin to the Volunteers force. Kindly attended the sick and all ... in my absence. I shall let you known in time if I can be back for Sunday mass.

Yours ...

H. Feeney Fr. Feeney joined the volunteers and was present when the took Moyode Castle. He was still present when Father Tom Fahy (professor at Maynooth and later at UCG) brought news of the failure of the rebellion in Dublin. The brigade broke up, its leaders going on the run. Feeney hid at the Redemptorist monastery at Esker, Athenry; after a few weeks travelling overland he arrived at the Cistercian monastery at Roscrea. A warrant for his arrest was issued at Gort on 19 May 1916.

Feeney's health was not good, so Fr. Fahy made a personal appeal to General MacCready to pardon Feeney. This was granted, and he moved to Oughterard; however, he was constantly harassed by Crown Forces. For the good of his health he was obliged to emigrated to the USA, staying at Fruitia, Colorado. He returned as CC for Moycullen in 1923. The following year he was appointed Parish Priest for Shrule, where he died in 1945.