Longford parish indebted to the dedication and vision of late Fr Michael Campbell

Fr Michael Campbell was born on January 12, 1951 to parents, Mary Anne (nee Colreavy) and Michael Campbell in the townland of Cloonohill, Drumlish in the parish of Gortletteragh.

While having a Longford postal address he was a Leitrim man by birth and was immensely proud of his Leitrim heritage. He was educated at Fearglass National School and he received his secondary education at Summerhill College, Sligo.
He studied for the priesthood in St Patrick’s College Maynooth and was ordained for the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois on June 19, 1977.

From 1977 to 1987, he served as a curate in the parish of Carrick on Shannon. Many parishioners and students have great memories of his time as a young priest in Carrick, on the football field with St Mary’s GAA or as chaplain in Marymount College and St Patrick’s Hospital.

His second parish was Ferbane and Belmont, in county Offaly. There he again immersed himself in all aspects of parish life. He was the first chairperson of Ferbane Belmont GAA club, an amalgamation of two GAA clubs in the same parish, a sensitive process but under the influence of Fr Michael, it made for a very united community. He was involved in setting up the first community employment scheme in Belmont, overseeing improvements to Kilrehan Cemetery. He also served as chaplain in Ferbane Secondary School.

In September 2002, Fr Michael was appointed parish priest of Abbeylara. As a parish we will be forever indebted to the kindness, energy, dedication and vision of Fr Michael. He was deeply spiritual and exceptionally dedicated to his priestly ministry and at the same time had a vision of what a parish community should be.

With this in mind, as chairperson of Abbeylara GAA club from 2003 to 2015, he spearheaded a fundraising venture to acquire ground to develop a full sized Prunty pitch, spectator stand and walking track which opened in 2008.
In 2006/2007 both Abbeylara NS and Aughnagarron NS were extended and fully refurbished with Fr. Michael as chairperson of the Boards of Management. Land was acquired to provide a football pitch for Abbeylara NS and extra space for Abbeylara cemetery.

A state of the art Handball Centre, boasting two glass walled alleys was officially opened in 2008. This was all as a result of Fr Michael’s tireless efforts with many fundraising events from tractor pulling, monster draws, concerts featuring Tommy Fleming, Derek Ryan among others. These fundraisers were enthusiastically guided by Fr Michael.
His plans for a community centre where people or organisations could meet together to socialise bore fruit with the opening of an impressive parish centre in 2016. None of these developments would have taken place without the presence of Fr Michael. His vision for facilities to serve the needs of all people was front and centre.

Fr Michael spent time on pilgrimages to Lough Derg, the Holy Land and Medjugorje and he invited Ivan Dragicevic, one of the visionaries to the church in Abbeylara at Easter in 2006. His spirituality was the essence of the man. He had a special bond with the sick and his healing hands and prayerful presence was a source of consolation to many, many people at home or in hospital.

Displaying exceptional devotion to his priestly ministry and in the face of deteriorating health, Fr Michael continued to carry out his priestly duties, daily Mass, visitation of the sick up to March of this year. Fr Michael died on August 30, 2024 and was interred in Abbeylara Cemetery.

Fr Michael was predeceased by his parents, Mary Ann and Michael, his sister, Ann-Margaret and his brother Joe.
Our sympathies to his beloved family, his brothers, JP and Raymond, his sisters-in-law, Josephine, Martina and Ann, his eight nephews and one niece, Bishop Paul Connell, Bishop Emeritus Colm O’Reilly and his brother priests of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois.

Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam uasal dílis. MQ