Cork-born ‘priest of the people’ laid to rest after car accident in the US

A CORK-BORN priest died in Augusta, Georgia, in the US after a car accident.

Fr John O’Brien, a native of Clonard, Youghal, was laid to rest in America yesterday following the August 2 crash.

According to the local county sheriff’s department, Fr O’Brien had been dining with fellow priests last Thursday when the alarm went off at his church.

He went to investigate and, on his return, took a wrong turn and his car was struck by a Ford F-150 truck.

The sheriff’s department said that while Fr O’Brien was at fault for failing to yield right of way, the 44-year-old driver of the truck refused to give a blood sample for alcohol testing.

The 61-year-old parish priest of St Teresa of Avila in Grovetown had worked for a number of years in Georgia. He is survived by his twin, Tom, along with another brother, Fr Donal O’Brien, who is serving in Ballyvourney, Co Cork.

Kevin Boland, bishop of the Diocese of Savannah, paid tribute to Fr O’Brien.

“This is a devastating loss to the diocese and to Fr O’Brien’s family. He was a priest of the people and a priest’s priest.

“He had given outstanding and exemplary service to our diocese,” said Bishop Boland, who is a native of Glounthaune, Co Cork.

Fr O’Brien initially had no intention of becoming a priest but was swayed when a former bishop of Savannah visited his secondary school in Co Cork.

He was ordained in 1969 and soon moved to the US.

Fr O’Brien served in a number of parishes in Georgia, including the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in downtown Augusta, twice in Columbus and twice in Valdosta.

“He was a blessing, and he was a wonderful man. Even though he was only with us a short time, we are so grateful for that time,” said Bobby Christine, the parish council president at St Teresa’s.