Distinguished Natives of the Callan District

Abbess Mary Butler 1646-1723 Born in Mill Street. Befriended by Queen Mary of Modena, abbess Butler was first to wear religious habit at the English Court since the Reformation. She was honoured as the first and greatest Irish Abbess of Benedictine dames of Ypres (now of Kylemore, Co. Galway. Cousin of the second Duke of Ormonde.

Most Rev. Christopher Butler 1673-1757. Born in Garryricken. Archbishop of Cashel and Emily. Grandson of 1st Duke of Ormonde and grandson of 2nd Earl of Fingall.

Most Rev. Patrick Minogue 1829-1895 Born in Reisk. Bishop of Sacramento. Described as "God's own nobleman." Built Cathedral of Sacramento. Formerly a miner in Nevada.

Most Rev. John Ireland 1835-1915 Born in Burnchurch. archbishop of St. Paul. "Fr. Matthew of America."

Rev. Thomas O Shea 1813-1887 Born in Cappahayden. Co-founder with Rev. Mat O'Keeffe of first Callan Tenant Protection Society (1849) which opened Fifty Years War on Landlordism. "Callan "Curates sponsored first collection for Catholic University.

Mother M. Philomena Fitzgerald Born in Reisk. Distinguished member of the Presentation Order in India, Pakistan, Ireland (Bailiboro)

Henry Flood 1732-1791 Born in Farmley. Patriot, Statesman, Orator. Bequeathed £5,000 to Trinity College to promote Irish language.

John Dunne 1815-1892 Born in Poulacapple. School-master, Gaelic Poet, Folklorist. Author of "Fenian Traditions of Sliabh-na-mBan"

James Cahill -1840 Born in Kilamery, Schoolmaster. Gaelic Poet.

Rev. T.A. Fitzgerald, O.F.M. 1864- Author of 5 volumes of humorous tales. Translator of works of Padraig Pearse.

Thomas Shelly 1823-1907 Born in Green Street. Author of articles on church and civic records of Callan in Ossory Archaeological Journal. Brother, John Shelly. Biographer of Edmund Rice.

Joseph Hawe Born in Callan. Author jof "Insula Sacra" 1859.

Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Candler - 1850 Born in Green Street. Knight of Orders of St. Anne, St. George, St. Volidema. Count of Russian Empire.

Sir George Tallis -1950 Born in Bridge House. Shakespearean Actor and Producer, Sydney.

John Cudahy 1843-1915 Michael Cudahy 1841-1910, Patrick Cudahy 1849-1919. Born in Callan. Founders of Cudahy Packing Company, Milwaukee.

Thomas Cahill1911- Born in Chicago, Illinois. When he was two years of age his parents returned to Moanmore, near Callan, where he attended the local Christian Brothers School.

At the age of 19 he returned to America, and having worked at various jobs, joined the San Francisco Police Department in 1942. Rising up through the ranks he became Chief of Police in 1958. From October 1968 to October 1969 he served as President of the International Chiefs of Police representing 65 nations. He retired as Chief of Police in 1970.

Thomas Kilroy Born Green Street, Callan. Author of the historical novel, The Big Chapel for which work he was awarded the Guardian Newspaper Prize for Fiction in 1972, the W.H. Heinemann Bequest, and the A.I.B. 'Award for Literature'.

Tony O'Malley 1913-2003 Born Bridge Street, Callan. Internationally renowned self-taught artist, whose primary mode of expression is fundamentally 'Irish'. Awarded the Douglas Hyde gold medal by the Irish Arts Council in 1981. In the same year an hour long documentary film on his life and works called Places Apartwas made by Muiris Mac Conghail and shown on R.T.E. He has exhibited widely.

Jonny Donovan 1931- Born Mill Street, Callan. Won the I.A.B.A. light welterweight championship in 1951. Was the first man in the world to win a title at that newly-formed weight.

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