A fitting memorial to the internationally renowned World War II hero, Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty should be included in the public realm plans for Caherciveen town, under the town regeneration plan, it has been proposed.
The monsignor, a former resident of Caherciveen responsible for saving the lives of 6,500 allied soldiers and Jews in Rome is buried in the grounds of the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church in the town centre.
Cllr Michael Cahill said for decades there was very little known about the monsignor at home in Ireland but, internationally, he was a hero in Rome, he was a hero in Europe and he was a hero throughout the world.
In 1960, Monsignor O’Flaherty suffered a serious stroke during Mass and was forced to return to Ireland. Shortly before his first stroke in 1960, he was about to be confirmed as the papal nuncio to Tanzania. He moved to Caherciveen to live with his sister at whose home he died on the 30th of October 1963, aged 65.
“I believe the timing is now right, on the 60th anniversary of his death, for a fitting, permanent memorial to be placed in the heart of Caherciveen town to honour this great man.
I have asked Kerry County Council to include such a fitting project in the public realm plans, under the €19.5 million town regeneration scheme,” Cllr Cahill said.
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