John Kelly, O.S.A.

1842 – 1873 (March 12)

John Kelly, son of John Kelly and Mary Kennehan, was born on December 13, 1842, in Templetuohy, Ireland. Before immigrating to the United States he had been a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary.

 On January 20, 1870, he entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania, and professed simple vows on January 21, 1871. In June, 1872, due to poor health, he was permitted to return to Ireland to regain his strength. He died there, in Templemore, on March 12, 1873, at the age of 31, of consumption and was buried in his family’s hometown of Templemore. Fr. Middleton described John Kelly on his arrival at Villanova as “tall, spare in form, and of soldierly bearing.”

Prior Provincial Thomas Galberry had a stone erected to mark John Kelly’s grave.