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Name: O'MEARA, John Joseph (Rev. Father)

Birth Date: 8 Aug 1909 Drumcondra, Ireland

Death Date: 15 Mar 1970 Nairobi

First Date: 1937

Profession: Headmaster

Area: Nairobi

Book Reference: Who's Who 63

School: Christian Brothers and Blackrock College Dublin; University College Dublin; London University; Kimmage Manor Dublin

General Information:

Who's Who 63 - Ordained 1935 in Ireland; Junior Master Kabaa 1937-40; Asst. Headmaster Holy Ghost College Mangu 1940-42; Headmaster 1942-48; Diocesan Education Secretary 1949 and 1950; Education Secretary General from 1951; General Secretary Kenya Episcopal Conference from 1961
Henry J. Koren, Spiritan East African Memorial:1994 He completed his classical studies at Blackrock in 1925 and made his vows at
Kimmage on August 26,1926. He then prefected at Rathmines while also eaming a B.A. and in 1931 his Higher Diploma of Education. While finishing his theology studies, he was ordained on June 22, 1935 at AII Hallows college. Appointed to the Vicariate of Zanztbar in the following year, he spent an additional year in London, pursuing postgraduate studies in education. On October 20, 1937 he sailed from London to Mombasa. As could be expected, most of his years in Kenya were to be spent in education. He began by teaching in the High School at Kabaa and became its headmaster before he moved to assume the same function at Holy Spirit High School in Mangu. 
From 1945 on he was also the Educational Secretary General for all Catholic schools in Kenya, a function he held for twenty years. Taking up residence at Eastleigh and later at St. Mary's School, Nairobi, he dealt not only with all routine matters of his office, but also with the frequent delicate problems of liaison between the missions and the govemment. As such, he won the complete confidence of all parties. "His sincerity and truthfulness were a byword. His deference to authority
and respect for it  were not allowed to impinge upon what he believed to be the claims of justice from whatever source these arose.' During his flnal five years he was pastor of St. Francis Xavier parish in Parklands, Nairobi, while also in charge of its secondary school. He died there suddenly while working at his desk.

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