ARCO regrets to inform its members of the death of Reverend Father Colum Swan Pastor Emeritus of Sallins Parish, County Kildare, former Chaplain to the Defence Forces, and late of Lobinstown, County Meath. On November 26th, 2021, in the excellent care of the staff of the Bon Secours Care Village, Mount Desert, Cork. Predeceased by his parents Michael and Sarah, siblings Leo, Brendan and Nuala. Deeply missed by his sister, Sister Ethna OP, brothers Desmond and Kevin, sisters in law Anna, Mary and Verity, nieces and nephews, and by Bishop Denis Nulty, the Priests of Kildare & Leighlin Diocese, and the many parishioners of Sallins Parish.
Blessed are they that instruct others onto righteousness, they shall shine like stars for all eternity Book of Daniel 12:3
Father Colum Swan, a native of County Meath, was born on 20th April 1928. He was ordained on 21st June 1953 and, in the early years of his ministry, served in parishes in New York for four years. In 1961 Father Swan was appointed as a Chaplain to the Forces in the Curragh. Overseas he served with 2 Infantry Group in the Congo from October 1963 to May 1964, the last Defence Forces’ unit to serve with ONUC. In Cyprus he was Chaplain to 42 Infantry Battalion from April to September 1965, 9 Infantry Group from September 1967 to March 1968, 13 Infantry Group from September 1969 to March 1970 and 22 Infantry Group from April to October 1972. Fr Swan retired from the Defence Forces in 1976 and, after five years in Killeigh Parish, was Parish Priest in Sallins from 1981 until his retirement from active ministry in 2004.
Reposing at the Church of Our Lady and the Guardian Angels, Sallins, from 2pm until 7pm on Sunday 28th with Prayers at 6pm. Requiem Mass on Monday 29th at 12 noon, followed by interment in the grounds of Naas Parish Church.
The Funeral Mass can be viewed via Webcam by logging onto www.naasparish.ie and clicking on the Sallins Webcam Icon.
Members may wish to leave personal messages in the ‘Condolences’ section of Father Swan’s death notice on rip.ie – https://rip.ie/death-notice/rev.-fr.-colum-swan-sallins-kildare/477497
