Timothy Joyce

Timothy Joyce (1868–1947), was an Irish Roman Catholic priest, Monsignor and parish priest of Portumna, 1919–1947.

Biography

Joyce was born in Portumna on 8 August 1868. He was educated at the Christian Brothers School, Nenagh; St. Brendan's Seminary, Loughrea; Mungreat College, Limerick. He was ordained in St. Bridget's church, Portumna, by Bishop of Clonfert, Dr. Healy, in 1896. He was immediately made parish curate, serving under Fr. Joseph Corcoran.

In 1904 he was one of two Clonfert priests who travelled to the U.S. to collect funds for the construction of a cathedral in Loughrea; "members of the Joyce family who had previously emigrated to the United States helped greatly in this task by organising fundraising events." On his return he served briefly in Ballymacward and then Ballinasloe.

One result of his efforts in the USA was a recommendation to the bishop that, vacancy arising, he should be appointed parish priest in his home parish of Portumna. This came to pass upon the death of Fr. Corcoran in December 1919.