OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, 9 December 1915, Page 27

OBITUARY

MR. MICHAEL FLANNERY, WELLINGTON . The news of the death of Mr. Michael Flannery, who passed away at his residence, Arlington street, Wellington, on November 27,. came as a great shock to his many friends throughout New Zealand. The late Mr. Flannery was" born at Ballaghadereen, Ireland, 78 years ago, and came out to Dunedin in 1862. Joining the Prison Service the next year, the late Mr. Flannery saw some very stirring times during the growth of Dunedin, when the prisoners of those days were employed in the public works of the colony. He was chief warder when the Maori prisoners of war were sent to the gaol in Dunedin. In the early ’eighties an attempt was made to oust "Mr. Flannery from the Prison Service on a trumped-up charge, which many of the older residents of Dunedin will remember. So unjust was this charge that Mr. Flannery, who had been retired for a "fortnight, was re-instated, and in 1883 was transferred to Auckland, where he remained until 1897, when he was appointed gaoler at Hokitika. In 1909 Mr. Flannery was appointed gaoler at Napier, where he remained until his retirement on superannuation in 1906. The late Mr. Flannery was one of the old school of Irishmen, who had the whole history of Ireland at his fingers’ ends, and could give chapter and verse for every event of any note occurring in the history of the Old Land. Mr. Flannery was a practical. Catholic, and died fortified by the rites of the Church. He was a strong supporter of the Tablet, having been a subscriber from the first issue of that paper until his death. He leaves a widow and three daughters (Miss Flannery, a prominent member of the C.1.C., Wellington ; Mrs. J. J. L. Burke, Wellington ; and Mrs. J. J. ’Gorman, Christchurch), to whom is extended the deepest sympathy of a very large circle of friends. A Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of the deceased was celebrated on November 30 by Rev. Father Schaefer, and Rev. Father Barra, assisted by Rev. Fathers Hurley, O’Connor, and Very Rev. Dean Regnault officiated at the graveside.— R.I.P.