A Man of Faith, A Saviour of Many – Duine Dílis den Chreideamh, Tarrthálaí na Mórán
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty (1898 – 1963)
The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican
A Kerry priest whose courage reflected the Gospel’s call to love our neighbour.
Sagart Ciarraíoch a léirigh ina mhisneach glaoch an tSoiscéil chun grá a thabhairt dár gcomharsa.
A Vocation Born in the Kerry Diocese
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty was born in Kiskeam in 1898. He was raised in Killarney, where his father was the steward of the old Killarney Golf Club. From an early age, he felt called to the priesthood, a vocation nurtured in the faith of his family and community.
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, with his sister Bride (Sheehan),
his parents Margaret & James and his brothers Neil and Jim
(late 1920s)
After three years study at the Jesuit College in Mungret, County Limerick, he went to Rome in 1922 to complete his studies for the priesthood, where his exceptional intellect shone through. He was ordained in 1925 and went on to earn doctorates in Divinity, Canon Law, and Philosophy – the very foundations of the Church’s teaching and governance. His work, as a Vatican diplomat, took him to Egypt, Haiti, Santo Domingo, and Czechoslovakia – serving the Church and the Holy See with distinction. His love for golf, first learned in Killarney, saw him socialise with many notable and influential figures, but his true purpose always remained his priestly ministry.
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty with students at the Pontificio Collegio
Urbano de Propaganda Fide (Pontifical Urban College for the
Propagation of the Faith) (c.1930)
The Faith in Action: A Network of Mercy
When the Nazis occupied Rome in 1943, Monsignor O’Flaherty knew his faith demanded action. From his base inside the neutral Vatican, he coordinated a vast, secret rescue network, putting the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life into practice.
Following the example of the Good Samaritan, he and his brave helpers—including priests, nuns, and lay people—sheltered over 6,500 escaped Allied prisoners of war, shot-down airmen, and Jewish families in monasteries, convents, and Church properties across Rome. A master of disguise, he constantly evaded the Gestapo, who sought to capture him. His daring, priestly courage earned him the nickname “The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican.” He lived the words of Scripture: ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’
Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty in his office
in the Pontificio Collegio
A Legacy of Faith and Courage
By the end of the war, this one Irish priest, armed with his Catholic faith and humanity, had helped save over 6,500 souls. In 1950, he was named a Notary of the Holy Office, the first Irishman to hold this prestigious Vatican position.
He retired to Cahersiveen, for the final three years of his life, passing away on 30th October 1963. His death was mourned across the world, and there was a front-page tribute in the New York Times. He is buried in the grounds of the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church in Cahersiveen.
His good deeds are a lasting reminder to us all of the power of a priest, who lived his faith with heroic courage.
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A true hero of the Church and a faithful servant of God – Gaiscíoch fíor na hEaglaise agus giolla dílis Dé
God has no country – Níl aon tír ag Dia – Deo patria non est