Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty

Eighty years ago, with the end of the Second World War, the story of an Irishman who helped save thousands of lives in war time Italy emerged. It later made it to the film screens telling the story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, the county Kerry born priest who became known as a ‘Vatican Pimpernel’. Risking life and limb, O’Flaherty managed to organised the safe passage of thousands of allied soldiers and others from Rome during the 1940s.

When he died in October 1963 the Irish Independent reported news of his death with the following report:

RIGHT REV. M0NSIGN0R HUGH O’FLAHERTY, who has died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Brid Sheehan, Cahirciveen, became known as the "Scarlet  Pimpernel", of the Vatican City because  he continually risked his life to save thousands of soldiers in Rome from capture by the Germans. On June 6, 1946, Lieut.-General C. H. Lee, Commander of the Mediterranean theatre, paid tribute to his heroism when he pinned the Medal of Freedom on his soutane. The citation referred to his "exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of an outstanding service to the Government of the U.S." The British Government recognised his work by awarding him the O.B.E. in 1946. He was also decorated by the "French and Italian. Monsignor O’Flaherty’s organisation lasted only 10 months but, in that time, thousands of Allied prisoners were helped to escape. On one occasion, he provided an escaping Eighth Army officer with a disguise and a ticket to the Rome opera. The officer found himself sitting next to Field-Marshal Kesselring whom he asked to autograph his programme. The German Commander in-Chief obliged. The British secret service smuggled £25.000 to Monsignor O’Flaherty to help in his work. It became known after the war that he had been much sought after by the Gestapo. When the Chief of the Gestapo in Rome was arrested and began preparations to become a Catholic, he asked to see Monsignor O’Flaherty. The Chief told him that had he been captured by the Gestapo during his activities which were well known to them, he would have been killed. Later O’Flaherty walked with the Gestapo chief to his execution.

In 1948 the Archbishop of Birmingham, Most Rev. Dr.; Masterson, paid tribute to Monsignor 'O’Flaherty when, he said that every Cardinal' s room in Rome was occupied by British soldiers in hiding and that the Co. Kerry priest was their most valuable helper.  Monsignor O’Flaherty was educated as St Mungrets College, Co. Limerick, and at the College of the Propagation of the Faith in Rome….

For more information search the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archives (www.irishnewsarchives.com )