Old Drogheda
Society
The first of the autumn season of lectures of the Old Drogheda Society takes place on Wednesday September 24th at 8 pm in the Governors House, Millmount when Mary McDonnell, a grandniece of Dean Anthony Cogan will speak on the life and times of noted Meath priest.
Anthony Coogan was born in Slane 1826, one of five sons and three daughters of baker Thomas Coogan and his wife Ann Sillary, a former Protestant who turned Catholic to marry Thomas.
Anthony went to school locally then attended St Finian’s Seminary in Navan, where he studied for the priesthood, becoming a dean shortly afterwards. Two of his brothers were surgeons in the British Army.
Anthony is noted for for both his academic and humanitarian work. He published three volumes on the history of the Diocese of Meath, the only ecclesiastical history on the churches and graveyards of the diocese. Cogan made great use of an extensive archive, which included manuscript materials from the early 17th century.
He also encouraged the bishops of Ireland to preserve chronicles of their dioceses for future generations He also did a lot of research on priests in the penal days and drew great inspiration from them. Sadly, the archive that he established in Meath does not survive as it was destroyed in 1909.
He spent 15 years as a priest in Navan where he founded the Catholic Young Men’s Society in 1863. He also did a lot of work on behalf of the poor people of Navan, fighting against bigotry and intolerance, working to relieve their squalor and overcrowding. Dean Cogan’s Trojan work was cut short when he died at the age of 45.
Dean Cogan Place in Navan was named after him and the Slane Historical Society have erected a memorial plaque on the wall of his former home, Mimnaghs Shop on Main Street.
Wednesdays lecture is open to all and a book stall will operate on the night.
Old Drogheda Society - History, Archaeology & Heritage
Millmount, Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland. Tel. 041-9833097
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