Fr. Matt Corcoran was born in Coolduv in Kilmurry Parish. He attended Kilmurry National School as a young boy. There from which he went to St. Agustine's College in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. The Lateran and Gregorian Universities, Rome was the next stop for Fr. Matt in which he studied Philosophy and Divinity and received Doctorates for his studies.

Fr. Matt joined the Rosminian Order, it was founded by Antonio Rosmini; an Italian priest in 1828. The Rosminian work includes: parish work, care of the handicapped (Physically and mentally), education and missions.

Fr Matt had some interesting stories to tell of his travells:

Late for Mass

"In Tanzania, East Africa, I was travelling in a rover to an outside mission on a Sunday morning. The mass was to be at 10am, and we were making good progress until we came to an obstruction on the road. A tree had fallen during the night, part of which was on the road, and the othe part suspended precautiously over the road. Our land Rover was too high to pass under the suspended part.

We had to go back to the Mission house to get a smaller car, which passed under the tree. All this took about three hours, and we still had another three hours journey to reach the other Mission Church. We arrived nearly four hours late for mass, and were surprised to see that the congregation were still there singing hymns of praise. Their sense of time is so different to ours! I would not like to be four hours late for mass in Canovee, Kilmurry or Cloughduv!"

A witch-doctor off-duty:

"I was not very long in Tanzania at the time, and was being shown around by an older missionary. As we were walking down a mountain pathway we saw a man in white tunic approaching. The older missionary said: "Here comes the local witch-doctor, but he is off duty at this time of day. At night however, he puts on his cloak and feathers and works his spells." The witch doctor knew the older missionary well, and they conversed in the local dialect, which I did not understand. He eventually shook hands to each of us, and went his way.

I asked the older missionary about his conversation with the witch doctor, and he replied: "He asked me who you were, and I told him you were my brother. Then he looked at you and said, "If he is your brother he is not a bit like you!" I was not his brother as such, but his brother in religion. The witch doctor was off-duty at the time, but I would not have like to meet him when on-duty. He seems to have some power over the local people, and they have great fear of him at times."

An African Cabin (Shanti):

"My first visit to an African Cabin or 'Shanti' in bush country, brought home to me the extreme poverty in which so many live in Africa. An experienced priest was with me and making house visits. The 'house' (and 'houses') we visited was small and simply built: four walls of mud, a hole in one wall for a window, some rusted zine sheets and bamboos as a roof, and a few bags in the corner for a bed. Before leaving we gave some money to the resident. Their extended families help as much as they can, and there are no pensions or social welfare."

Christmas day in summer:

"We associate Christmas with snow and ice ('I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas'). In Tanzania, however, it was really summer time: fine sunshine, flowers and bees. There are only two seasons in that part of the worlds: wet season and dry season. At first it seemed strange - Christmas in summer - but I got used to it."

Happy Children:

"Travelling in a mountainous region in Tanzania, I noticed a group of about 12 children playing games near the roadside. They were half-naked and un-nourished, but seemed joyful and happy. I asked the driver how it was that such very poor children could be so happy. He explained: "These children are Muslims and very poor, but they don't know that they are poor, they think that this is normal and that the whole world is in the same situation. They have never known any other kind of life and so they are happy." It makes one think!"

End