BYNUALA MCALOON
Cashel-born Priest Father Gabriel Dolan is celebrating his silver jubilee to the Priesthood.
Ordained on the 12th June, 1982, Father Dolan was one of five members of the St. Patrick's Missionary Society ordained to the Priesthood in Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow, by the Most Rev Sr. Joseph Cunnane, Archbishop of Tuam.
The youngest in a family of six, of Michael and Mary Dolan, he was educated at Cashelandra, St. Mary's Secondary School, Brollagh, and St. Michael's College, Enniskillen.
He entered St. Patrick's College , Kiltegan, in 1974 and obtained his BA degree at the University College, Cork, in 1978.
The young Priest celebrated his first Mass in his native Cashel that weekend and was afterwards congratulated by an overflowing congregation. Others in his family included his brothers, Pat, James and Kevin and his sisters, Maureen Stewart, and Margaret O'Reilly.
In September, 1982, Fr Dolan left for his mission in Kenya, East Africa, a place where he has since devoted his life. In the last year, he has taken time out to return to Ireland to complete a Master's degree in International Human Rights at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown.
He is currently working on his dissertation and hopes to have finished the degree in mid-August before returning to Africa in September.
Before all that however, he will celebrate his silver jubilee Mass in Cashel on Friday, 6th July,and, afterwards, he hopes to enjoy a get-together with family, friends and parishioners.
It has been throughout his time in Kenya, that Father Dolan's role has encompassed that of a priest, a friend, a confident, a citizen's advice bureau, a counselling service, and a radical anti-establishment protester, a practice which has had him arrested on two occasions.
An enthusiastic and infectious man, Fr Dolan has missed Africa throughout the last year. It's a place he calls home, but he has also relished the opportunity to be near and spend time with his family.
He returned to Africa for a brief stay after Christmas and is looking forward once again, to taking up his work there in September where he will continue his challenge to help the poorest of people, and to fight for truth, peace and justice.
"I have enjoyed my year here, and it has been a good year. It has been nice to be back with family nearby. I have also been here for the major transitions in political life, a time where there has been hope and optimism for Northern Ireland, so it was the right year to be back."
On his return to Africa, Fr Gabriel knows he will be entering a dangerous and testing time.
"The elections are coming up in December, so at the minute there is a lot of confusion and a lot of violence. In Nairobi last week, police shot 33 people dead. They were trying to suss criminals out but they shot at large. There are a lot of insecurities, the economy has improved a lot, about 6% in the last year, but there is a lot of crime and uncertainties as the elections loom."
While he admits he does at times live in fear, Father Gabriel says everyone finds their own level of coping.
Throughout his time as a Missionary Priest, Father Gabriel has been based in Turkana, Kenya, a place where he set up the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission.
In 1997, he moved to Kitale, about 200 miles away, and it was there he made international headlines following his arrest over land protests in 2005.
He has always been passionate about justice and exposing the truth and, as such has been a inspirational figure to the people he has fought for.
His work for the poor and underprivileged, helping people stand up for their civic rights and for the return of their lands, has been influential. He has also worked for the ending of abuses of women. In 2004, he was awarded the Human Rights Award by the Law Society of Kenya. He is also an advisory member of the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights, and a Board Member of Kenya Land Alliance.
